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Commentary 


^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^' 


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COMMENTARY 


ON    THE 


GOSPEL  OF  LUKE. 


BY 

GEORGE  R.  BLISS,  D.  D. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 
1420  Chestnut  Street. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1884.,  by  the 

AMERICAN    BAPTIST   PUBLICATIOl^    SOCIETY, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


PREFACE. 


The  work  of  a  commentary,  so  far  as  exposition  is  concerned,  is  superseded, 
to  a  considerable  extent,  by  an  adequate  translatiou.  The  volumes  in  the  series 
to  which  this  belongs  proceed  on  the  basis  of  our  Common  Version  (C.  V.).  This 
requires  amendment  in  many  places,  and  the  attempt  is  often  made  in  this  work 
to  effect  the  necessary  modification,  in  citing  the  portion  of  the  text  to  be  com- 
mented on.  Changes  are  j)laced  in  parentheses,  or  are  separated  from  the  general 
text  by  the  use  of  the  dash,  and  substitutions  are  printed  in  Italics.  These  are 
generally  taken  from  the  Revised  Version  (R.  V.),  which  also  stands  at  the  head 
of  the  page.  A  commentary  on  the  familiar  version  thus  improved  may  become 
practically  a  commentary  on  the  Revised  Version.  The  different  renderings 
afforded  us  from  that  source,  are  by  no  means  always  absolutely  the  best,  especially 
as  the  ground-work  of  an  interpretation  ;  but  their  relation  to  the  context  can  be 
conveniently  seen,  and  they  carry  with  them  the  authority  of  that  very  able  body 
of  scholars  by  whom  the  recent  revision  was  effected.  However  far  their  work 
may  seem  to  have  fallen  below  perfection,  regarded  as  a  substitute  for  the 
Testament  of  King  James'  Revisers,  the  present  writer,  at  least,  is  confirmed  in 
the  o])inion  that  it  very  seldom  deviates  from  the  latter  without  more  adequately 
conveying  the  sense  of  the  text  which  it  adopts.  This  is  assuredly  one  prime  ex- 
cellence of  a  translation. 

As  regards  the  Greek  Text  here  followed,^  the  author  has  made  constant 
reference  to  the  critical  editions  of  Lachmann,  Tregelles,  Tischendorf,  AVestcott 
and  Hort,  and  occasionally,  to  the  beautiful  pages  of  Griesbach,  (4  Parts  in 
2  Vols.  fol. :  Leipzig,  1803-1807).  He  has  also  had  easy  access,  in  cases  where 
it  seemed  important,  to  the  magnificient  fac-simile  editions  of  the  Codices  N  and  B, 
the  former  by  Tischendorf,  the  latter  by  Vercellone  and  several  coadjutors;  to 
Cowper's  edition  of  Codex  A;  to  Kipling's  fac-simile,  and  Scrivener's  better 
edition  in  common  type,  of  Cod.  D.  These  are  largely  superseded  for  practical 
use  by  the  critical  editions  of  Tischendorf  and  Tregelles.  Very  convenient  for 
comparison  of  manuscript  readings  is  E.  PI.  Hansell's  Novum  Tedamentum 
Grace,  in  4  volumes,  8vo,  showing  in  parallel  columns  the  texts  of  A  B  C  D,  with 
a  separate  collation  of  readings  of  the  Sinaitic  manuscript. 

The  full  use  of  these  manuscript  materials  presupposes,  beside  a  rare  natural 
gift  for  such  work,  an  amount  of  special  devotion  to  their  study,  to  which  the 

'  See  tho  General  Intiodiicfion  to  the  Complete  Commentary,  by  the  General  Editor, 
pp.  xxxiv.-xliil.,  preceding  Rev.  Dr.  W.  N.  Clark's  Commentary  on  Mark. 

6 


PREFACE. 


writer  makes  no  pretension.  One  may  find  them  helpful  sometimes,  in  weighing 
the  diverse  opinions  of  the  great  experts  above  named,  to  whom  Scrivener,  on 
account  of  his  abundant  work  in  aid  of  textual  criticism,  should  by  all  means  be 
added.  He  contends  bravely  and  ably  to  guide  and  check  the  tendency  which, 
since  Griesbach  began,  a  hundred  years  ago,  has  moved  steadily  toward  the 
substitution,  in  place  of  the  truly  hap-hazard  form  of  the  New  Testament  which 
was  first  published  in  print  in  A.  d.  1516,  and,  with  no  material  change,  again  and 
again,  until  it  became  in  1624  the  Received  Text — toward  the  substitution  for 
this  of  a  text  established  on  the  earliest  attainable  authority  of  manuscript,  con- 
firmed by  the  earliest  versions  and  testimony  of  the  Christian  Fathers.  The  recent 
edition  of  Westcott  and  Hort  shows  the  issue  of  this  tendency,  in  a  Greek  New 
Testament  which  restores,  indeed,  some  words  and  jihrases  omitted  by  previous 
editions,  but  more  often  shocks  our  feeling  of  attachment  to  passages  familiar 
and  edifying  to  us,  by  proving  them  the  work  of  mistaken  or  officious  copyists  of 
later  times.  Protracted  familiarity  with  this  work,  however,  seems  to  us  calculated 
to  give  one  the  impression  of  a  peculiar  homogeneity  and  intrinsic  consistency,  so 
that  one  becomes  almost  ready  to  think  it  could  not  be  expanded  by  many  additions 
without  manifest  deterioration.  As  a  contribution  to  Textual  Criticism  of  the 
New  Testament,  their  work,  as  explained  in  the  Introduction  and  Appendix,  has 
the  virtue  of  proposing  objective,  tangible,  and  apparently  scientific  reasons  why 
a  very  few  early  uncial  manuscripts  should  outweigh  in  authority  a  multitude 
of  later  ones,  whether  uncial  or  cursive.  In  particular,  they  present  a  view  of  the 
character  of  the  two  earliest  manuscripts,  N  and  B,  which  can  be  deliberately 
tested,  and  their  judgment  that  "  readings  common  to  K  and  B  are  virtually 
readings  of  a  lost  manuscript  above  two  centuries  earlier "  (as  early  therefore  as 
the  last  years  of  Polycarp),  oflfers  a  definite,  and  most  important,  topic  of  argument. 
A  decisive  discussion  of  this  point,  and  of  some  other  characteristic  views  of 
Westcott  and  Hort  is  now  natui-ally  to  be  expected,  and,  if  it  can  be  conducted 
thoroughly  on  the  other  side  by  Scrivener  and  men  like  him,  is  much  to  be 
desired.  It  may  either  confirm  the  principles  on  which  all  progress  in  criticism 
has  been  made,  and  on  which,  as  at  last  stated,  a  Text  may  solidly  stand,  or  (absit 
omen)  will  leave  us  still  under  the  necessity  of  counting  the  manuscripts,  pro  and 
con,  on  each  verse,  and  of  choosing,  after  all,  which  readiug  we  like  best.  Men 
competent  to  do  this  work  are  notoriously  few,  and.  considering  the  native  char- 
acter, the  irksome  training,  and,  we  may  add,  the  divine  grace  required  for  its 
eflTectual  accomplishment,  are  not  likely  ever  to  be  numerous.  Dr.  John  Brown 
McClellan,  in  his  learned  work.  The  New  Testament,  a  New  Translation,  etc.. 
Vol.  I. :  London,  1875,  pp.  xxi.-xxxvii.,  and  passim,  evinces  much  attention  to  the 
Text,  and  zeal  for  its  purity,  but  also  a  passionate  perturbation  of  judgment, 
almost  as  if  his  devotion  to  the  Internal  Evidence  had  carried  him  into  a  belief 
in  himself  as  an  original  source  of  revelation.  Still  more  truly  is  the  great  learning 
of  the  Quarterly  Reviewer'  lost  on  men  of  deliberation,  through  the  frantic 
1  Qvarterly  Beviuw,  Oct.  1881.     Tlie  Revised  New  Testament :  the  New  Greek  Text. 


PREFACE. 


outbursts  of  what  seem  personal  griefs  and  hostilities  in  which  it  abounds.  It  is 
evidence  which  is  needed,  not  personal  feelings;  evidence  mainly  external,  docu- 
mentary; but  at  all  events  evidence  which  carries  light,  dry  light,  to  the  under- 
standing of  those  who  are  interested  to  know  what  is  the  word  of  God. 

In  tills  Coninieutary,  wijere  the  writer's  judgment  in  legard  to  the  text  agrees 
with  that  of  the  Anglo-American  Revisers,  he  has  often  followed  that  without 
remark.  The  deliberate  conclusions  of  such  a  body  of  scholars,  including  within 
tiieir  number  the  names  of  Tregelles  (too  soon  removed  from  earthly  work). 
Scrivener,  Westcott,  Hort,  Bishops  EUicott  and  Lightfoot,  and,  in  the  American 
section,  that  of  Dr.  Ezra  Abbot,  certainly,  carry  with  them  a  very  strong  presump- 
tion in  their  favor.  Did  we  not  know  that,  under  the  Rules  which  governed  their 
action,  any  number  of  the  names  above  mentioned  might  be  in  the  minority 
upon  each  question  decided  concerning  the  Text,  it  would  seem  presumptuous 
to  question  its  validity.  As  it  is,  good  reasons  may  justify  any  one  in  forming  a 
different  judgment. 

The  commentary  on  the  text  in  this  volume  aims  simply  to  aid  the  reader 
to  understand  the  Gospel  as  one  of  its  first  readers  would  supposably  do.  This 
involves,  besides  correctness  of  the  translation,  and  the  due  grammatical  explana- 
tion of  clauses  and  sentences,  special  care  in  tracing  the  continuous  train 
of  thought,  and  the  needed  historical,  local,  and  archteological  information, 
something  of  which  even  the  first  readers  of  the  Gospel  may  have  required. 
Through  and  beyond  all  this  the  purpose  has  been  to  make  plain  Luke's  own 
conception  of  the  person,  the  life,  the  character,  and  the  achievements  of  Him 
who  was  the  glorious  and  beloved  theme  of  this  most  beautiful  record.  Did 
any  one  ever  attempt  such  a  task  without  being  made  ashamed  of  his  failure 
to   accomplish    it   aright? 

Greek  words  have  been  quoted  only  where  it  seemed  necessary;  but  the 
original  text  has  been  constantly  regarded  as   the  ultimate  source  of    the  sense. 

To  hit  the  proper  medium  of  copiousness  in  annotation,  where  a  wide  variety 
of  readers  is  in  view,  is  difficult;  and  here  will  be  occasion  for  charity  of 
judgment  on  the  part  of  those  who  would  prefer  less,  or  more. 

On  a  few  points  of  Biblico-theological  importance  the  author  has  indulged 
in  somewhat  extended  remarks,  but  generally  little  has  been  attempted  of 
})ractical  or  homiletical  comment.  It  has  seemed  best  to  stop  with  trying  to 
help  each  reader  to  a   position   where  he  can  make  his  own  comments. 

Only  occasional  and  partial  attention  has  been  given  to  the  harmonizing  of 
Luke's  narrative  with  those  of  the  other  evangelists.  This,  which  is  conceived 
to  be  a  matter  of  real  importance,  as  it  would  be  where  there  is  a  })lurality 
of  testimonies  about  any  matter  of  history,  requires,  in  the  more  perplexing 
cases,  an  exhibition  of  fundamental  principles,  as  well  as  of  the  details  proj^r  ro 
an  independent  work,  and  need  not  intervene  to  hinder  our  distinct  appre- 
hension of  the  view  of  each  sacred  author. 

Tiie    prescribed   limits    of   the    volume,   and    the    varied    circles    of    readers 


8  PREFACE. 


contemplated,  alike  forbade  the  full  discussion  of  particular  expositions.  The 
writer  has  carefully  considered,  on  all  points  of  doubt,  the  views  of  many 
authorities,  for  and  against,  and  has  set  down  his  own  conclusions.  Indeed, 
the  exegetical  apparatus  furnished  in  the  Bucknell  Library  of  this  Seminary, 
reaching  from  Origen  to  Plumptre  and  B.  Weiss,  almost  of  the  present  year, 
warrants  the  writer  in  saying  with  fullest  confidence,  that  he  has  uttered  no 
thought  that  has  not  for  substance  been  said  before  him ;  and  that  some- 
thing to  the  contrary  has  been  said  by  somebody  on  every  point.  His  most 
useful  helpers,  after  all,  have  been,  naturally,  among  the  more  recent.  Van 
Oosterzee,  in  Lange's  Commentary,  has  produced  a  very  valuable  work,  especially 
in  his  Doctrinal  Ethical  additions.  His  exegesis  is  able,  and  occasionally 
suggests  the  hand  of  a  systematic  theologian  rather  than  of  a  strict  interpreter. 
Meyer  and  Godet  are  the  two  great  lights  on  this  Gospel,  but  each  needing 
complement  and  correction  from  the  other.  The  former,  with  great  depth  of 
intellectual  discernment,  and  exactness  of  exposition,  often  betrays  a  disbelief 
of  the  full  credibility  of  the  evangelist,  and  a  lack  of  spiritual  appreciation 
of  the  truth  which  he  discloses  to  us;  the  latter  shows  cordial  reverence  and 
love  for  the  inspired  word,  which,  however,  leaves  him  occasionally  to  attempt 
real  tours  de  force  in  gaining  a  desired,  possibly  a  novel  and  fanciful,  sense. 
Together  they  have  done  so  well  that  where  they  are  both  at  hand,  no  scholar 
will  suffer  for  lack  of  Commentaries  on  Luke.  Farrar's  Commentary,  in  the 
Cambridge  Bible  for  Schools,  is  interesting,  of  course,  applying  to  this  use 
much  matter  condensed  from  his  Life  of  Christ,  and  in  various  respects  has 
been  useful  here,  in  the  final  revision  of  what  had  been  written. 

The  writer  cannot  put  the  finishing  touch  to  his  present  work  without 
emotion.  For  several  years,  in  fragments  of  the  time,  and  in  vacation  periods, 
through  solid  weeks  of  continuous  application,  it  has  been  before  his  mind 
and  on  his  heart.  No  man  can  see  so  clearly  as  he  how  much  more  perfect 
the  result  ought  to  have  been.  But  he  thanks  the  Supreme  Author  of  the 
Gospel  for  having  been  enabled  even  thus  to  bring  it  to  a  close,  and  devoutly 
prays  that  it  may  be  made  the  means  of  some  good.  He  can  say  with  Bishop 
Home,  in  the  Preface  to  his  Commentary  on  the  Book  of  Psalms :  "  Could  the 
author  flatter  himself  that  any  one  would  take  half  the  pleasure  in  reading 
the  following  exposition  which  he  hath  taken  in  writing  it,  he  would  not  fear 
the  loss  of  his  labor."  He  might  add,  slightly  changing  the  Bishop's  words: 
"Happier  hours  than  those  which  have  been  spent  on  these  meditations  upon 
the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  man,  he  never  expects  to  see  in  this  world.  Very 
pleasantly  did  they  pass,  and  moved  smoothly  and  swiftly  along;  for  when 
thus  engaged,  he  counted  no  time.  They  are  gone,  but  have  left  a  relish  and 
a  fragrance  on  the  mind,  and  the  remembrance  of  them  is  sweet." 

GEORGE   R.  BLISS. 
Crozkr  Theological.  Seminary,  Jan.  10^  IS84. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL  OF  LUKE. 


THE  AUTHOR. 


The  name  Luke  occurs  three  times  in  the  Epistles  of  Paul — Col.  4  :  14;  Philcru  24  ; 
2  Tim.  4:11.  In  all  these  it  represents  some  faithful  and  highly  esteemed  fellow-laborer 
of  the  apostle,  in  the  gospel.  In  the  first  passage  the  latter  associates  him  with 
himself  in  the  salutations  to  the  Church  at  Colosse  :  "  Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  and 
Demas,  salute  you."  Here  we  learn  that  he  was  by  profession  a  physician,  to  whom  the 
apostle  was  tenderly  attached ;  and,  from  the  description  of  those  named  with  him,  that 
he  was  engaged  in  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  It  is  also  extremely  probable,  in  fact 
almost  certain,  from  the  way  in  which  Paul,  in  verse  II,  distinguishes  those  previously 
mentioned  as  "of  the  circumcision,"  that  Luke,  with  Epaphras  and  Demas,  was  of 
Gentile  birth.  This  perfectly  agrees  with  all  the  other  indications  concerning  him.  The 
reference  shows  that  he  was  with  the  apostle  in  Rome  at  the  date  of  the  letter  to  the 
Colossians,  A.  D.  63  or  64.  The  mention  of  him  in  Philemon  24  only  adds  evidence  that 
he  was  in  Rome  about  that  time,  as  a  fellow-laborer  with  Paul,  with  Mark  also,  and 
Aristarchus.  That  he  is  not  mentioned  in  the  salutations  of  the  letter  to  the  Philippians 
written  also  from  Rome  during  that  imprisonment,  renders  it  probable  that  he  was  not 
with  the  apostle,  although  it  cannot  show  whether  this  was  earlier  or  later.  Second 
Timothy  4:11,  was  written  three  or  four  years  later,  and  proves  Luke  to  have  been  in 
the  same  place,  as  the  only  helper  present  with  Paul,  in  his  second  imprisonment,  and  at 
the  last  stage  of  his  life. 

This  Luke  has  been  recognized,  from  the  earliest  times,  and  still  is,  by  a  great 
majority  even  of  the  most  unrestrained  Biblical  critics,  as  the  author  of  our  third  Gospel. 

While  he  is  not  named  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament,  he  presents  himself  freely 
in  those  parts  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  where  the  writer  speaks  in  the  first  person 
plural  ("we  came,"  etc.)  16:  11-17;  20:  5,  and  passim.  We  sec  plainly,  from  such 
passages,  that  the  author  of  the  Acts  traveled  with  the  apostle  on  his  second  mis- 
sionary journey,  from  Troas  to  Phillppi.  There  he  appears  to  have  tarried  until  Paul, 
after  six  or  seven  years,  returned  from  Achaia  through  Philippi,  on  his  last  visit  to 
Jerusalem.  After  that  we  find  him  in  company  with  Paul  as  far  as  to  Jerusalem.  At 
the  close  of  the  two  years'  imprisonment  in  Cesarea,  the  author  again  appeare  as  one  of 
the  company  of  Paul,  ready  to  sail  for  Rome.  Although  it  is  not  distinctly  stated,  we 
may  well  sujipose  him  to  have  been  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  teacher  during  the  whole 
two  years  ;  the  more  readily  as  we  are  told  that  Paul's  friends  had  free  access  to  him 
all  the  time,  and  as  Luke's  profession  would,  if  he  were  dependent  on  it,  in  any  town 
secure  him  the  means  of  subsistence.  Thenceforth  he  was  with  the  apostle  on  the  long 
and  eventful  voyage  to  the  capital,  and  through  the  first  two  years  of  his  captivity,  as  we 
have  seen,  and  again  in  a  probable  second  imprisonment. 

Those,  indeed,  who  assume  that  the  writer  of  the  whole  work  has  only  incorporated 
into  it  the  passages  containing  "we,"  from  the  travels  of  some  companion  of  Paul, 
escape  the  conclusion  that  the  actual  author  was  such  a  companion.     But  the  assumptioa 

9 


10  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL. 

involves  an  impeachment  of  his  Uterary  skill,  entirely  gratuitous  and  inconsistent  with 
his  manner  in  general,  or  a  slander  on  his  honesty,  which,  considering  the  spirit  of  the 
writing,  is  little  creditable  to  the  morality  of  such  critics  themselves.  Few  deny  any 
longer  that  the  obvious  and  long  received  interpretation  of  these  passages  is  the 
correct  one. 

The  interest  to  us  of  this  information  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  writer  of  the  Acts  (1  :  1) 
represents  himself  as  being,  and  is  universally  admitted  to  have  been,  the  author  of  the 
Gospel  bearing  the  name  of  Luke.  We  thus  gain  some  incidental  knowledge  of  him 
beyond,  and  strikingly  congruous  with,  the  import  of  Paul's  allusions  before  cited.  This 
renders  us  morally  certain  that  the  writer  of  our  Gospel  accompanied  the  great  apostle, 
or  acted  in  co-operation  with  him,  for  the  promotion  of  the  gospel,  during  ten  or  twelve 
years  of  his  life.  The  relation  between  them  was  affectionate,  and  so  close  and  confiden- 
tial as  to  give  Luke  a  most  favorable  opportunity  to  acquire  whatever  knowledge  his 
teacher  could  impart,  concerning  the  earthly  history  of  our  Lord.  We  may  be  sure, 
also,  that  from  his  intimacy  with  the  apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  from  his  own 
personal  and  professional  character,  he  enjoyed  special  advantages,  in  their  long  journey- 
ings  together,  at  Antioch,  Corinth,  Cesarea,  Jerusalem,  Rome,  to  meet  eye-witnesses  of 
the  Saviour's  work,  who  could  give  him  exact  knowledge  of  the  facts  of  the  Gospel. 

Of  the  life  of  Luke  prior  to  the  time  when  he  joined  Paul,  at  Troas,  nothing  is 
certain  ;  and  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  repeat  the  conjectures  embodied  in  early  traditions, 
still  less  to  hazard  new  ones,  without  danger  of  leading  many  minds  to  ascribe  greater 
probability  to  them  than  they  at  all  warrant.  That  he  was  of  Greek  origin,  is  supported 
not  only  by  the  natural  interpretation  of  Col.  4:11,  and  by  his  name,  but  by  the  purity 
of  his  Greek  style,  free  from  Hebraisms,  except  where  he  is  apparently  handling 
Aramfean  reports,  which  he  may  have  needed  to  have  translated  by  others.  Of  his 
family,  we  do  not  know  that  there  is  even  any  tradition.  Some  later  stories  located  his 
birth  at  Antioch,  others,  in  southern  Italy.  Both  suppositions  are  backed  up  with 
about  equal  force  by  modern  writers,  when  they  respectively  urge  the  evidence  from  his 
special  acquaintance  with  places  in  and  near  Italy,  Acts.  28  :  11  ff,  on  the  one  part,  and 
with  the  aifairs  of  the  Church  at  Antioch,  on  the  other,  as  indicated  in  Acts  11  :  19,  and 
the  chapters  following.  We  think  these  latter  passages  might  justify  the  hypothesis 
that  he  had  resided  at  Antioch,  and  there  become  acquainted  with  Paid,  whom  he 
afterward  met,  by  design  or  otherwise,  at  Troas.  His  name  cannot  be  identified  with 
that  of  Lucius  of  Cyrene,  Acts  13  :  1,  by  any  legitimate  process  of  transmutation.  That 
he  was  converted  to  Christianity  through  Paul,  is  extremely  probable,  and  that  he  must 
have  sympathized  with  the  latter  in  his  distinguishing  views  of  the  gospel,  is  not  only 
practically  certain  from  what  we  have  already  seen,  but  is  put  beyond  question  by  the 
character  of  the  Gospel  before  us.  So  clearly  was  this  seen,  at  an  early  day,  that 
Eusebius,  and  Origen  before  him,  assumes  that  when  Paul  used  the  phrase  "my 
gospel,"  he  meant  the  Gospel  according  to  Luke,  as  expressing  his  particular  view. 
This,  however,  was  mere  fancy.  That  Luke  was  "the  brother  whose  praise  is  in  the 
gospel  throughout  all  the  churches"  (2  Cor.  8  :  18),  is  a  supposition,  plausible  at  least, 
considering  that  Paixl  was  probably  writing  from  Macedonia,  during  the  time  that  Luke 
seems  to  have  tarried  in  Philippi,  and  that  we  hear  of  no  other  one  in  that  region  likely 
to  have  merited  that  description.  As  a  physician,  he  would  naturally  have  had  an 
education  above  that  which  was  common.  We  cannot,  however,  hence  infer  any 
superiority  of  birth,  since  trained  freedmen,  or  even  slaves,  sometimes  practiced  medi- 
cine.    His  company  in  this  character  might  be  a  special  help  and  comfort  to  the  apostle, 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL.  11 


who  suffered  much  with  bodily  infirmity,  the  pain  of  which  was  to  him  sometimes  as 
"a  thorn,"  or,  more  properly,  "a  sharp  stake,"  "to  the  flesh." 

Of  the  fortunes  of  the  evangelist,  after  the  date  of  Paul's  second  letter  to  Timothy, 
we  can  with  certainty  say  nothing,  nothing  at  all,  of  the  time,  place,  or  manner  of  his 
death.* 

OCCASION  AND  DESIGN. 

The  occasion  was,  primarily,  the  religious  need  of  a  convert  to  Christianity,  of  the 
name  of  Theophilus,  whose  name  (repeated  by  Luke,  1:3;  Acts  1:1),  is  all  that  we 
know  concerning  the  man.  Of  this,  and  of  his  apparent  station  and  character,  as  we 
may  infer  from  the  prologue  of  the  Gospel,  we  have  spoken  in  the  Notes  on  1  :  3.  It 
is  commonly  assumed  that  he  had  embraced  the  gospel  as  presented  by  Paul  and  those 
who  sympathized  with  him  ;  a  doctrine,  namely,  of  perfectly  free,  gratuitous,  and 
complete  salvation,  on  the  ground  of  faith  in  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  as  crucified  for  sin 
and  raised  again  from  the  dead.  At  all  events,  within  the  sphere  of  Paul's  evangelical 
labors,  any  thoughtful  man  would  be  exposed  to  the  disturbing  influence  of  Judaizing 
legalists,  who  would  tell  him  that  he  ought  to  be  circumcised  also,  and  to  keep  the 
Mosaic  law.  Heathen  skepticism  also,  the  current  philosophy,  habits  of  early  thinking, 
might,  if  he  were  of  Gentile  origin,  as  his  name  of  Theophilus  slightly  intimates, 
suggest  doubts  and  perplexities  in  his  new  faith.  These,  in  the  absence  of  documentary 
information  as  to  the  origin  and  history  of  the  Christian  doctrine,  when,  moreover,  the 
testimony  of  apostles,  or  other  eye-witnesses,  was  for  him  a  rare  and  transient  privilege, 
miglit  become  a  serious  temptation.  Whatever  the  reason  of  his  necessity,  whether 
external  or  from  within,  from  Jewish  bigotry  or  from  heathen  associations  and  prejudices, 
our  author  addresses  him  as  needing  to  have  his  foith  clarified  and  confirmed  in  those 
teachings  on  which  he  had  rested  his  eternal  hope.  He  may  have  requested  the 
assistance  of  Luke,  as  a  friend  and  well  known  teacher,  toward  this  end.  The  latter 
indicates  (1  :  1-4)  that  he  thought  a  good  way  to  supply  the  want  of  Theophilus  would 
be  to  set  forth,  first,  in  a  narrative,  well  ordered,  chronologically,  and  according  to 
rational  sequence  of  the  facts,  those  teachings,  works,  sufferings  of  the  Founder  of 
Christianity  which  the  apostles  were  wont  to  present  to  men,  as  best  suited  to  prove 
him  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy  and  the  Author  of  salvation  for  the  world. 

We  need  not  suppose  that  Luke  was  moved  to  this  work  simply  to  do  a  favor  to 
Theophilus.  He  had  probably,  from  what  he  saj^,  been  long  engaged  in  researches  for 
something  of  this  kind,  and  dedicated  his  work  to  his  respected  friend,  not  as  a  private 
letter,  but  with  the  expectation  that  an  extensive  section  of  the  church,  in  the  same 
necessity  as  he,  would  share  the  same  help.  He  intended  to  give  not  only  a  truthful, 
full,  consistent  view,  but  also  a  somewhat  different  view  from  what  others  had 
attempted  in  writing,  of  the  history  of  Jesus  and,  ultimately,  of  the  Christian  eau.se. 

Such  being  the  occasion,  as  we  confidently  infer,  the  design,  as  plainly  stated  by  Luke 

*It  may  be  worth  the  space  here  to  append  .some  of  the  things  reported,  ancienflv,  without  anv  tangible 
ground  of  credibility,  respecting  Luke.  Among  them  are,  besides  those  just  mentioned  coneerning'the  place 
of  his  birth,  etc.,  that  he  was  one  of  the  seventy  disciples;  the  companion  of  Cleopas  on  the  way  to  Emmaus; 
that  he  labored  in  the  gospel  in  Dalniatia,  Italy,  (iaul,  Africa;  that  he  was  a  painter,  and  painted  pictures  of 
the  virgin  lAIaryand  others  named;  that  he  died  when  ciKlity-four  years  old,  in  Constantinople,  in  Achaia,  in 
Bithynia;  that  his  remains  were  taken  to  Constantinople  by  the  Emperor  Coustantine,  and  buried  in  the 
Church  of  the  Apostles ;  that  he  suflTered  martyrdom,  by  decapitation,  by  crucifixion,  etc..  etc.  Of  course,  there 
may  have  been  a  grain  of  truth  in  some  of  these  legends— in  some  of  ihem  there  could  not  be ;  but  without  any 
contemporary  evidence  to  distinguish  between  the  true  and  the  fictitious,  we  most  safelv  leave  it  all  in  the 
region  of  fables. 


12  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL. 

in  his  Preface,  was  simply  involved  in  that  His  object  in  writing  at  all,  and  in  writing 
as  he  did,  was  that  Theophilus  might  thereby  "  know  the  certainty, "  the  "unshakable 
truth,"  (o<r(fraA€ca)^  conceming  the  words  in  which  he  had  been  instructed.  Of  course, 
he  designed  that  the  same  benefit  should  accrue  to  as  many  as  possible,  to  whom, 
through  Theophilus,  the  knowledge  of  his  Gospel  should  come.  The  full  accomplish- 
ment of  his  purpose  would  require  the  carrying  forward  of  the  work  begun  by  Jesus, 
through  the  Book  of  the  Acts.  This,  we  think,  was  distinctly  in  his  mind  from  the 
first,  but  not  so  as  to  hinder  the  Gospel,  as  introduced  by  its  Preface,  from  being  intended 
as  a  separate  work. 

THE  GOSPEL. 

This,  on  a  particular  examination,  seems  admirably  suited  to  accomplish  such  a 
design,  and  lends  powerful  support  to  the  views  already  expressed,  by  its  perfect 
consistency  with  the  supposition  of  such  an  author  writing  to  such  a  friend.     We  note — 

(1)  Special  familiarity  with  the  Greek  language.  The  first  sentence  of  the  Gospel 
presents  us  a  finished  period,  worthy  of  any  classical  writer  of  the  time,  and  such  as  can 
hardly  be  thought  of  from  the  hand  of  any  other  New  Testament  writer,  unless  it  be 
the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  This  quality  appears,  as  might  be  expected, 
more  commonly  in  the  Acts,  in  those  parts,  as  the  journey  to  Rome,  M'here  there  was 
least  of  Jewish  fact  or  discourse.  In  the  Gospel,  the  subjects  were  so  exclusively 
Palestinian  and  Hebraistic ;  the  records  of  them,  and  the  oral  accounts,  were  so  entirely 
in  Aramaean,  or  in  Aramaic  Greek,  that  the  faithful  delivery  of  them  to  his  readers, 
whether  through  his  own  translations  or  those  furnished  by  others,  would  leave  little 
room  for  his  own  unhampered  style.  Still,  the  general  character  and  literary  spirit  of 
the  Gospel  may  strike  the  mind  even  through  a  translation,  as  more  free  and  flowing  than 
that  of  either  of  the  other  evangelists.  The  narrative  frequently  bespeaks  an  intellectual 
as  well  as  a  doctrinal  catholicity,  born  of  the  liberty  of  Greek  thought  and  utterance, 
rather  than  of  the  stereotyped  and  meagre  formality  of  Aramaean,  or  the  rigorous 
inflexibility  of  Roman  speech. 

(2)  The  influence  of  Luke's  profession,  as  a  phj^sician,  on  the  literary  character 
of  his  Gospel,  is  less  obvious  from  special  traits  than  is  the  case  with  the  Book  of  Acts. 
In  that,  several  observations  occur  which  are  very  likely  to  have  been  suggested  by  bis 
medical  experience.  The  judgment  of  Jerome  that  his  education  for  his  calling 
contributed  to  the  superiority  of  his  Greek  style,  is  very  probable.  And  scholars 
have  noticed  the  coincidence  of  his  mention  of  "  a  great  fever"  in  the  case  of  Peter's 
mother-in-law  (4:  38)  with  the  language  of  Galen,  Hippocrates,  and  Celsus,  in  dis- 
tinguishing fevers  and  other  diseases.  See  the  citations  in  Wetstein  on  the  passage. 
The  mention  of  the  "  sweat  like  clots  of  blood"  (22:  44)  has  been  thought  to  evince 
the  intelligence  of  a  physician,  in  selecting  the  particulars  of  Christ's  agony  in  the 
garden.  Yet  he  does  not  hesitate,  in  the  account  of  the  woman  with  the  issue  of  blood 
(6  :  43),  to  tell  us  that  the  physicians  had  not  been  able  to  help  her,  though  he  does  not 
add,  like  Mark,  that,  besides  spending  her  fortune  in  vain,  she  had  grown  worse. 

It  is  more  in  the  general  tone  of  his  writing,  the  wide  interest  which  he  betrays  in 
people  of  every  quality,  of  both  sexes,  and  of  all  ages  and  conditions,  that  we  seem  to 
see  the  spirit  of  a  physician,  experienced,  genial,  and  kind,  according  to  the  epithet 
"beloved,"  (Col.  4:  14).  It  was,  to  be  sure,  Christ's  own  universality  of  concern  for 
all  humanity  which  Luke  is  faithfully  relating ;  but  it  is  because  he  also  thinks  nothing 
human  foreign  to  himself  that  he,  pre-eminently,  is  led  to  bring  forward  these  traits  of 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL.  13 

the  Saviour's  ministry  and  life.  He  must,  probably,  have  obtained  from  Mary,  or  other 
members  of  the  family  of  our  Lord,  the  particulars  of  the  birth,  infancy,  and  boyhood 
of  Jesus,  and  of  John  the  Baptist,  which  he  gives  as  additional  to  those  presented  by 
Matthew.  In  his  case,  too,  it  is  not  from  a  necessity  to  show  the  fulflllmont  of  prophecy, 
and  the  evidence  of  a  divine  origin,  so  much  as  to  satisfy  a  human  interest  in  the  complete 
history  of  the  Son  of  man.  He,  too,  preserves  the  language  of  Jesus  wliich  shows  him 
attentive  to  the  sports  of  children,  (7  :  31  if).  He  alone  mentions  that  when  Jesus 
commended  the  example  of  a  child  to  his  disciples  (9  :  47),  "  he  took  the  little  child  and 
set  him  by  his  side."  In  Luke  alone  (10  :  38-41),  we  have  trea.sured  for  us  that  gem  of 
the  Gospel,  the  fireside  scene  with  Jesus  in  the  midst,  at  the  house  of  Martha  and  Mary. 
He  also  tells,  what  we  should  not  otherwise  know,  of  the  ministry  of  certain  faithful 
women,  who  cared  for  the  comfort  of  Jesus  and  his  di.sciples  in  their  journeys,  following 
him  even  to  Jerusalem,  to  the  cross,  to  the  tomb,  (8:  1  if;  23:  49,  55).  These  and 
other  women,  as  Luke  informs  us,  Jesus  addressed — "daughters  of  Jerusalem" — while 
on  the  way  to  Calvary,  although  his  lips  were  sealed  toward  every  one  besides, 
(23  :  28).  His  social  quality  appears  in  the  ea.sy  affability  of  some  of  the  parables  and 
instructions  of  the  Saviour,  as  reported  by  him,  (7:40fF;  14:7-14;  18  :  2-(')).  The 
gentleness  of  Christ,  his  consideration  for  the  deficiencies  and  failures  of  men  in  their 
imperfect  piety,  his  charity,  in  short,  toward  such  as  others  would  condemn,  appears  in 
several  peculiar  traits  of  Luke's  narrative,  and  reflects  its  light  on  the  disposition  of  the 
compiler.  See  5 :  39 ;  9:  54-56;  12 :  48 ;  15:  28-32;  22:  24-30;  23:  34;  comp. 
Acts  3:17. 

(3)  The  indications  of  intimate  companionship  and  co-operation  with  Paid.  It  is  not 
strange  that  some  of  the  Fathers,  as  was  said,  suspected  that  the  apo-stle  referred  to 
Luke's  writing,  when  he  said  "my  gospel."  The  character  and  training  of  Luke  led 
him,  in  providing  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  inquiries  of  Theophilus,  to  produce  just 
such  an  account  of  Jesus  Christ  as  is  pre-supposed  in  all  the  Pauline  doctrine  of  salvation. 
The  indispensabloness  to  all  men  of  God's  righteousness  through  faith  in  Jesus ;  the 
provision  of  salvation  for  all  ;  and  the  free  offer  of  it  to  all, — appear  as  distinctly  in  our 
Gospel  as  in  the  Ejiistle  to  the  Romans.  It  is  not.  as  has  been  sometimes  represented,  a 
Gospel  specifically  adapted  to  the  Gentiles — Marcion  had  to  mutilate  it  to  render  it  such — 
still  less,  perhaps,  is  it  for  the  Jews,  although  dwelling  much  on  the  teachings  and 
institutions  of  the  Old  Testament.  It  refers  to  "the  law"  more  frequently  than 
Matthew;  Mark  does  not  once  name  it.  Particular  expressions  in  unu.sual  number 
might  suit  the  views  of  a  Gentile,  but  others  would  please  a  Jew.  even  a  Pharisee.  As 
a  whole,  the  writing  was  for  neither,  but  for  both.  It  was  for  and  against  Jew  ;  for  and 
against  Gentile  ;  because  it  was  for  the  human  race. 

Not  only  as  between  Jew  and  Gentile,  but  between  the  various  classes,  grades  of 
society,  and  temporal  conditions  within  those  two  comprehensive  sections  of  humanity, 
the  Christ  of  Luke  maintains  the  most  complete  impartiality  of  good  will.  To  high 
and  low,  to  master  and  slave,  to  rich  and  poor,  to  Pharisee  and  pul)lican,  to  man  and 
woman,  to  parcjit  and  child,  the  offer  of  sympathy,  in.struction,  physical  euro,  and  soul 
salvation,  is  held  forth  with  absolute  freeness  and  benevolence  of  desire.  In  this  respect 
the  Gospel  is  fully  in  the  .spirit  of  Paul  Christ's  blessing  is  here  "unto  all  and  upon 
all  them  that  believe."  There  is  also  to  be  seen  in  Luke  something  of  the  Pauline 
qualification,  "to  the  Jew  first";  but  yet  this  does  not  in  the  least  impair  the  sufficiency 
and  acccssibleness  of  salvation  to  men  of  every  sort.  Nay,  we  easily  trace  the  peculiar 
warmth  of  our  author's  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  least  favored  of  human  beings, 


14  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL. 


the  least  happy,  the  least  good.  The  grace  of  God  "which  bringeth  salvation  to  all 
men ' '  is  celebrated  by  him  in  its  beneficient  bearing  on  the  most  deeply  lost — even  on 
the  corrupt  and  benighted  heathen.  Our  Gospel  welcomes  every  one  to  the  rich 
provision  of  eternal  life,  but  goes  forth  most  intensely  toward  the  needy,  helpless, 
diseased,  and  outcast  of  the  earth,  rejoicing,  with  the  angels  in  heaven,  over  one  sinner 
that  repenteth,  more  than  over  ninety  and  nine  righteous,  who  have  no  need  of 
repentance. 

This  Pauline  universality  of  the  theory  of  salvation,  with  a  preponderance  of  personal 
interest  in  the  classes  and  individuals  who  seemed  most  to  need  the  gospel,  determines 
to  some  perceptible  extent  the  selection  and  distribution  of  material  throughout  Luke's 
narrative.  This  opens  with  an  account  of  the  birth  of  our  Lord's  forerunner,  of  a 
priestly  stock,  in  connection  with  the  national  temple,  yet  far  removed  in  character  and 
station  from  the  Sadducaic  magnates,  or  the  religious  nobility  of  the  time.  Jesus 
himself  is  born  of  a  humble  maiden,  in  circumstances  below  those  of  ordinary  poverty  ; 
and  angels  celebrate  the  fact  as  one  of  supreme  joyfulness  to  heaven  and  earth,  in  the 
presence  of  humble  shepherds.  The  Genealogy  traces  back  his  line,  beyond  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Hebrew  stock  in  Abraham,  through  the  whole  course  of  humanity,  and 
thence  to  God,  whom  it  binds,  through  Jesus,  to  all  mankind.  Zacharias  had  dimly 
seen  (1 :  79)  that  his  coming  was  to- ' '  give  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the 
shadow  of  death,"  and  Simeon,  with  the  infant  in  his  arms,  thanked  God  for  him  as 
"a  light  (Revision)  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel." 
The  infancy,  childhood,  and  early  maturity  of  Jesus  were  spent,  as  Luke  causes  us  to  see, 
in  the  retirement  of  domestic  village  life.  His  first  reported  discourse,  4  :  16-27,  revealed 
him  as  the  Messiah  promised  in  the  prophecy,  and  implied,  at  its  close,  that  God  might 
send  the  salvation  which  he  had  announced  to  their  dull,  though  wondering  ears,  to 
heathen  sinners  as  well  as  to  them.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  (ch.  6)  omits  all  that 
concerned  the  law  (comp.  Matt.  5  :  17-43).  In  the  house  of  a  Pharisee  he  receives  the 
adoration  of  a  repenting  woman  "which  was  in  the  city,  a  sinner"  (7:  36-50),  and  shows 
the  proud  and  self-righteous,  how  her  faith  and  love  won  blessings  unattainable  for 
them.  In  the  instructions  to  the  twelve  apostles  (9  :  1-6),  no  prohibitions  against  crossing 
the  boundaries  of  the  Jews  are  recorded;  and  the  mission  of  the  seventy  (10:  1-11), 
at  a  time  when  access  to  the  fields  which  he  had  so  faithfully  striven  to  occupy  in 
Galilee  seemed  to  be  cut  off,  might  indicate  that  their  rejection  of  his  salvation 
(10:  12-16),  was  preparing  for  the  wider  diffusion  of  the  blessing  in  other  lands.  He 
had  no  scruple  against  entering  the  territory  of  the  Samaritans,  in  the  course  of  his 
journeys  (9 :  52)  ;  and  when  he  would  picture  brotherly  love  such  as  the  law  required 
(10:  25-37),  he  presents  it  in  the  conduct  of  a  worse  than  heathen — a  Samaritan.  By  the 
parable  of  the  barren  fig-tree  (13:  6-9),  he  warned  the  Jewish  nation  that  the  mercy 
which  yearned  over  them  would  soon  turn  to  condemnation  ;  and  solemnly  predicts  their 
sorrow  and  dismay  when  they  find  themselves  shut  out  of  the  banquet  of  his  kingdom, 
where  men  from  every  quarter  of  the  earth  will  be  the  guests.  The  lesson  of  the  great 
supper  (14  :  15-24),  should  have  impressed  the  truth  that  the  privileges  which  they  had 
scorned  and  forfeited,  would  be  given  to  people  whom  they  despised.  The  three 
beautiful  parables  in  chapter  15,  although  they  do  not  directly  celebrate  the  joy  of  God 
in  the  conversion  of  heathen  men,  yet  refer  directly  to  men  who  were  worse  than 
heathen  in  the  view  of  Pharisees,  and  indirectly  might  well  suggest  the  widest  appli- 
cation to  all  mankind.  Of  the  ten  lepers  who  desired  cleansing  (17  :  12-17),  Jew  and 
Samaritan  shared  alike  in  the  physical  blessing,  but  the  Samaritan  alone  is  shown  to 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL.  15 

have  received  spiritual  cure.  The  parable  of  the  vineyard  (20  :  9-17),  reveals  in  startling 
terms  that  the  theocracy,  which  had  been  entrusted  to  the  unwilling  Jews,  was  about 
to  be  taken  from  them  and  given  to  others — but  to  whom  ?  The  ominous  word  "Gen- 
tiles," in  the  solemn  prophecy  uttered  on  the  JMuunt  of  Olives,  that  same  day  at 
evening,  showed  to  whom:  "and  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles, 
until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled"  (21  :  24).  In  his  parting  charge  (24  :  47), 
the  risen  Master  orders  that  "repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached 
among  all  nations."  We  need  not  quote  evidence  that  Jesus  in  this  Gospel  offered  salva- 
tion to  the  seed  of  Abraham  of  every  class.  None  of  the  Gospels  could  prove  this  more 
plainly.  The  above  passages,  additional,  for  the  most  part,  to  what  it  has  in  common 
with  the  rest,  may  serve  to  show  the  peculiar  sympathy  of  the  writer  with  the  sentiment 
of  Paul,  that  the  blessing  was  provided  and  sent  to  the  Jew  first,  indeed,  but  also 
and  unstintedly  to  the  Greek. 

SOURCES  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 

Our  author  himself  has  happily  given   the   needed   explanation   on  this  point,  in 
his  opening  sentence.     That   is  discussed  in   the  Commentary.     A   few  remarks  may 
here  be  allowable,  to   show   how   the   present   writer   conceives   of  the   circumstances 
attending  the  origin  of  this  Gospel.     Luke  probably  knew  nothing  of  the  writing  of 
Matthew,  or  of  Mark,  (of  course  not  of  John's).     As  a  Greek  (in  the  wide  application 
of  that  name),  he  would  feel  none  of  those  scruples,  and  be  liable  to  none  of  those 
hindrances  which  naturally  kept  the  original  apostles  from  early  attempting  written 
memoirs  of  their  glorified  Lord.     Some   interested  hearers  of  the  apostles  (Mark  was 
such  toward  Peter),   probably  first  put  in  writing  what  they  heard  told  of  the  works 
and  words  of  Jesus.     The  apostles,  laboring  together,    principally   in   Jerusalem,    for 
several  years,   had,   in  the  absence  of  written  records,  fixed  upon  such   parts  of  the 
boundless  subject  of  Christ's  mission  as  experience  had  proved  most  useful  in  bringing 
men  to  believe  in  him  as  their  Saviour.     His  most  striking  words  would  be  repeated 
with  literal  exactness,  and  his  language,  generally,  would  be  more  nearly  stereotyped  in 
a  common  form,  than  the  accounts  of  facts.     The  discourses  would,  some  of  them,  be 
illustrated  by  connection   with    the    related   events   in  Christ's   life.     Thus  groups  of 
associated  facts  and  discourses  would  become  cr^'stallized  in  combinations  such  as  we 
may  see  in  our  Synoptic  Gospels,  substanstantially  the  same  with  all,  j'et  not  precluding 
liberty  in  the  individual  relators,  according  to  their  several  recollections  of  the  subject 
matter.     The  foundation  of  all  this,  to  a  great  extent  the  execution  of  all,  was  the  work 
of  the  apostles.     Its  use  was  not  intended  as  a  history  of  Christ's  life,  or  a  biographj% 
in  any  proper  sense,  but  for  practical  instruction — "preaching,"  or  the  relation  of  such 
truth  from  and  about  Jesus,  as  would  on  each  occasion  be  best  suited  to  produce  faith 
and  conversion.     Such  was  for  many  years  the  preached  "gospel."     When  it  came  to 
be  written,  each  recorder  would  take  down  more  or  less  of  it,  from  the  lips  now  of  one, 
now  of  another  apostle,  and  his  work  might  grow  to  be  of  considerable  length.     Before 
any  one  of  the  original  apostles  hud  accomplished  the  writing  of  a  complete  narrative  (it 
was  early  believed  that  Matthew  did  this  first,  in  the  Aramncan  tongue),  "many"  had, 
according  to  Luke(l:  1),  done  something  of  this  preliminary  work,  whose  attempts, 
though  only  partially  satisfactory,  were  known  to  him.     In  regard  to  these,  he  had 
opportunity  during  his  travels  through  the  scenes  of  Christ's  life  to  learn  how  fiir  they 
presented  the  apostolic  teaching.     He  saw,  doubtless,  different  apostles  personally,  and 


16  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL. 


other  eye-witnesses,  as  Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  his  brothers,  with  whom  he  could 
compare  and  complete  the  accounts  which  he  was  gathering.  These  included  some  not 
communicated  to  us  in  other  Gospels,  but  specially  suited  to  his  purpose,  and  interesting 
to  his  turn  of  mind.  Finally,  let  us  recall  what  we  have  seen  of  his  close  association 
with  the  Apostle  Paul,  and  we  may  be  at  no  loss  as  to  how  Luke,  though  not  an  apostle, 
or  one  directly  acquainted  with  Jesus,  acquired  the  rich  store  of  truth  which  has 
rendered  his  charming  narrative  a  treasure  of  the  Christian  world.  His  account  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  compared  with  1  Cor.  11:  24-26,  shows  an  identity  of  view,  as  does 
his  mention  (24:  34)  of  the  Lord's  appearance  to  Peter  after  the  resurrection  (comp. 
1  Cor.  15:  5).  It  is  doubtful  whether  Paul  ever  saw  a  complete  Gospel  in  writing,  but 
we  cannot  doubt  that  if  he  had  read  that  of  "the  beloved  physician,"  it  would  have 
answered  to  the  conception  of  his  own  heart. 

DATE. 

The  limit  below  which  this  cannot  fall,  is  indicated  by  Luke  himself  It  must 
have  been  earlier  than  the  composition  of  the  Acts  (see  Acts  1:1),  and  the  Acts 
may  have  been  completed  about  A.  D.  64  (see  Hackett,  Commentary  on  the  Acts, 
Intro,  p.  19).  However  the  Gospel  could  not  have  been  written  later  than  about 
A.  D.  70,  when  Jerusalem  was  captured  and  the  temple  destroyed.  This  appears  from 
the  eschatological  discourse  in  21  :  20  ff.  In  the  other  Synoptics  Jesus  appears 
to  associate  directly  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  with  his  second  advent  for  the 
full,  eternal  redemption  of  his  followers,  so  that  the  latter  shall  follow  "immediately" 
upon  the  other.  In  Luke,  the  report  of  the  discourse,  diiFering  in  other  respects  from 
Mark,  and  still  more  from  Matthew,  makes  a  period  of  the  subjugation  of  Jerusalem  by 
Gentiles  (v.  24)  to  intervene  after  its  capture,  before  the  redemption  shall  draw  nigh. 
But  that  Luke  does  not  understand  this  to  mean  any  long  period,  is  evident,  since  he 
also  gives,  in  ver.  32,  the  declaration:  "This  generation  shall  not  pass  away,  till  all 
things  be  accomplished"  (Revision).  Compare  for  a  like  understanding  of  what 
naturally  seems  to  be  a  long  period,  2  Thess.  2 :  3-8,  with  1  Thess.  4  :  15,  17.  We 
might  suppose,  in  consistency  with  this,  that  Luke  wrote  a  short  time  after  A.  D.  70 ; 
but  the  general  identity,  in  matter  and  form,  of  his  work  with  that  of  the  other 
Synoptics,  its  contrast  with  that  of  John,  which  ivas  written  later;  the  ftict  that  neither 
in  the  Gospel,  nor  even  in  the  Acts,  does  he  make  allusion  to  any  thing  of  later  date 
than  Paul's  first  captivity ;  that  he  was  ignorant  of  Matthew's  Gospel,  in  its  present  form, 
and  of  Mark's,  so  far  as  appears ;  lastly,  that  his  representation  of  the  state,  organiza- 
tion, and  officers  of  the  church  in  his  day,  is  so  widely  diiferent  from  what  we  find 
existing  in  the  second  half  of  the  second  century,  all  render  it  decidedly  more  likely  that 
the  Gospel  was  written  not  later  than  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  As  to  the  place  of 
the  writing,  conjecture  has  ranged  from  Cesarea,  through  Asia  Minor  and  Greece,  to 
Rome. 

GENUINENESS. 

There  was  never  any  question  of  the  authorship  of  this  Gospel,  until  within  about 
the  last  one  hundred  years.  The  skeptical  disposition  which  has  so  largely  prevailed  in 
Biblical  criticism  during  this  period,  has  taken  offence  at  the  miraculous  account  of  the 
origin  and  of  the  apostolic  history  of  Christianity,  and  both  writings  of  Luke,  like  the 
rest  of  the  Bible,  have  been  subjected  to  violence.  Some  have  labored  to  show  that  this 
Gospel  was  only  an  adaptation  of  that  which  the  heretic  Marcion  fabricated  toward  the 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL.  17 


middle  of  the  second  century.  Others  have  supposed  that  as  late  as  that,  or  later,  some 
entirely  unknown  person,  desiring  to  appease  an  assumed  belligerency  between  a'strong 
Jewish  and  Pauline  party  in  the  early  church,  had  palmed  himself  off  as  a  companion 
of  Paul  while  tlie  latter  was  alive,  and  had  made  up  a  narrative  concerning  Jesus  and  his 
first  followers,  pretending  that  they  taught  essentially  in  the  spirit  of  Paul,  when,  in 
reality,  it  was  far  otherwise.  The  view  underwent  many  modifications,  being  refuted  at 
every  new  turn,  as  one  may  see  in  Fisher's  Beginnings  of  ChrUtianity,  or  Glider,  Art. 
Liika^,  in  Herzog  and  Plitt's  Real  Encydopddie.  The  latter  writer,  after  stating  the 
chief  supjiositions  of  recent  criticism  on  the  subject,  reverent  and  irreverent,  concludes 
with  the  judgment  that  the  reasons  for  the  authorship  of  the  Acts,  and  so  of  the  Gospel 
also,  by  Luke,  are  incomparably  stronger  than  for  any  other  supposition  which  has  been 
advanced  ;  and  even  that  the  very  working  out  of  these  suppositions,  tends  ever  still  to 
confirm  the  hereditary  view  of  Christendom.  That  view  began  to  find  distinct  and 
foruKil  expression  soon  after  the  middle  of  the  second  century,  when  the  Muratorian 
Canon  plainly  refers  the  third  Gospel  to  Luke,  a  companion  of  Paul.  Justin  3Lirtyr  had 
still  earlier  quoted  from  the  Gospel  in  passages  conveniently  copied  by  S.  Davidson  in  his 
Introductiim  to  the  JVcin  TeMoment  (2  :  19-22),  and  had  been  used  by  Marcion,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  probably  Basilides  also  (about  A.  D.  ]2r)).  See  Sanday,  Gospch  in  the  Second 
Centarrj,  p.  382.  Before  this  time  it  had  been  translated  in  the  Old  Latin,  and  in  the 
earliest  Syrian  version  of  the  New  Testament.  The  Muratorian  Canon  is  rightly  supposed 
to  have  expressed  the  judgment  of  the  Church  at  Rome,  and  its  extensive  dependencies, as 
the  Syrian  did  that  of  the  Eastern  Church,  and  the  Old  Latin  that  of  all  Northern 
Africa.  A  little  later.  Ircnncus  names  Luke  as  the  author  {Adv.  Hteres,  1.14.  Enseb. 
E.  H.  5.  8),  see  Davidson  Ibid  p.  24.  '*  Clement  of  Alexandria  adopts  the  same 
opinion,  and  the  Fathers  generally  follow  it."  Ibid.  When  David.son  adds:  "It  (the 
Gospel)  does  not  appear  to  have  been  known  much  out  of  Rome  in  their  time  ;  nor  was 
it  preferred  by  them  to  an  extra-canonical  gospel  or  gospels  which  they  employed  along 
with  it,"  he  probably  does  not  intend  to  place  it  on  any  other  footing  than  our  other 
Synoptical  Gospels,  and  has  no  authority  for  denying  that  it  was  already,  as  in  the 
Muratorian  Canon,  separated  from  all  books  of  other  than  apostolical  authority. 
Enough  that  before  the  middle  of  the  second  century,  while  Christian  teachers  were  yet 
living  who  had  conversed  with  the  apostles  and  their  associates,  and  were  deeply  inter- 
ested in  whatever  was  of  importance  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  the  Gospel  of  Luke  was 
familiarly  known  and  ascribed  to  Luke  as  its  author.  As  such  it  has  been  used  by  the 
whole  church  ever  since.  It  has  been  often  said,  and  will  bear  repetition,  that  for  no 
writing  of  clas.sieal  antiquity  have  we  anything  like  the  same  proof  of  its  genuineness 
as  we  have  for  the  Gospel  of  Luke.  On  the  basis  of  the  New  Testament  itself,  Godet, 
in  chapter  3,  sect.  3,  of  his  Conclusion,  makes  out  a  convincing  argument  i'ov  Luke's 
authorship,  from  a  comparison  of  the  proem  to  the  Gospel  with  other  information  from 
the  Gospel,  the  Acts,  and  the  Epi.stles  of  Paul.  In  that  Conclusion  will  be  found  also  a 
very  full,  able,  and  generally  satisfactory  discussion  of  most  of  the  questions  pertaining 
to  an  Introduction  to  the  writings  of  Luke. 

PLAN. 

That  Luke  followed  a  distinct  aim  in  the  arrangement  of  his  material,  is  indicated 
beforehand,  by  the  "in  order"  (icoScf^?),  of  his  Preface,  and  a  plan  was  obviously  neces- 
sary to  reach  that  aim,  in  giving  immovable  certainty  to  Theophilus.  The  aim  was  to 
be  reached  by  showing  the  divine  origin  of  Jesus  the  Christ ;    his  manifestation  in 

B 


18  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GOSPEL. 

humanity,  as  a  babe,  a  boy,  a  young  man  (conversant  with  all  these  experiences  of  men) ; 
his  external  inauguration  to  his  public  office  by  his  baptism  ;  the  intrinsic,  personal 
inauguration  by  his  triumph  over  Satan  in  the  great  temptation.  This  portion  of  the 
Gospel  we  have,  in  the  Commentary,  treated  as  Part  First  (1  :  5 — 4  :  13).  Then  follows 
his  ministry  in  Galilee,  Part  Second  (4  :  14 — 9  :  50),  by  which  he  gave  the  people  abund- 
ant proofs  of  his  Messiahship,  and  desire  to  save  them  ;  was  believed  on  temporarily  by 
multitudes  without  a  true  appreciation  of  his  real  character ;  but  was  distrusted,  by 
degrees  hated  and  persecuted  by  the  ruling  classes,  and  abandoned  by  the  deluded 
masses,  only  a  few  of  whom  remained  faithful.  In  Part  Third  (9:  51 — 19  :  11),  the 
author  has  gathered  a  mass  of  most  valuable  material,  from  a  source  or  sources  not  used 
by  the  other  evangelists,  without  apparent  chronological  or  geographical  sequence  ;  but 
treated  as  pertaining  to  a  slow  journey  toward  Jerusalem,  on  which  Jesus  had  resolved 
(9  :  59),  that  he  might,  through  his  sufferings,  be  raised  to  the  position  of  a  universal 
and  an  eternal  Saviour. 

The  present  incorrigibleness  of  the  Jews,  as  a  body,  has  now  become  hopelessly 
manifest ;  but  he  is,  if  possible,  still  more  abundant  and  earnest  in  endeavors  to  save 
some.  He  takes  care  for  an  increase  of  laborers  in  the  field  from  which  he  is  about  to  be 
removed,  and  rejoices  that  through  the  ministry  of  such,  the  reign  of  Satan  over  men  is 
in  effect  broken.  He  teaches  his  servants  much  about  the  work  before  them,  the 
dangers  and  pains  to  which  they  are  appointed;  but  assures  them  of  ever  present, 
effectual  help  from  on  high,  of  a  success  that  shall  fill  the  world,  and  of  a  glorious 
recognition  by  himself  when  he  shall  return  (as  he  will)  in  royal  majesty,  for  the  full  and 
eternal  blessedness  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  separation  from  it  of  those  who  would  not 
have  this  man  to  reign  over  them. 

Part  Fourth  relates  his  triumphant  entrance  into  Jerusalem  as  acknowledged  Lord  of 
the  Temple;  his  victorious  contests  with  the  ruling  sects  and  authorities;  his  clear 
testimonies  to  the  truth ;  his  provision  for  the  fellowship  of  his  followers  in  remembrance 
of  him ;  his  propitiatory  death ;  accompanied  with  fresh  and  amazing  proofs  of  his 
divine  mission  ;  his  resurrection  from  the  grave ;  his  charge  that  the  gospel  should  be 
proclaimed  in  his  name  among  all  the  nations ;  and  his  ascension  to  glory  (19  :  12 ;  24  :  53). 

The  evangelist  thus  leaves  the  Author  of  Christianity  where,  through  the  very 
unbelief  and  murderous  cruelty  of  the  Jews,  he  can,  without  respect  of  persons,  save 
all  alike  who  call  upon  him,  and  carry  forward  to  the  ends  of  the  world  that  glad 
announcement,  which  has  already  reached  as  far  as  Rome.  What  could  be  better  suited 
to  give  Theophilus  that  "certainty  "  in  regard  to  the  elementary  teachings  of  the  Gospel 
which  he  desired  ? 


THE 


GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE. 


CHAPTER    I. 


FORASMUCH  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  set  I    1      Forasmuch  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  draw 
forth  in  order  a  declaration  of  those  things  "which         up  a  narrative  concerning  those  matters  which  have 
are  most  surely  believed  among  us,  I 


Ch.  1:  1-4.    Preface. 

1.  Forasmuch  as.  A  conjunction  of  the 
same  force  as  "since,  indeed,"  it  serves  to 
connect  the  main  verb  of  the  sentence,  "it 
seemed  good,"  ver.  3,  with  the  chiuses  which 
here  follow,  as  in  some  sense  its  ground,  or 
condition.  In  explaining  why  he  has  set 
out  to  write  his  Gospel,  the  author  saj's  he 
does  it  forasmuch  as  others  have  done  the 
same,  or  a  similar,  thing. — Many  have  taken 
in  hand — more  exactly,  took  in  hand.  The 
tense,  is  a  preterit,  or  indefinite  past.  "To 
take  in  hand"  is  "to  undertake,"  "to  at- 
tempt"; but  the  familiar  phrase  is  more 
nearly  true  to  the  etymology  of  the  original 
verb,  "to  lay  hand  to."  It  might  be  used 
equally  of  a  right  or  of  a  reprehensible 
attempt,  denoting  a  certain  amount  of  reso- 
lution, and  of  itself  suggests  no  disparage- 
ment of  the  effort,  or  intimation  that  it  has 
failed  of  intended  success.  That  the  attempts 
had  not  resulted  in  such  a  declaration  as 
Luke  thought  suitable  for  his  time  and  purpose 
is  all  that  we  need  suppose.  That  lie  refers 
to  them  in  a  past  tense  may  possibly  indicate 
that  he  thought  of  them  as  obsolete,  or  no 
longer  serviceable,  even  in  the  degrees  in 
which  they  might  once  have  been  so.  The 
"many"  were  Christian  men  unknown  to 
us;  almost  certainly  not  including  either  of 
the  authors  of  our  Canonical  Gospels.  John 
and'  Matthew  are  out  of  the  question,  for 
other  reasons  and  because  they  were  them- 
selves among  the  "eye-witnesses"  as  after- 
wards spoken  of,  whose  testimony  constituted 
the  rule  according  to  which  the  "many" 
attempted  to  compose  their  narrations.  He 
could  not  have  had  our  Mark  in  mind, 
because,  as  we  suppose  him  to  have  used  out 
of  those  earlier  "declarations"  what  was 
germane  to  his  plan,  we  should  find  in  his 


Gospel  more  of,  and  more  like,  Mark. — 
To    set    forth    in    order    a  declaration, 

etc.  The  Revised  Version  is  preferable  here, 
in  several  points.  "7b  draw  up,''  or  "to 
arrange,^'  is  better  than  to  set  forth  in 
order.  A  declaration  should  be  under- 
stood as  "a  narration,"  or  "historical  revela- 
tion." • — Those  things  which  are  most 
surely  believed  among  us,  should  be,  con- 
cerning the  things  which  have  been  fully 
accomplished  among  us.  The  Greek  verb 
means  primarily  "to  bring  full,"  then  "to 
make  full,"  "to  complete."  This  is  spoken 
of  things,  (2Tim. 4:5, 17).  "Make  full  proof  of 
{fully  perform)  thy  ministry  ;  "  "that  by  me 
the  preaching  {proclamation)  might  be  fully 
known  {fully  accom.plished)."  In  the  Bible, 
and  in  later  Christian  writers,  it  was  used  to 
signify  specially  "to  cause  full  belief,"  so 
that  in  the  passive  it  is  rightly  translated  "to 
be  fully  persuaded,"  "let  every  man  be  fully 
persuaded,"  (Rom.  i4:5;comp.  4:2i).  But  for  this, 
manifestly,  a  person  must  be  the  subject.  Of 
things,  it  is  only  said  that  they  "are  com- 
pletely done."  Whether  in  our  passage  it  is 
employed  in  the  sense  of  a  cognate  Greek 
verb,  "to  fulfill,"  as  if  Luke  had  in  mind 
the  fulfillment  of  prophecy  in  the  things, 
facts,  or  topics  treated  of  in  the  Gospel,  or 
matters  of  which  he  speaks,  is  uncertain. 
So  the  Revised  Version  seems  to  view  it. 
Those  things — as  appears  from  what  fol- 
lows, are  the  facts  concerning  Christ's  life, 
words,  works,  suflTerings,  humiliation,  death, 
resurrection,  and  a.scension  to  glory  ;  all, 
in  short,  which  constituted  the  theme  of 
the  original  preaching.  These  had,  before 
the  time  of  Luke's  writing,  and  before  that 
of  the  previous  attempts,  fully  come  to  pass, 
or  been  accomplished.  Among  us  —  as 
Christians,    whom   Luke  identifies   as   being 


'It  has  been  doubted  even  whether  their  "declaration,"  which  must  of  course  be  understood  distributively — 
the  declaration  of  eachi — was  a  written  or  an  oral  account.  The  fact  that  Luke  in  proposing  to  "  write  "  (ver.  3), 
supports  himself  by  their  example,  would  seem  to  settle  the  question. 


19 


20 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


2  "Even  as  they  delivered  them  unto  us,  which 'from  I    2  been  'fulfilled  among  us,  even  as  they  delivered 


the  beginning  were  eyewitnesses,  and  ministers  of  the 
word; 

a  "It  seemed  good  to  me  also,  having  had  perfect 
understanding  of  all  things  from  the  very  first,  to 
write  unto  thee  ''in  order,  «most  excellent  Theophilus, 


them  unto   us,  who   from   the  beginning  were  eye- 

3  witnesses  and  ministers  of  the  word,  it  seemed  good 

to  me  also,  having  traced  the  course  of  all  things 

accurately  Irom  tho  first,  to  write  unto  thee  in  order. 


a  Heb.  '2:3;  1  Pet.  5:1;  2  Pet.  1: 16;  1  John  1  :  1 i  M:irk  1:1;  John  15:  'll c  Acts  15:  19,  25,  28;  1  Cor.  7  :  40 d  Acts  11:  4 

«  Acts  1  :  1. 1  Or,  fully  established. 


all  one  body,  from  the  time  of  the  first  disci- 
ples. The  many  who  had  previously  written 
are  included. 

2.  Even  as  they  delivered  them  unto 
us  which  from  the  beginning,  etc.  The 
persons  here  referred  to  were  the  companions 
and  servants  of  Jesus.  If  the  authority  of 
the  apostles  exclusively  had  been  appealed 
to,  they  would  certainly  have  been  named  as 
such;  but  now  we  are  referred  to  them  and 
other  disciples  of  the  Lord,  including,  prob- 
ably, "the  seventy,"  and  many  others  like 
Barsabas,  and  those  referred  to  by  Peter  as 
possible  apostles,  (Acts  i:  as.  21).  They  authori- 
tatively delivered  (handed  down)  informa- 
tion concerning  Christ.  This  information 
furnished  the  standard,  as  to  the  substance 
and  manner,  of  the  narratives  which  the 
"many"  had  composed.  This  is  denoted 
by,  even  as.  They  undertook  each  one 
to  draw  up  a  narrative  concerning  "those 
things"  according  to  what,  and  even  as 
those  personally  intimate  with  Jesus  had 
instructed  them. — The  same  persons  were 
eyewitnesses  (of  the  facts)  from  the  be- 
ginning, (i.  e.,  of  the  public  work),  and 
[became]  ministers  of  the  word;  namely, 
the  gospel  of  Christ's  kingdom.  This  word 
they  dispensed,  "ministered,"  as  the  servants 
of  Jesus,  in  the  office  of  apostles  and  of  other 
witnesses  for  him.  But  while  private  Chris- 
tians, like  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  or 
Lazarus  and  his  sisters,  are  excluded  from 
any  share  in  determining  the  substance  and 
form  of  the  gospel  proclamation,  we  are  not 
hindered  from  thinking  that  a  subsequent 
investigator,  like  Luke,  might  derive  light 
as  to  details  and  minute  points  from  such 
sources.  Especially  does  this  apply  to 
matters  like  the  Nativity,  which  lay  outside 
of  the  earliest  contents  of  the  oral  gospel. 
3.  It  seemed  good  to  me  also.  This  is 
the  apodosis,  and  principal  clause  of  the 
sentence,  as  we  have  said,  to  which  all  the 
foregoing  is  introductory  and  subordinate. 
Forasriiuch  as  they  did  that,  it  seemed  good 
to  me  also  to  do  this.     If  others  had  not,  it 


might  seem  presumptuous  in  me  to  attempt 
such  a  thing.  It  seemed  good  to  me  is 
nearly  equivalent  to  "I  resolved"  to,  "I 
thought  I  would." — Having  had  perfect 
understanding  of  all  things  from  the 
very  first.  The  Revision  is  nearer  to  the 
original.  The  participle  signifies  properly 
"to  follow  along  with,"  either  a  person,  so 
as  to  become  intimate  and  well  acquainted 
with  him,  or  a  subject  of  investigation,  so  as 
to  have  mastered  it,  have  followed  it  through. 
Of  this  process,  the  Common  Version  gives 
substantially  the  result:  "to  have  clear  and 
full  understanding,"  overlooking  the  process. 
A  question  arises  as  to  the  relation  of  time 
between  this  participle  and  the  author's 
determination  to  write.  It  might  be  equiva- 
lent to  "because  I  already  had  understand- 
ing," or  to  "after  I  should  come  to  have." 
Examples  of  the  former  use  need  not  be 
repeated.  The  latter  would  be  like  Acts 
15:  22,  where  the  Greek  is:  "Then  it  seemed 
good  to  the  apostles,  .  .  .  having  chosen  men, 
...  to  send  them  to  Antiooh,"  rightly  trans- 
lated, "to  choose  men  and  send  them."  So 
Luke  9:  59,  Greek,  "suffer  me  first,  having 
gone,  to  bury,"  meaning,  "suffer  me  first  to 
go  and  bury";  comp.  Matt.  8:  21,  where  it 
is  so  expressed  in  the  Greek.  (Comp.  also  the 
Greek  of  ver.  9  in  this  chapter).  After  this 
analogy,  which  we  think  most  apjiropriate 
here,  our  passage  would  mean,  "I  resolved  to 
acquire  a  full  and  exact  understanding  of  all 
things,  and  write." — From  the  very  first. 
Very  might  be  omitted,  and  still  leave  us  to 
gather  that  Luke  determined  to  extend  his 
investigation  beyond  the  ordinary  beginning 
of  the  evangelical  proclamation,  the  preach- 
ing of  John  the  Baptist,  (Mmk  1  :  1  ir;  Acts  i:  21, 22). 
He  is  going  back  to  the  birth  of  John,  and  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. — To  write  unto  thee  in 
order,  most  excellent  Theophilus.  Who 
this  Theophilus  was,  is  entirely  unknown, 
although  a  variety  of  uncertain  traditions 
was  afterwards  hatched  to  supply  the  place 
of  knowledge.  They  may  be  read  in  the 
1  Bible  Dictionaries,  great  care  being  taken  to 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


21 


4  "That  thou  niightest  know  the  certainty  of  those 
things,  wherein  thou  hast  been  instructed. 


4  most  excellent  Theophihis;  that  thou  niightest  know 
the  certainty  concerning  the  '  things  2  wherein  thou 
wast  instructed. 


I  Gr.  teordt. . .  .2  Ur,  toAicA  tliou  watt  taught  by  word  of  mouth. 


scrutinzc  the  alleged  authorities.  The  name 
signifies  "dear  to  God,"  or  "friend  of  God." 
That  a  real  person  was  intended,  and  not 
a  mere  imaginary  representative  of  Chris- 
tian piety,  is  much  more  probable,  both  from 
tiie  nature  of  the  case,  in  introducing  a  real 
history,  repeated  again  in  the  .second  section 
of  Luke's  work  (Actsi:i),  and  from  the  com- 
monness of  the  name  in  that  day,  which  would 
make  it  less  suitable  for  an  allegorical  effect. 
The  name,  being  Greek,  aftords  some  prob- 
ability that  its  bearer  was  of  Gentile  origin, 
and  in  this  respect  falls  in  with  the  whole 
impression  made  by  all  other  circumstances 
connected  with  the  book.  The  epithet,  most 
excellent,  has  encouraged  the  speculation 
that  he  was  of  high  rank,  or  stood  in  high 
official  position,  especially  as  it  is  applied  to 
Felix  and  Festus.  (Aots23: 26;  24:3;  26:25).  That 
use  of  it  shows  that  it  mlgkt  be  employed 
to  ascribe  excellence,  howeve'r  falsely,  to 
potentates;  but  it  is  not  likely  that  we  should 
be  left  to  so  slender  evidence,  if  there  had 
been  at  that  time  a  convert  to  Christitinity, 
within  the  knowledge  of  Luke,  of  any  such 
standing.  It  is  enough  to  accept  it  as  denot- 
ing intelligence  and  moral  excellence  becom- 
ing to  an  influential  Christian  man.  The 
evangelist  writes  to  him,  not  simply  for  his 
personal  satisfaction  and  behoof,  but  as  a 
good  medium  through  whom  to  communi- 
cate, to  a  certain  circle  of  believers,  the  full 
and  exact  truth  concerning  Christ  and  the 
beginnings  of  his  religion.  This  was  a 
common  mode  of  making  public  their  writ- 
ings by  ancient  authors,  to  dedicate  them  to 
some  friend,  or  eminent  man  whose  name 
would  give  them  credit  with  other  readers. 
To  Theophilus,  Luke  proposes  to  write  in 
order,  i.  e.,  in  an  orderly  way.  It  would 
most  naturally  be  understood  of  a  chrono- 
logical order,  and  indeed  it  is  hard  to  see 
what  order  could  have  been  intended  not 
including  that;  but  as  Luke,  on  a  compari- 
.son  with  the  other  evangelists,  sometimes 
appears  to  fail  of  the  more  probable  succes- 
sion of  events  in  time,  we  may  perhaps  in- 
terpret his  word  more  generaily,as  denoting  a 
consistent  series  according  to  u  lo(jical  prin- 


ciple; such  an  arrangement  of  topics  as  shall 
best  conduce  to  the  object  at  which  he  aims. 
The  argument  in  favor  of  this  latitude  of 
signification  of  the  adverb  ((coetf^?),  is  well  put 
by  Dr.  J.  B.  McClellan  {New  Translation  0/ 
the  New  Testament,  I.,  424-26);  only  he  per- 
haps too  confidently  assumes  that  Luke  was 
distinctly  aware  that  he  followed  an  order 
not  chronological.  This  object,  at  which 
Luke   aims,   he   gives   in   the    next   words. 

4.  That  thou  mightest  know  the  cer- 
tainty of  ((;o?irt'/w/H^)  those  things  where- 
in thou  hast  been  {wast)  instructed.  The 
terseness  of  the  original  it  is  hard  to  express 
idiomatically  in  English  with  equal  vigor: 
"That  thou  mightest  know  clearly,  concern- 
ing what  words  thou  wast  taught,  the  solid 
trutii."  Know  here  represents  a  com- 
pound w<jrd,  sometimes  "  recognize,"  but 
more  generally,  "know  definitely,"  accu- 
rately, clearly.  For  the  Greek  noun  here 
(AoyioK),  literally,  vx)rds.  Versions  and  many 
other  authorities  give  "things,"  as  the  term 
is  often  used  metaphorically  for  the  subject 
matter  of  the  words.  But  here  there  seems 
to  be  no  sufficient  reason  for  thinking  of  any- 
thing else  than  the  "words,"  that  is,  dis- 
courses, accounts,  reports,  of  Christ,  his  deeds, 
and  his  doctrine,  which  Theophilus  had  been 
taught.  This  teaching  (KaT»;x>)fl>)«)  had  been 
oral,  as  the  special  word  here  used  most 
naturally  signifies.  It  is  that  from  which, 
through  the  practice  of  the  earl 3-^  Greek 
Christians,  our  word  "catechize"  and  its 
cognates  come,  although  that  practice  was 
only  gradually  developed  from  the  simple 
plan  of  communicating  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  publicly  and  privately,  bj*  word  of 
mouth,  which  is  called  "preaching"  in  the 
New  Testament.  These  words  Theophilus 
had  already  believed ;  but,  lest  he  should  be 
hesitating  between  variant  statements,  Luke 
assumes  that  for  him  to  have  the  whole 
narrative  of  the  origin  of  Christianity  pre- 
sented in  writing,  with  accuracy,  in  an  or- 
derly consecution  of  facts,  would  give  cer- 
tainty and  firmness  to  his  faith. 

Remark.— This  short  Preface  is  of  special 
interest  to  a  student  of  the  New  Testament 


22 


LUKE 


LCh.  I. 


in  several  respects.  There  is  nothing  else- 
where in  Scripture  in  any  degree  like  it, 
except  the  mere  address  to  the  same  The- 
ophilus  in  the  first  verse  of  Acts.  It  throws 
important  light — 

1.  On  the  author.  He  was  thoroughly  at 
home  in  the  Greek  language;  which  was 
not  the  case  with  most  of  the  New  Testament 
writers.  By  a  single  sentence  he  sets  forth 
the  reasons  which  encouraged  him  to  write, 
the  sources  of  his  matter,  the  competency 
which  he  had  sought  for  the  task,  and  the 
precise  aim  of  his  effort.  He  does  it  clearly, 
simply,  tersely,  and  with  a  grammatical  skill 
in  the  development  of  his  thought  which 
results  in  a  period  scarcely  to  be  excelled  in 
the  Greek  of  that  age,  and  which  even  Demos- 
thenes need  not  have  despised.  A  like  quality 
of  style  appears  elsewhere,  occasionally,  in 
his  writing,  especially  in  the  Acts,  by  com- 
parison of  which  passages  we  may  infer  that 
he  more  commonly  translates  out  of  Hebrew 
(Aramsean)  sources,  preserving  something  of 
their  foreign  quality,  or  copies  documents 
of  such  origin.  A  noble  modesty  breathes 
through  his  language  He  makes  no  claim 
to  original  authorship,  but  only  to  the  collec- 
tion of  facts  which  others  had  given,  and  the 
arrangement  of  them  in  an  appropriate  narra- 
tive, suited  to  serve  a  very  important  pur- 
pose. Intelligence,  honesty,  and  care  in  all 
the  processes  of  his  work  are  unmistakably 
evinced.  He  does  not  stop  short  of  the 
authentic,  and,  when  it  was  necessary,  the 
divinely  accredited  sources  of  knowledge, 
which  he  studies  patiently,  perseveringly, 
thoroughly,  sparing  no  labor  by  which  he 
may  assure  certainty  on  the  most  important 
subjects  to  his  readers.  We  are  thus  pre- 
pared to  expect  in  his  narrative  consistency 
with  all  other  known  truthful  accounts  of 
the  same  matters ;  and,  uniformly  finding 
this,  we  reasonably  accept  his  historical  state- 
ments in  cases,  such  as  "the  enrollment" 
by  order  of  Augustus,  under  Cyrenius  as 
governor  of  Syria  (2:1.2),  the  Tetrarchy  of 
Lysanias  in  Abilene  (3:i),  where  we  lack  the 
express  confirmation  of  other  writers. 

2.  On  the  origin  of  our  Canonical,  par- 
ticularly of  the  Synoptic,  Gospels.  In  solving 
the  very  interesting  problem  here  presented, 
to  account  at  once  for  the  remarkable  simi- 
larity of  those  writings,  amounting  in  occa- 
sional  passages  to    complete  identity,  while 


explaining  at  the  same  time  the  striking  dif- 
ferences, amounting  sometimes  almost  to  con- 
tradiction, the  view  most  prevalent,  though 
with  endless  modifications,  has  latterly  been, 
that  they,  the  first  three  Gospels,  are  so  many 
forms  in  which  was  preserved  the  spoken  gospel 
of  the  apostolic  preaching.  This  had  fastened 
itself  on  a  comparatively  scant  selection  of 
fivcts,  out  of  the  Saviour's  life  and  discourses, 
and  especially  his  passion.  They  were  chosen 
because  of  their  fitness  to  represent  his  whole 
work  and  teaching,  chiefly  to  show  on  the 
one  hand  that  he  was  the  Messiah  of  the 
Jews,  and  on  the  other  that  he  was  the 
Saviour  of  the  whole  world.  These  would 
be  elaborated  with  care  that  they  might 
truly  report  the  facts,  would  naturally  ex- 
press in  substance  the  view  common  to  the 
apostles,  who  remained  some  years  together 
in  Jerusalem,  and,  when  giving  Christ's 
more  important  sayings,  would  nearly  or 
exactly  coincide.  Thus,  "those  who  were 
eye-witnesses  and  became  ministers  of  the 
word,"  delivered  to  their  contemporaries  and 
successors  the  things  that  had  been  accom- 
plished among  them. 

But  not  in  writing,  until  a  considerable 
number  of  years  had  passed.  Even  the 
Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  as  we  now 
have  it,  dates  from  thirty-five  or  more  years 
after  Christ's  death,  and  John,  still  a  good 
deal  later.  "When,  therefore,  Luke,  as  is 
revealed  in  his  Preface,  desired  a  complete, 
self-consistent,  and  reasoned  account  of  the 
themes  of  the  original  preaching,  for  the 
benefit  of  believers  who,  like  Theophilus, 
had  received  the  word,  as  the  spoken  testi- 
mony of  men  that  knew  their  truth,  and  felt 
their  power,  he  could  find  no  such  account. 
He  knew  of  severAl  faithful  attempts  at 
something  more  or  less  approaching  what 
he  wished  for,  and,  as  a  Greek,  would  feel  none 
of  that  scruple  against  writing  down  divine 
truths,  which  would  hamper  an  ordinary 
Hebrew  of  that  day.  He  had  close  associa- 
tion with  the  Apostle  Paul,  who,  although, 
like  himself,  at  the  second  remove  from 
Christ,  had  enjoyed  special  revelations  of 
the  gospel,  besides  unusual  opportunities  for 
the  natural  acquisition  of  knowledge  about 
the  Lord;  he  could  avail  himself  of  the 
work  of  those  many  previous  writers;  and 
finally  he  could  still  have  access  in  his  re^ 
searches  to  some  now  well  advanced  in  years. 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


23 


THERE  was  "  in  the  days  of  Herod,  the  king  of  Judea, 
a  certain  priest  named  Zacharias,  'of  the  course  ot 
Abia:  and  his  wife  wiix  of  the  daughters  of  Aaron,  and 
her  name  w/u  Klisabelh. 

6  And  they  were  both  =  righteous  before  God,  walk- 
ing in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the 
Lord  blameless. 


5  There  was  in  the  days  of  Herod,  king  of  Judaea,  a 
certain  priest  named  Zacharias,  of  the  course  of 
Abijah :    and   he   had    a   wife   of  the  daughters  of 

6  Aaron,  and  her  name  was  Elisabeth.  And  they 
were  both  rigliteous  before  (iod,  walking  in  all  the 
commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  I^rd  blame- 


aMatt.  2:1 6  1  Cbron.  24:  10,19;  Neb.  12:  4,  17 e  Gen.  7:1;  17:  1  ;  1  Kiug9  9:  4;  2  Kingn  20:  3;  Job  1:1;  AcU23:  1; 

24:  16;  Pbil.  3  :  6. 


who  could  supply  deficiencies  in  his  accounts 
from  their  own  memory,  and  perhaps  fur- 
nish documents  of  highest  authority  not 
generally  known.  From  all  indications  con- 
cerning Luke,  and  from  his  known  intimacy 
with  the  Apo.<tle  Paul,  we  may  well  suppose 
that  he  would  welcome  those  accounts,  espe- 
cially, of  Christ's  teaching  and  conduct,  which 
most  clearly  bespoke  his  catholic  and  uni- 
versal interest  in  the  sah'ation  of  the  men 
of  every  nation,  and  of  every  grade. 

The  view  of  the  origin  of  the  (lospels  above 
intimated,  is  ably  maintained,  with  a  criticism 
of  counter  views  which  have  been   held,  by 

B.  F.  Westcott,  in  his  Introduction  to  the 
Study  of  the  Gospels,  chap.  3. 

The  scholar  will  find  the  interpretation  and 
significance  of  this  Preface  well  discussed  in 
the  same  work,  pp.  196-108,  Am.  Edition ; 
in    G.    Fisher,    Beginnings   of    Christianity; 

C.  F.  Nosgen,  in  the  Studien  und  Kritiken, 
1876,  pp.  260-275;  and  above  all,  C.  L.  W. 
Grimm  (the  lexicographer),  in  the  Johrbiicher 
fur  deutsche  Theologie,  B.  16,  1871,  pp.  33-78. 

Part  I.  Ch.  1:5-4:13.  Preliminary 
TO  THE  Public  Ministry  of  Jesus.  This 
p:irt  is  plainly  divided  into  three  sections  by 
the  careful  indications  of  date.     (ch.  i:5;2:i; 

3:  I  ff). 

Sect.  1,  ch.  1:  5  80,  presents  (1)  the  annun- 
ciation of  the  birth  of  John  the  Baptist  as 
our  Lord's  forerunner;  (2)  the  annunciation 
of  the  birth  of  Jesus;  (3)  the  birth  of  John 
— with  the  attendant  circumstances  of  each 
event. 

1:5-23.  Annunciation  of  the  Birth 
OF  John. 

5.  There  was  in  the  days  of  Herod, 
the  king  of  Judea.  It  is  better,  with  the 
Revision,  to  omit  the  article  before  king. 
Herod  I.,  surnamed  the  Great,  son  of  Anti- 
pater,  an  Idumaean,  came,  through  the  favor 
of  the  Romans,  to  reign  over  Judea,  from 
A.  u.  0.  714,  and  afterward  over  Samaria  and 
other  districts  also,  until  A.  u.  c.  750,  when 
he  died.     The   days   of  Herod,  therefore, 


covered  about  thirty-si.x  years,  and  what  is 
here  recorded  took  place  very  late  in  that 
period. — A  certain  priest  named  Zach- 
arias, of  the  course  of  Abia.  As  a  priest, 
he  would  at  that  time  be  reckoned  of  the 
nobility  of  the  Jews.  (See  Josephus'  Life,  (J  1. ) 
There  might  be  thought  some  significance  in 
his  name,  which  in  Hebrew  meant  "Jehovah 
remembers."  Abia  is  projierly  given  in 
the  Revision  as  Abijah,  on  the  principle  that 
the  names  of  Old  Testament  personages 
should  be  in  the  New  Testament  the  same  as 
in  the  Old.  This  would  require  that  Zach- 
arias should  be  changed  to  Zachariah,  or 
Zechariah,  if  the  person  here  intended  had 
been  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament. 
Abijah  was  the  head  of  one  of  the  twenty- 
four  "courses"  or  divisions  (iChron. 24:  i,  lo)  into 
which  David  distributed  the  priests  of  his 
day,  for  the  more  orderly  performance  of 
their  duties.  Abijah  stood  first  in  the  eighth 
of  them,  and  as  the  date  of  the  destruction  of 
.he  temple  (a.  d.  70)  is  known,  and  the  course 
of  the  priests  (that  of  Joarib)  then  oflUciating 
is  known,  it  has  been  supposed  that  something 
definite  could  be  concluded  by  reckoning 
backward  from  that  date,  as  to  the  week  here 
intended,  then,  as  to  the  time  of  John's  birth, 
then,  as  to  the  year,  the  month,  the  week, 
and  even  the  day,  of  the  birth  of  Jesus.  How 
precarious  such  inferences  must  be  is  obvious. 
Any  opinion  even  as  to  whether  the  order  of 
the  courses  was  the  same  now  as  when  they 
began  is,  for  one  thing,  so  uncertain  as  scarcely 
to  deserve  the  credit  of  slight  probability, 
whatever  that  opinion  may  be. — And  his 
wife  was  (he  had  a  wife)  of  the  daughters 
of  Aaron,  and  her  name  was  Elisabeth. 
Both  parents  of  .John  were  thus  of  the 
priestlj-  class.  Their  character  was  that  of 
the  highest  type  of  Old  Testament  religion. 

6.  They  were  both  righteous  before 
God.  Under  a  system  of  legal  requirements 
"righteousness"  is  the  natural  description  of 
piety.  That  would  apply  to  a  person  as  he 
most  fully  met  those  requirements,  and  con- 


24 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


7  And  they  had  uo  child,  because  that  Elisabeth  was 
barren,  and  they  both  were  7wic  well  stricken  in  years. 

8  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  while  he  executed  the 
priest's  office  before  God  "  in  the  order  ot  his  course, 

9  According  to  the  custom  ol'  the  priest's  office,  his 
lot  was  'to  burn  incense  when  he  went  into  the  temple 
of  the  Lord. 


7  less.  And  they  had  no  child,  because  that  Elisabeth 
was  barren,  and  they  both  were  j/ott'i  well  stricken  in 
years. 

8  Now  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  executed  the  priest's 

9  office  before  God  in  the  order  of  his  course,  according 
to  the  custom  of  the  priest's  office,  his  lot  was  to 
enter  into  the  i  temple  of  the  Lord  and  burn  incense. 


a  1  Chron.  24  :  19  ;  2  Chrou.  8  :  14  ;  31  :  'i 6  Ex.  30:  7.  8;  1  S.im.  2  :  28  ;  1  Chrou.  23  :  13  ;  2  Cliron.29;  II. 

their  days.... 2  Or,  sanctuary. 


1  Gr.  advanced  iji 


formed  his  disposition  and  conduct  to  the 
standard  of  the  law.  He  would  so  be  right, 
i.  e.,  righteous,  and  this  quality  of  his  char- 
acter would  be  called  righteousness.  Be- 
fore God,  not  in  their  own  view,  or  in  that 
of  their  neighbors,  merely,  but  as  seen  by 
God.  Yet  it  was  a  legal  righteousness,  as 
appears  from  the  description  following. — 
Walking  is  a  Hebrew  metaphor  for  "living," 
"conducting  oneself,"  in  the  various  rela- 
tions of  men  to  each  other  and  to  God. — The 
commandments  are  particular  precepts. — 
Ordinances  may  be,  more  generally,  the 
appointments  of  God,  his  statutes  or  decisions 
of  any  form,  indicative  of  his  will  concern- 
ing his  people. — Blameless,  as  Paul  speaks 
(Phil.  3:6)  of  his  owH  character  as  having  been, 
according  to  the  law,  and  no  more  exclusive 
of  the  need  of  justification  by  faith,  or  im- 
plying absolute  perfection  on  the  part  of 
Zacharias  and  Elisabeth.  It  was  the  right- 
eousness of  supreme  reverence  for  Jehovah's 
will  and  sincere  endeavor  to  comply  with  it, 
often  claimed  by  pious  men  under  the  old 
covenant  (comp.Psi  18:2024;  7:8),  and  ascribed  to 
them  in  a  multitude  of  places. 

7.  And  they  had  no  child,  because  that 
Elisabeth  was  barren.  The  one  great 
trouble,  apparently,  of  their  lives,  and  espe- 
cially severe  in  the  estimation  of  a  married 
pair  among  the  Jews,  where  childlessness  was 
esteemed  almost  a  curse.— And  they  both 
were  noAvwell  stricken  in  years,  literally, 
were  advanced  in  their  days,  and  so,  doubt- 
less feeling  that  there  was  less  and  less  reason 
to  hope  for  oftspring.  Still,  there  is  nothing 
to  indicate  the  natural  impossibility  that  they 
might  yet  be  so  blessed,  or  to  forbid  their 
prayers. 

8-23.  The  Annunciation.  Ver.  8-12 
give  the  occasion  and  mode;  ver.  13-17  the 
annunciation  itself;  and  ver.  18-23  the  token 
by  which  Zachariah  should  know  that  it  was 
to  come  true. 

8-12.  8.  Executed  the  priest's  office, 
(discharged    the  duties   of  a   priest)   before 


God.  A  different  expression  in  the  Greek 
from  that  in  ver.  G,  "in  God's  presence,  as 
manifested  in  the  temple,"  "as  unto  God."  — 
In  the  order  of  his  course,  i.  e.,  on  some 
day  of  that  week  in  which,  twice  in  the  year, 
the  course  of  Abijah  would  be  on  duty  at 
the  temple.  The  twenty-four  courses  would 
have  to  take  their  turn  at  least  twice  every 
year. 

9.  According  to  the  custom  of  the 
priest's  office.  This  custom,  as  Jewish 
authorities  declare  (see  Winer,  Real-Wor- 
terbuch,  2,  323,  n.  3,  2  ed.),  was  for  the 
"course"  to  distribute  themselves  into  six 
sections,  one  of  which  had  charge  of  the 
temple  duties  for  each  secular  day,  while  on 
the  Sabbath  the  whole  course  joined  in  the 
services.  It  is  natural  to  suppose  that  each, 
section  would  then  divide  by  lot  the  several 
functions  necessary  to  be  performed  each 
day.  Thus  it  was  that  on  the  particular  day 
in  question  his  lot  was  'he  obtainid  by  lot) 
to  burn  incense,  etc.  The  Revision  renders 
rightly.  (See  on  ver.  3).  The  purpose  of  his 
entering  into  the  temple  was  to  ofier  incense. 
This  function  was  regarded  as  of  special 
privilege  and  solemnity,  both  from  the  signi- 
fication of  the  act  (Rev.  5:8),  and  because  it 
brought  the  priest  officiating  into  near  prox- 
imity to  God's  seat.  For  "the  temple"  here 
is  the  sacred  edifice  itself,  into  which  none 
but  the  priests  might  enter,  in  the  outer 
chamber  of  which  stood  the  altar  of  incense, 
separated  by  nothing  but  the  second  vail 
from  that  mysterious  gloom  of  "the  holy  of 
holies,"  where  the  Shekinah  and  the  cheru' 
bim  over  the  ark  had  once  betokened  the 
special  presence  of  Jehovah  (ex.30:i,  6),  and 
where  he  was  still  thought  to  receive  the 
odors  of  the  incense  as  an  acceptable  symbol 
of  the  prayers  of  the  people.  Much  more 
commonly  in  our  English  Bible,  the  word 
"temple"  stands  for  another  Greek  word, 
denoting  the  whole  congeries  of  sacred  build- 
ings (Mark  13:1)  aiid  courts,  wlilch  surrounded 
the  temple  edifice  proper,  and  does  not  really 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


25 


10  "And  the  whole  nuiltitude  of  the  people  were 
praying  without  at  the  time  of  incense. 

11  And  there  appeared  unto  him  an  angel  of  the 
Lord  standing  on  the  right  side  of  <■  the  altar  of  incense. 

12  And  when  Zacharias  saw  kiin,  <■  he  was  troubled, 
and  fear  fell  u(>on  him. 

i:{  Hut  the  angel  sai<l  unto  him  Fear,  not,  Zacharias; 
for  thy  prayer  is  heard;  and  thy  wife  Kli.saheth  shall 
bear  thee  a'sou,  and  ''thou  shall  call  his  name  .John. 

14  And  thou  shall  have  joy  and  gladness:  and « many 
shall  rejoice  at  his  birth. 


10  And  the  whole  multitude  of  the  people  were  praying 

11  without  at  the  hour  of  incense.  And  there  appeared 
unto  him  an  angel  of  the  Lord  standing  on  the  right 

12  side  of  the  altar  of  incense.  And  Zacharias  was 
troubled  when  he  saw  him,  and  fear  fell  upon  him. 

13  But  the  angel  said  unto  him,  Kear  not,  Zacharias: 
because  thy  su]>plication  is  heard,  and  thy  wife 
Elisabeth  shall  bear  thee  a  son,  and  thou  shall  call 

14  his  name  John.     And  thou  shall  have  joy  and  glad- 


aLev.  16:  17;  Her.  8:  3,  i b  Ex.30:  1 c  Judg.  6:  22;  13:  22:  nan.  10:  8;  ver.  29;  ch.  2:9;  Acts  10:  4;  Rer.  1 :  IT d  ver. 

60,  63 e  vei'.  5tt. 


apply  to  that  at  all.  It  is  a  pity  that  the 
Revision  has  not  indicated  tlie  distinction  by 
using  for  the  latter  word  referred  to,  "temple 
courts,"  "temple  buildings,"  or  some  suitably 
distinctive  term,  as  Dr.  McClelian  lias  done. 

10.  The  whole  multitude.  Whether 
greater  than  the  ordinary  attendance  of  wor- 
shipers, as  if  it  were  some  festival  day,  we 
have  no  intimation. — Were  praying  with- 
out. Simultaneously  with  the  otlering  of 
the  incense,  (comp.  rcv.8:3,  4). — At  the  time 
[hotcr]  of  incense.  There  were  two  hours 
of  incense  daily — one  in  the  morning,  when 
the  lamps  were  trimmed,  after  the  niglit's  use, 
the  other  at  evening,  when  they  were  lighted 
(Ex. 30:7, 8);  but  wliich  this  was  we  can  only 
conjecture.  Meyer  is  scarcely'  warranted  in 
deciding  for  the  morning,  on  the  ground  that 
"the  casting  of  the  lots  has  just  preceded." 

11.  An  angel  of  the  Lord.  Ver.  19 
shows  that  among  the  numerous  host  of 
Buper-earthly  messengers  who  did  the  bid- 
ding of  God  in  heaven,  and  on  earth  when 
the  interests  of  his  kingdom  here  required, 
the  one  now  sent  was  Gabriel,  who  had 
already  long  before  appeared  to  Daniel 
(Dan.  8: 16;  9:21),  to  enlighten  and  comfort  him. 
His  coming  now  was  indicative  of  another 
crisis  in  the  history  of  redemption,  where 
supernatural  tokens  from  above  were  most 
natural. — Standing  on  the  right  side  of 
the  altar.  The  altar  of  incense  stood  near 
the  curtain  which  vailed  the  most  holy  place, 
centrally,  in  front  of  the  sacred  ark  beliind, 
the  vail.  The  right  side  miglit  have  been 
so  named  with  reference  to  the  altar,  which 
would  be  at  the  left  hand  of  the  priest  as  he 
entered,  an  honorable  position  in  relation  to 
the  divine  presence  represented  by  the  altar; 
but  quite  as  probably  the  angel  stood  at  the 
right  side  with  reference  to  Zacharias  facing 
the  altar,  in  which  case  the  fact  was  mentioned 
as  of  good  omen  to  the  servant  of  God. 

12.  He   {Zacharias)  was   troubled,   and 


fear  fell  upon  him.  His  trouble  and  fear 
was  not  so  much  alarm  or  dread  of  danger,  as 
the  holy  awe  which  naturally  rises  in  tiie 
heart  of  one  conscious  of  sin  before  any  un- 
usual, especially  a  sudden,  manifestation  of 
the  near  presence  of  God. 

13-17.  Fear  not,  Zacharias;  fur  thy 
prayer  (supplication)  is  heard  {was  heard). 
Not  harm,  but  ratlier  blessing  to  hJ:n  is 
portended.  Not  the  usual  word  for  prayer 
is  employed,  but  one  more  specitic  in  its 
import,  and  implying  earnestness;  and  it 
probably  points  to  the  entreaties  which  Zach- 
arias had  urged  before  God  for  a  son.  If  we 
knew  that  public  praj'er  on  his  part  attended 
the  burning  of  the  incense,  we  might  sujjpose 
(althougli  the  special  word  supplication  is  not 
so  suitable  to  this  view)  that  he  had  been 
asking  for  the  advent  of  the  Messiah,  and  that 
the  granting  of  this  request  was  assured  to 
him  in  the  announcement  of  the  birth  of  the 
forerunner.  But  it  is  too  much  of  hypothesis 
to  assume  that  there  was  some  prayer,  and 
then  that  it  was  this  particular  prayer.  There 
was  rather  a  revelation  of  a  domestic  blessing, 
primarily,  which  grows  to  be  of  great  public 
influence  also. — Thy  wife  Elisabeth  shall 
bear  thee  a  son.  Not  merely  a  cliild,  but 
a  son,  who  may  continue  the  j)ateriial  name 
among  the  families  of  Israel,  and  more  than 
remove  that  stain  which  was  felt  to  attacli 
to  cliildlessness.  From  the  view  wiiich  we 
have  taken  of  ver.  7,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
understand  a  miracle,  as  in  the  case  of  Abra- 
ham and  Sarah,  but  only  a  remarkable  in- 
terposition of  the  divine  favor. — And  thou 
shalt  call  his  name  John,  {Jehovah  is 
c/raciaus).  The  name  was  well  suited  to  con- 
firm hope. 

14.  And  thou  shalt  have  joy  and  glad- 
ness {r.riilt'ifioti);  and  many  shall  rejoice 
at  his  birth.  The  rejoicing  jiredicted  for 
Zacharias  and  his  frieiuls,  al  the  birth  of  a 
son    to   him   in   his  old    age,  is   historically 


26 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


15  For  he  shall  be  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and 
"shall  drink  neither  wine  nor  strong  drink;  and  he 
shall  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Gliost,  'even  from  his 
mother's  womb. 

16  cAnd  many  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he 
turn  to  the  Lord  their  God. 


loness;  and  many  shall  rejoice  at  his  birth.  For  he 
shall  be  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  he  shall 
drink  no  wine  nor  i  strong  drink;  and  he  shall  be 
tilled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  from  his  mother's 

16  womb.    And  many  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he 


o  Num.  6:3;  Judg.  13:4;  ch.  7  :  33...  .6  Jer.  1:5;  Gal.  1 :  15...  .c  Mai.  4  :  5,  6. 1  Gr.  «*era. 


realized  in  ver.  64-66  [con.p.  ver.  ss],  and  it  there 
runs  into  religious  delight  in  the  character 
and  work  of  the  future  herald.  Such  a  high 
destination  is  indicated  here  by  the  i'or  in 
ver.  15. 

15.  For  he  shall  (will)  be  great  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord.  Of  him,  that  is,  "who 
louketh  on  the  heart"  ;  truly,  inwardly  great, 
—great  in  character,  as  well  as  in  work.— 
Strong  drink.  That  of  the  Hebrews  was  a 
liquor  produced  by  fermentation  from  the 
juice  of  other  fruits  than  grapes;  from  honey, 
and  from  decoctions  of  various  grains.  The 
use  of  this  and  of  wine  was  absolutely  for- 
bidden to  the  Nazarites  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, whose  obligations  seem  to  have  been 
now  revived  and  laid  on  the  expected  off- 
spring of  the  priest.  They  were  men  who 
consecrated  themselves  specially  to  Jehovah, 
as  his  possession,  for  his  service  only,  either 
for  a  definite  period,  or  for  the  whole  of  life, 
as  the  case  might  be.  Sometimes,  as  with 
Samuel  (isum.  i:  ii),  the  vow  of  consecration 
was  made  for  one  by  another  (comp.  Judges  is :5); 
thus  in  effect  constituting  him  a  Nazarite, 
though  he  is  not  expressly  so  called.  The 
law  of  the  Nazarite  is  laid  down  in  Num. 
6:  1-21,  and  its  requirements  of  abstinence 
from  strong  drink,  and  wine,  and  evtry- 
thing  pertaining  to  the  grape,  as  well  as  that 
no  razor  should  ever  touch  the  hair  or  beard, 
were  partly  ascetic,  to  cultivate  a  character 
and  habit  of  life  able  to  bear  hardships  and 
privations,  and  partly  symbolical  of  the 
peculiar  separation  from  everything  else  to 
God,  which  was  the  burden  of  his  vow.  This 
was  all  very  appropriate  to  one  who  was  to 
stand  in  a  peculiar  nearness  to  the  coming 
Lord,  Messiah,  and  especially  as  he  was  to 
follow  in  the  line  of  the  heroes  of  the  nation, 
of  whom  Samuel  was  an  example. — And  he 
shall  (will)  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 
(Spirit)   even   from    his   mother's  womb. 


The  Holy  Spirit  is  here  mentioned  in  the  Old 
Testament  sense,  as  that  divine  force  which 
imparted  to  men  high  and  special  qualifica- 
tion for  the  service  of  God,  in  works  of  the 
hand,  the  understanding,  the  heart.  Its 
power  should  influence  John  from  his  birth. 
This  is  what  is  meant  by  even  from  his 
mother's  womb.  We  see  no  need  of  going, 
as  do  even  Meyer  and  Godet,  beyond  the 
statement  of  the  sacred  writer  and  make  him 
mean  "in"  his  mother's  womb,  when  he 
says  "from."  The  latter  is  a  strongly  hyper- 
bolical expression  of  the  truth  th.at,  whereas 
most  men  became  the  agents  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  at  a  more  advanced  stage  of  life,  John 
should  be  an  organ  of  his  operations  from  his 
earliest  rational  consciousness.  The  other 
view  suppo.ses  either  an  immaculate  con- 
ception of  the  forerunner,  in  which  case 
there  might,  doubtless,  have  been  a  hypos- 
tatic union  between  the  embryo  human  spirit 
and  the  divine,  but  surely  not  even  then  in- 
volving intelligence,  in  any  sense  appre- 
hensible to  us,  or,  a  purely  local  presence  of 
the  Divine  Spirit,  in  effect  disunited  from  the 
human,  and  not  apparently  of  any  rational 
use.  If  the  Scripture  told  us  plainly  of  such 
a  fact,  we  might  accept  it  without  question ; 
but  to  put  it  into  the  narrative  of  Scripture  on 
so  shadowy  a  ground  as  that  of  the  particle 
even  (cti),  is  another  thing.  The  support  for 
it  drawn  from  ver.  41,  44,  we  will  consider 
at  that  place.  We  add  only  that  "from  the 
mother's  womb"  is  so  frequently  and  so  ex- 
clusively used  in  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments to  signify  "from  the  time  of  birth," 
that  one  wishing  to  express  a  different  idea, 
as,  for  example,  that  of  being  filled  with  the 
Spirit  before  birth,  would  naturally  avoid  that 
phrase,  or  so  modify  it  as  to  prevent  misunder- 
standing. ' 

16.  His   work    described    in    reference   to 
its    effects. — And    many   of    the    children 


1  The  Greek  adverb  («Tt),  meaning  commonly  "yet,"  "still,"  which  has  been  supposed  to  imply  that  being 
still  so  he  must  have  been  so  before,  is  rather  used  here  with  a  transfer  of  position,  like  that  in  Ro?ii.  5  :  6  (in 
most  texts),  in  the  modified  sense  of  "already."  So  Grimm's  Clnvi.i  s.  v.,  rightly,  where  examples  are  cited  from 
Plutarch,  Consol,  p.  104;  '^cti  a-n'  apxJjs),  "already  from  the  beginning,"  and  from  the  Aiilhol.,^,5(>l  i  en  «  0pe<fr'os), 
already  from  a  babe.  Kypke  in  loc,  has  accumulated  passages  from  classic  authors,  several  of  which  fairly 
sustain  the  view  here  adopted. 


Cii.  I.] 


LUKE. 


27 


17  "And  he  shall  go  before  him  in  the  spirit  and 
power  of  Ellas,  to  turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the 
children,  and  the  disobedient  to  the  wisdom  of  the 
just ;  to  make  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord. 


'  turn  unto  the  Lord  their  God.  And  he  shall  igo 
before  his  face  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Llijah,  to 
turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  cliiKlren,  and 
the  disobedient  lu  wall:  in  the  wisdom  of  the  just:  to 
make  ready  for  the  Lord  a  people  prepared  j'ur  him. 


a  HhI.  4:5;  Mntt.  II :  14 ;  Hark  9 :  12. 1  Some  ancient  autboritirs  reud,  come  nigh  be/ore  hit/aee. 


(sons)  of  Israel  shall  he  turn  to  the  Lord 
their  God.  The  Hebrew  and  the  Hebraistic 
Greeli  almost  always  says  "sons"  in  naming 
offspring,  or  descendants,  quite  regardless 
whether  daughters  also  are  intended.  "Sons 
of  Israel"  are  all  descendants  of  Jacob. 
(Compare  for  the  sense  Matt.  3:  5  if;  21:  26; 
Markl:  5;  11:  32;  Luke  3:  7  ff;  20:  6;  John 
5:  35).  It  is  an  application  to  John  of  the 
prophecy  in  Malachi  4:  6,  and  shows  that  this 
man,  "greater  than  a  prophet,"  shall  effect 
such  a  change  in  the  views  and  purposes  of 
many  of  his  countrymen  concerning  God 
and  their  duty  to  him  (which  is  repentance), 
as  would  lead  them  to  more  humble  and 
spiritual  lives,  and  so  prepare  them  for  a 
place  in  the  Messiah's  kingdom  when  he 
should  appear.  This  is  conversion ;  and  the 
verb  turn  here  used  is  that  which  is  often 
translated  "convert"  or  "be  converted." 
How  truly  this  was  fulfilled,  the  citations 
above  show. 

17.  And  he  shall  go  before  him.  He 
is  strongly  emphatic,  nearly  equivalent  to 
"he  himself,"  as  distinguished  from  "many 
of  the  sons."  By  him  is  intended  "the 
Lord  their  God,"  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
verse;  not  directly,  'therefore,  Jesus  the 
Christ,  but  indirectly,  as  from  the  prophetic 
point  of  view.  In  that  view  the  opening  of 
the  Messianic  age  was  a  glorious  and  fearful 
manifestation  of  Jehovah  himself— "a  day  of 
Jehovah."  That  we  know  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
to  be  intended  as  the  representative  and 
equivalent  of  Jehovah,  proves  plainly,  as 
Godet  says,  that  "in  the  view  of  the  Old  as 
well  as  of  the  New  Testament,  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah  is  the  supreme  Theophany." 
Shall  go  before,  namely,  as  a  courier,  a 
forerunner,  to  lead  the  way,  and  in  the  eye 
of  him  that  follows.  The  mode  and  particu- 
lar objects  are  specified  in  the  following 
clauses. — In  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias. 
In  a  spirit  imparted  by  God,  and  with  a 
power  resulting  from  the  possession  of  that 
spirit,  of  which  the  spirit  and  power  opera- 
tive in  Elijah  was  the  type.  This  was  the 
sense  of  the  prediction  in  Mai.  4:  5.      From 


this  language  it  is  not  strange  that  the  Jews 
should  have  drawn  the  inference  that  Elijah 
was  literally  to  return  to  life  and  make  him- 
self known  as  the  precursor  of  the  Messiah. 
( John  1 :  21 ;  Matt.  17 : 9).  But  the  Saviour  after- 
Ward      showed      (Matt.  17  :  10-12  ;  Mark  9  :  12,  13),      that 

they  should  have  understood  it  typically  of 
one  like  Elijah,  and  that  such  a  one  had 
appeared  in  the  Baptist.  Like  Elijah,  John 
was  to  be  a  stern  reformer  of  the  morals  and 
religious  practice  of  his  age;  and  like  him 
he  should  be  fitted  for  the  task  by  a  proved 
superiority  to  the  fashions  and  indulgences 
of  his  age. — The  first  aim  of  iiis  precursor- 
ship  is  To  turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers 
to  the  children,  or,  more  correctly,  omitting 
the  article,  "of  fathers  to  children."  This 
obscure  passage  was  probably  intended  by 
Malachi  to  denote  one  of  the  most  important 
features  of  a  great  moral  reformation,  looked 
at  from  the  midst  of  such  a  disordered  con- 
dition of  domestic  and  social  life,  as  he  inti- 
mates (ch. 2)  inconsequence  of  the  scandalous 
license  of  divorce.  Its  application  to  the  state 
of  the  people  at  the  time  of  Christ's  advent, 
after  ages  of  belligerent  partisanship  and  of 
civil  and  foreign  wars,  would  be  still  more 
significant  of  a  radical  .social  amendment. 
This  idea  was  completed  in  the  prophecy  by 
showing  the  change  reciprocated,  "and  the 
heart  of  children  to  their  fathers"  (Hebrew) ; 
but  the  angel  finishes  his  prediction  inde- 
pendently, by  a  general  mention  of  the  con- 
version of  sinners. — And  the  disobedient 
to  the  wisdom  of  the  just.  The  article 
here  again  in  connection  with  the  persons  is 
strictly  unwarranted.  "Wisdom"  is  .specifi- 
cally practical  wisdom,  "prudence,"  which 
eminently  characterizes  those  who  make 
their  peace  with  God  and  walk  in  his  fear. 
The  preposition  rendered  to  is  properly  in, 
and  looks  back  to  "shall  turn."  By  a  com- 
mon abbreviation  of  the  Greek  phrase  it 
notes  the  state  into  which  the  disobedient 
-shall  turn  and  in  which  they  shall  remain: 
"and  disobedient  men  into  the  prudence  of 
just,  [or,  righteous]  men."  Disobedient 
persons  were  those  who  refused  to  hear  the 


28 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


18  And  Zacharias  said  unto  the  angel,  "Whereby 
shall  I  know  this?  for  I  am  an  old  man,  and  my  wife 
well  stricken  in  years. 

19  And  the  augi-l  answering  said  unto  him,  I  am 
*({abriel,  that  stand  in  the  presence  of  God;  and  am 
sent  to  speak  unto  thee,  and  to  shew  thee  these  glad 
tidings. 

20  And,  behold,  'thou  shalt  be  dumb,  and  not  able  to 
speak,  until  the  day  that  these  things  shall  be  per- 
formed, because  thou  believest  not  my  words,  which 
shall  be  fulfilled  in  their  season. 

21  And  the  people  waited  for  Zacharias,  and  mar- 
velled that  he  tarried  so  long  in  the  temple. 


18  And  Zacharias  said  unto  the  angel,  Whereby  shall  I 
know  this?  for  I  am  an  old  man,  and  my  wife  i  well 

19  stricken  in  years.  And  the  angel  answering  said 
unto  him,  I  am  Gabriel,  that  stand  in  the  presence 
of  God ;  and  I  was  sent  to  speak  unto  thee,  and  to 

20  bring  thee  these  good  tidings.  And  behold,  thou 
shalt  be  silent  and  not  able  to  speak,  until  the  day 
that  these  things  shall  come  to  pass,  because  thou  be- 
lievedst   not  my  words,  which  shall   be   fuUilled  in 

21  their  season.     And    the    people  were  waiting    for 
I       Zacharias,  and  they  marvelled  -  while  he  tarried  in 


a  Gen.  17:  17 6  D:in.  8:  16;  9:  21,  22,  23;  Malt.  18:  10:  Heb.  1  :  14 c  Ezek.  3:  26;  24:  27. 1  Gr.  advanced  in  her  days.. 

2  Or,  at  his  tarrying. 


Lord's  call  to  repentance  and  a  righteous  life; 
and  the  prudence  of  the  just  was  celebrated 
especially  in  the  Proverbs,  in  Job  also,  and 
was  exemplified  in  Zacharias  and  Elisabeth, 
in  Martha  and  Mary,  and  in  all  their  kind. 
Godet's  very  ingenious  view  of  the  passage  is 
quite  abstruse,  and  is  set  aside  by  the  absence 
of  the  article  with  "fathers"  and  "chil- 
dren" in  both  the  Hebrew  and  Greek.' — 
To  make  ready  a  people  prepared  for 
the  Lord.  The  Revision  is  right  in  placing 
"for  the  Lord"  after  "ready."  This  is  a 
further  purpose  of  John's  going  before  the 
Messiah.  To  bring  about  such  a  character 
and  state  of  mind  among  the  whole  people, 
completed  the  ideal  function  of  the  great 
herald.  They  would  thus  be  made  ready  for 
the  Lord,  as  intellectually  and  morally  pre- 
pared to  welcome  the  glad  news  of  the  king- 
dom at  hand. 

18.  And  Zacharias  said  unto  the  angel. 
Whereby  shall  I  know  this  ?  His  question 
appears  at  first  sight  very  natural  and  blame- 
less, especially  in  view  of  the  age  of  himself 
and  wife,  which  he  alleges  as  a  reason  for  de- 
siring a  sign  whereby,  or  a  criterion  accord- 
ing to  which,  he  might  be  assured  that  what 
was  predicted  W(.'uld  indeed  come  to  pass. 

19.  The  answer  shows  that  the  evidence 
afforded  in  the  verj'  appearance  of  the  mes- 
senger must  have  been  so  clear  and  strong  as 
to  make  the  priest  in  some  degree  culpable 
for  even  questioning  the  certainty'  of  the 
promise. — I  am  Gabriel,  that  stand  in  the 
presence  of  God.     The  name  is  evidently 


symbolical — "God's  hero" — and  accommo- 
dated to  our  need  of  having  some  designation, 
if  we  would  identify  a  particular  heavenly 
being    through     his    various    manifestations 

(Compare  Michael,  i.e.,  Who  is  lllse  God  7    Dan.  10: 13-21  :  Jude9). 

Gabriel  also  had  been  named  in  Dan.  8:  16; 
9:   20.  —  That   stand   in  the   presence   of 

God — a  position  of  exalted  dignity,  implying- 
capacity  for  the  most  important  services,  and 
readiness  to  overtake  them  whenever  required. 
"  Tliey  also  serve  who  only  stand  and  wait." 
The  manner  of  his  appearance,  and  probably 
something  quite  superhuman  in  his  very  look, 
awe-inspiring  to  the  beholder  (seever.  12),  should 
have  prevented  the  need  of  special  confirma- 
tion of  the  glad  tidings,  which  he  was  sent  to 

show.      Somethingof  the  gospel  (evayye\ioa<T$ai). 

is  involved  in  this  initial  promise.  It  is  a 
favorite  word  with  Luke. 

20.  And,  behold,  thou  shalt  be  dumb 
(silent),  etc.,  until  the  day  that  these 
things  shall  be  performed  (come  to  pass). 
Tliis  might  have  seemed  merely  a  sign  ap- 
pointed by  God  in  his  pleasure,  if  the  follow- 
ing clause — because  thou  believest  not  my 
words — had  not  distinctly  made  it  a  penalty'. 
— Which  shall  be  fulfilled  in  their  season. 
The  day  of  the  performance  of  the  things  is 
thus  shown  to  be  the  season,  the  fit  and 
proper  time,  when  the  words  of  the  predic- 
tion shall  be  fulfilled.  It  means  that  Zacha- 
rias must  remain  dumb,  till  the  birth  and 
naming  of  the  child. 

21.  And  the  people  waited  (werev)altin(j) 
for  Zacharias.     From  this  it  would  appear 


1  He  thinks  that  "The  true  sense  of  these  words  may  be  gathered  from  other  prophetic  passages,  such  as 
these:  Isaiah  29:  22:  'Jacob  shall  not  be  ashamed,  neither  shall  his  face  wax  pale  when  he  seeth  his  children 
become  the  work  of  my  hands';  6:?:  16:  '  Doubtle.ss  thou  art  our  Father,  though  Abraham  be  ignorant  of  us,  and 
Israel  acknowledge  us  not;  thou,  O  Lord,  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemcrl'  Abraham  and  .lacob,  in  the  place  of 
their  rest,  had  blushed  at  the  sight  of  their  guilty  descendants,  and  turned  away  their  faces  from  them;  but 
now  they  wiuld  turn  again  towards  them  with  satisfaction,  in  consequence  of  the  change  produced  by  the 
ministry  of  .lohn."  .  .  .  "With  this  m;>aning,  the  modification  introluced  into  ths  second  member  of  the 
phrase  is  easily  explained.  The  children  who  will  turn  towards  their  fathers  (Malachi),  are  the  .Tews  of  the 
time  of  the  Messiah,  the  children  of  the  obedient,  who  return  to  the  wisdom  of  the  pious  patriarchs  (Luke)." 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


29 


22  And  when  he  came  out,  he  could  not  speak  unto 
them:  and  they  perceived  that  he  had  seen  a  vision  in 
the  temple-  lor  he  beckoned  unto  them,  and  remained 
speechless. 

23  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as  soon  as  "  the  days  of 
his  ministraliou  were  accomplished,  he  departed  to  his 
own  house. 

24  And  after  those  days  his  wife  Elisabeth  conceived, 
and  hid  herself  five  months,  saying, 

2.")  Thus  hath  the  Lord  dealt  with  me  in  the  days 
wherein  he  looked  on  me,  to  *take  away  my  reproach 
among  men. 


22  the  1  temple.  And  when  he  came  out,  he  could  not 
speak  unto  them:  and  they  perceived  that  he  had 
seen   a   vision   in   the  i  temple:    and    he  continued 

2.3  making  signs  unto  them,  and  remained  dumb.  And 
it  came  to  pass,  when  the  days  of  his  ministration 
were  fulhlled.  he  departed  unto  his  house. 

24      And  alter  these  days  Klisabeth  his  wife  conceived  ; 

2;3  and  she  hid  herself  five  months,  saying.  Thus  hath 
the  Lord  done  unto  me  in  the  days  wherein  he 
looked  upon  me,  to  take  away  my  reproach  among 
men. 


a  See  2  Kings  11 :  5;  I  Chroii.  9:  25 }  Geii.30:  23;  Isn.  4:  1 ;  54:  I,  4. 1  Or,  sanctuary. 


that  custom  required  them  to  remain  until  the 
priest  came  out,  perhaps  to  disrnis.s  thom  with 
some  formality. — And  marvelled  that 
(while)  he  tarried  so  long  in  the  temple. 

Jewish  triidition  tells  us  that  the  priests  were 
accustomed  to  hasten  from  the  holy  place  as 
soon  as  possihle,  fearing  the  fatal  consequences 
of  any  irregularity,  as  intimated  in  Lev.  16: 
1-5.  The  w<jnder  of  the  people  was  not  les- 
sened when^  on  coming  out,  they  noted  his 
manner. 

22.  He  could  not  speak  unto  them. — 
They  perceived  that  he  had  seen  a  vision. 
This  is  accounted  for  hy  the  fact  that  the 
strange  effect  had  been  wrought  within  the 
holy  place,  where  a  supernatural  manifesta- 
tion might  be  thought  most  likely,  and  partly 
al.so  by  his  signs  and  gestures,  intended  to 
convey  that  knowledge.  We  are  not,  how- 
ever, to  understand  that  he  beckoned 
(was  nodding  or  making  signs)  to  them,  to 
convey  this  special  information  (Meyer).  In 
this  clause  he  is  emphatic,  equivalent  to  "/te 
himsr/f,"  "he  on  his  part,"  "as  for  him,  he"  ; 
and  the  strongly  imperfect  form  of  the  Greek 
verb,  "  was  beckoning"  goes  with  remained 
speechless  [dumh],  to  show  that  his  dumb- 
ness was  permanent,  and  that  this  was  his 
habit  through  the  period  "foretold  by  the 
angel."— For  is  utterly  without  support  in  the 
(ircok.     That  has  '' nnd  the  angel." 

23.  The  days  of  his  ministration  were 
the  week  through  which  his  "course  '  would 
have  to  perform  the  services  of  the  sanctuary 
— from  one  yabl)ath  evening  to  the  morning  of 
the  next. — He  departed  to  his  own  house. 
Wc  may  supj»ose  that  his  functions  as  jiriest 
would  end  altogether  until  so  serious  a  bodily 
rntirmity  as  had  been  put  upon  him  should 
cease.  Thus  it  is  with  reason  supposed  that 
at  the  next  half-yearly  term  of  service,  he 
WIS  absent  from  his  "course,"  and  that  there 
was  a  .symbolic  import  in  his  deprivation  of 
sjieech.     Wliile  John  and  Jesus  were  to  come 


in  the  line  of  the  Mosaic  economy,  repre- 
sented eminently  in  the  priesthood,  the  latter 
would  terminate  with  the  glorification  of  the 
Great  High  Priest,  and  it  was  now  shown  to 
be  ready  to  vanish  away.  Bengel  well  says: 
"It  was  the  prelude  to  the  abolition  of  the 
ceremonial  law  at  the  coming  of  Christ." 
His  own  house  was  in  the  hill  country  of 
Judea  (ver.  39);  but  whether  at  Hebron,  or  in 
some  neighboring  priest -city,  or  whether, 
necessarily  at  this  time  in  a  priest-city  at  all, 
is  quite  unknown. 
24,  25.  The  Fulfillmext. 

24.  And  after  those  days  his  wife  Elis- 
abeth conceived.     How  long  after  is  mere 

I  matter  of  gue-ss-work  ;  so  that  all  attempts  to 
;  make  out  of  the  fact  related  an  element  in  the 
!  calculations  concerning  the  precise  date   of 
j  the  Saviour's  birth,  are  utterly  frustrated  ])y 
the   vagueness  of  this  statement.— And    hid 
herself  five  months.     Why  she  hid  her- 
self, and   why    for   five    months,   has  been 
variously    conjectured    by   tho.su    who    have 
ch().sen  rather  to  guess  than  to  note  the  reason 
given  by  Elisabeth  horsclf 

25.  Thus  hath  the  Lord  dealt  with  me 
{done  unto  me).  Here  emphasis  lies  in  the 
Lord.  We  need  not  insert  "because"  be- 
fore thus  (Meyer);  the  logical  sequence  lies 
in  the  order  of  the  clauses.  Her  argument 
seems  to  be:  "In  a  special  way,  the  Lord 
has  brought  about  this  state  of  things.  I  will, 
in  quiet  seclusion,  await  the  further  develop- 
ment of /ii.s  will,  and  let  him  reveal  the  fact." 
It  may  be  intended  in  ver.  58  that  her  kin- 
dred and  friends  even  were  not  acquainted 
with  her  condition  until  the  birth  of  her  son. 
At  all  events,  the  evangelist  almost  certainly 
connects  the  five  months  of  her  complete 
retirement  with  the  date  of  the  annunciation 
to  Mary,  in  the  sixth  month  (ver.  =«),  when 
God  did  reveal  for  Elisabeth  the  true  state  of 
the  case. — He  looked  on  me.  Nearly  the 
same  as  the  Hebrew  cxjiression,  " //e  visited 


30 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


26  And  in  the  sixth  month  the  angel  Gabriel  was 
sent  from  God  unto  a  city  of  Galilee,  named  Nazareth, 

27  To  a  virgin  "espoused  to  a  man  whose  name  was 
Joseph,  of  the  house  of  David ;  and  the  virgin's  name 
was  Mary, 


26  Now  in  the  sixth  month  the  angel  Gabriel  was 
sent  from  God  unto  a  city  of  Galilee,  named  Naza^ 

27  reth,  to  a  virgin  betrothed  to  a  man  whose  name 
was  Joseph,  of  the  house  of  David;  and  the  virgin's 


a  Miitt.  1 :  18  ;  oh.  2  :  4,  5. 


me"  (i.  e.,  in  a  friendly  sense).  It  is  of  God's 
blessing  that  she  has  hope  of  oftspring. — To 
take    away   my    reproach    among    men. 

The  reproach  of  childlessness  (Gen.  so:  23;  is^im. 
1:  4-8).  The  language  touchingly  implies  that 
she  had  been  taunted  with  her  barrenness  by 
her  acquaintances.  The  taking  this  away 
was,  in  effect,  accomplished  by  the  communi- 
cation to  Mary  (vcr.ssj. 

On  the  foregoing  passage,  it  is  proper  to. 
remark  how  the  opening  of  the  gospel  record 
is  illustrated  by  the  extraordinary  interposi- 
tion of  God  in  the  affairs  of  man.  Centuries 
had  elapsed  since  the  occurrence  of  divinely 
reported  or  well  authenticated  facts  of  the 
special  revelation  of  God  to  his  people.  All 
had  gone  on  according  to  the  course  of  ordi- 
nary history,  of  government  and  anarchy,  of 
peace  and  war,  of  victory  and  defeat,  inde- 
pendence, oppression,  prosperity,  and  misery. 
Now,  again,  the  vail  is  parted  between  the 
visible  and  the  unseen  world;  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  crisis  is  intimated  by  the  angelic 
declaration  of  God's  plan.  Such  unusual 
deviation  from  the  familiar  course  of  things  is 
not  at  all  improbable  in  a  series  of  develop- 
ments which  was  to  culminate  in  the  presence 
among  us  of  God  Incarnate — Emanuel.  At 
those  points  in  that  series  which  it  was  most 
important  to  authenticate,  and  to  impress  on 
the  thoughts  of  men,  supernatural  events 
were  most  natural.  Nothing  could  be  so 
difficult  to  accept  as  the  one  supreme  miracle 
of  Christ,  if  it  stood  absolutely  alone.  Further, 
that  the  miraculous  phenomena  should  be  of 
a  nature  and  style  best  adapted  to  the  social 
and  religious  state  of  those  whom  they  were 
•  intended  to  impress,  lay  in  the  very  concep- 
tion of  a  historical  revelation. 

Again,  the  temple  and  the  priesthood  are 
the  passage-way  between  the  Old  Testament 
and  the  New.  Christianity  is  a  growth  out  of 
the  soil  of  Hebraism. 

John's  ministry  was  a  necessary  link  be- 
tween the  sacred  activity  of  the  two  Dispensa- 
tions. While  he  arose  on  the  ground  of 
Jewish  prophecy,  and  there  remained,  his 
agency  was  indispensable,  and  efficacious  to 


prepare  the  way  for  the  Messiah  of  the  world. 
We  may  see,  in  some  measure,  as  we  proceed, 
hoy)  he  served  "to  prepare  the  way  of  the 
Lord,"  and  how  inaccessible  even  God's 
chosen  people  would  have  been  to  the  gospel, 
without  the  work  of  John. 

26-38.  Announcement  to  Mary  of 
THE  Birth  of  Jesus. 

Appearance  to  Her  of  the  Angel 
Gabriel,  26-29. 

26.  And  in  the  sixth  month — reckoning 
from  the  starting  point  of  the  five  months 
in  ver.  24.  Gabriel,  as  the  messenger  of 
cheer  and  comfort  (ver. i9). — -Galilee,  at  the 
opposite  extremity  of  the  land  of  Pales- 
tine, northward.  It  embraced  most  of  the 
territory  assigned  by  Joshua  to  the  tribes 
of  Issachar,  Zebulon,  and  Naphthali,  and 
had  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  the  River 
Jordan  north  and  south  of  it  for  its  east- 
ern border.  Of  great  fertility  and  flourish- 
ing traffic,  at  the  period  now  before  us,  it 
had  a  numerous  population,  inhabiting  two 
hundred  and  forty  towns  and  villages,  each 
containing  not  less  than  15,000  inhabitants, 
if  we  may  trust  Josephus.  (See  his  Life,  45; 
Jew.  Wars,  3.  3,  1.  2.)  It  became  the  scene 
of  our  Saviour's  early  life,  and  of  the  greater 
part  of  his  recorded  ministr3^ — Nazareth,  a 
town  near  the  southern  border  of  Galilee,  not 
mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament,  but  hence- 
forth, as  the  home  of  the  parents  of  Jesus,  and 
"place  where  he  was  brought  vjp,"  to  be 
forever  remembered  with  tender  interest  by 
the  countless  multitudes  to  whom  he  shall 
have  been  found  "the  chiefest  among  ten 
thousand,  and  the  one  tiltogether  lovely." 

27.  A  virgin  espoused  (betrothed,  or 
plighted).  Betrothal,  in  Jewish  custom,  was 
equivalent  to  marriage  in  its  power  to  bind 
the  parties  to  each  other.  In  reference  to  the 
Romish  dogma  of  the  perpetual  virginity  of 
Mary,  and  of  the  superior  sanctity  of  the  un- 
wedded  state,  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that  their 
almost  divine  pattern  of  saintship  was,  in  an 
ordinary  way,  plighted  in  marriage  to  another 
saint  (Joseph),  and  without  the  appearance  of 
any   objection   on   either  side. — Joseph,  of 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


81 


28  Aud  the  angel  came  in  unto  her,  and  said,  "Hail, 
thoti  Unit  art  hi};lily  I'avoiiri'd,  'the  Lord  is  with  thee: 
blessed  «rMhou  a:iiong  women. 

2'J  And  when  she  saw  A/hi,  >=  she  was  troubled  at  his 
sayiuK,  and  east  in  her  mind  what  manner  of  saluta- 
tion this  should  be. 

3UAnd  the  an^el  said  unto  her.  Fear  not,  Mary :  for 
thju  hast  found  favour  with  (iod. 

31  ''And,  behold,  thou  slialt  eonceive  in  thy  womb, 
and  bring  forth  a  son,  and  "shalt  call  his  name  JI';SU.S. 

32  He  shall  bepreat,/and  shall  be  called  the  Son  of 
the  Highest:  and  f  the  I^ird  God  shall  give  unto  him 
the  throne  of  his  father  David: 


28  name  was  Mary.     And  he  came  in  unto  her,  and 
said,  Hail,  thou  that  art  '  highly  favoured,  the  Lord 

29  li  with  thee.-       Hut  she  was  greatly  troubled  at  the 
saying, and  cast  in   her  mind  what  manner  of  salu- 

30  talion    tliis   luight    be.      And   the   angel    said   unto 
her.  Fear  not,  Mary:    for  Ihou   hast   founds  favour 

31  with  tjod.     And  behold,  thou  shall  conctMve  in  thy 
womb,  aud  bring  forth  a  sou,  and  shalt  call  his  name 

32  Jesus.    He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called  the 
Son  of  the  Most  High:  and  the  Lord  God  shall  give 


a  nun.  9:  2.1 ;  10:  19.... 6  Jiiiig.  6  :  12.... ever.  12.... d  Im.  7  :  11;  Matt.  1 :  21.. . .«  ch.  2  :  21... ./  Mnrk  5:  7....</  2  Sum.  7  :  11.  12; 

Ph.  132  :  11 ;  I.<a.  9  :  6,  7  ;  16  :  5  ;  Jer.  23  :  5  ;  Rev.  3  :  7. 1   Or,  endured  witli  grace. 2  M;in>  i.uthorities  aU.l,  bletaed  uii  lltou 

among  women.    See  ver.  42 3  Or,  grace. 


the  house  of  David,  i.  e.,  one  of  David's 

descendants  (Xiatt.  i:  6  lo),  as  it  had  been  abund- 
antly intimated  that  the  Messiah  should  be. 
This  assigned  him,  ostensibly  on  Joseph's 
part,  and  actually  on  Mary's  part,  if  she  was, 
as  we  hold  jtrobable,  of  the  line  of  David,  to 
the  tribe  of  Judali,  and  to  the  royal  family  of 
that  tribe. — Mary — in  the  Aranuean  Greek 
Mariam — another  pronunciation  of  Miriam, 
which  we  first  find  apjilied  (kx.  i6:20)  to  the 
sister  of  Moses.  It  signifies  bitterness,  trouble, 
sorrow. 

28.  Came  in  unto  her.  What  the  manner 
of  his  apparition  was  we  can  only  guess.  We 
naturally  think  of  him  as  taking  the  human 
form,  and  may  reject  all  accessories  of  wings 
and  other  appurtenances  with  which  the  fancy 
of  poets  and  painters  has  teemed. — Hail, 
{joy  to  thee).  A  common  salutation  of  that 
time,  but  here  appropriately  significant. — 
Highly  favoured.  One  who  hast  been  re- 
garded with  favor,  i.  e.,  by  God.  This  the 
messenger  from  God  is  able  to  affirm,  and 
in  consistency  with  it  he  adds,  The  Lord  is 
with  thee.  With  thee  to  bless  thee,  and  to 
confer  that  distinction  which  will  rank  thee 
above  the  daughters  of  Israel. — Blessed  art 
thou  among  women — is  left  out  of  the  text 
with  good  reason  by  the  Revision.  The  words 
rightly  stand  in  ver.  42. 

29.  She  Avas  troubled  (disturbed  inmind) 
at  his  (the)  saying.  The  word  of  blessing 
which  he  spoke. — When  she  saw  him  has 
been  inserted  by  a  later  hand,  probably  to 
make  a  correspondence  with  ver.  12. — Cast 
in  her  mind.  Deliberated,  or  reasoned. — 
What  manner  of  salutation  this  should 
be.  How  it  was  to  be  classed  in  her  think- 
ing; what  it  meant;  how  it  was  to  be  ac- 
counted for.  It  was  so  extraordinary  in  its 
source,  the  abruptness  of  its  manner,  the 
singularity  of  its  apparent  purport,  that  she 


was  very  naturally  at  a  loss.  Not  only  per- 
plexity, but  an  anxiety  amounting  to  fear, 
must  have  appeared  in  her  countenance. 

30.  And  the  angel  said  unto  her,  Fear 
not,  Mary.  My  appearance  portends  no 
harm  to  thee,  (as  was  the  case  with  Zach- 
arias,  ver.  13).  Here,  as  there,  the  reason  fc^r 
confidence  and  cheerfulness  is  introduced  by 
for. — For  thou  hast  found  favour  with 
God — more  exactly,  did  at  find.  Favour  is 
the  same  as  is  often  rendered  "grace"  ;  so 
also  in  ver.  28. 

31.  And — in  consequence  of  that  favor — 
behold — it  is  a  fact  deserving  particular 
attention.  How  noteworthy  must  it  have 
seemed  to  her  as  one  after  another  the  items 
were  enumerated.  She  should  bring  forth 
a  son— a  special  blessing— and  shalt  call 
his  name  JESUS— as  significant  of  the  liigh 
office  to  which  he  is  destined— "becau.se  he 
shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins" 
(Matt.  1:21).  Jesus  was  fhe  equivalent,  in  the 
Alexandrine  Greek,  of  Joshua,  in  the 
Hebrew,  originally,  "Jehoshua,"  meaning 
"Jehovah  is  salvation."  This  already'  in- 
volved his  Messiahsliip,  which  is  more  clearly 
brought  to  view  in  what  follows. 

32.  He  shall  be  great- great  in  holiness 
and  all  excellence  of  character,  great  in  the 
works  which  he  will  perform,  and  in  the 
dignity  of  his  relations— and  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  the  Highest,  /.  e..  Son  of  God, 
as  that  was  one  of  the  recognized  designa- 
tions of  the  coming  Messiah,  (Mnti.  26:a; 
John  1:49);  yet  the  designation  did  not  yet 
convey  the  metaphysical  and  Trinitarian 
idea  which  we  now  attach  to  it.  That  was 
brought  out  in  the  New  Testament  itself 
Mary  may  have  thought  only  of  some  ex- 
traordinary and  mysterious  relationship  be- 
tween the  being  now  promised  as  a  son  and 
the  God  of  Israel.     His  extraordinary  emi- 


32 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


33  "  And  he  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for    33 
ever;  and  of  liis  kiugdom  there  shall  be  no  end.  | 

34  Then  said  Mary  unto  the  angel,  How  shall  this  be,     34 
seeing  1  know  not  a  man?  I 

35  And  the  angel  answered  and  said  unto  her,  'The    35 
Holy  lihosl  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  i 
Highest  shall   overshadow   thee:    tlierefore   also    that  j 
holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  • 
"the  Son  of  Ood.  i 


unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  David:  and  he 
shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  i  for  ever;  and 
ol  his  kiugdom  there  shall  be  no  end.  And  Mary 
said  unto  the  angel,  How  shall  this  be,  seeing  I  know 
not  a  man?  And  the  ano;el  answered  and  said  unto 
her.  The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the 
power  of  the  Most  High  shall  overshadow  thee: 
wherefore  also  2  the  holy  thing  that  is  begotten  shall 


a  Dan.  2 :  44  ;  7  :  14.  27  :  Obad.  21  ;  M 
John  1:  34;  20:  31;  Acts  8:  37;  Roin. 


::Lh  4:7;  Joho  12:  34;  Heh.  1  :  8....iM:ilc.  1:  20.... c  Matt.  U:  33;  26:  63,  64;  Mark  1:11; 

L :  4. 1  Gf.  unto  the  ages 2  Or,  that  which  is  to  be  born  shall  be  called  holy,  the  Son 

of  God.    Some  aticieni  authurities  insert,  of  thee. 


nence  is  farther  indicated  in  the  function 
predicted  of  him^a  function  consonant  with 
all  those  attributes  of  majesty.— The  Lord 
(iod  shall  give  unto  him  the  throne  of 
his  father  David. 

33.  And  he  shall  reign  over  the  house 
of  Jacob  forever;  and  of  his  kingdom 
there  shall  be  no  end.  The  thought  and  the 
language  are  thoroughly  in  the  strain  of  Old 
To.'itament  prophecy.  "Thethrone  of  David  " 
is  in  the  prophecies  the  seat  of  the  Messianic 
rule  over  a  people  chosen  out  of  the  Jewish 
nation,  and  of  those  who  should  join  them, 
of  whom  that  nation  was  a  type — as  David 
was  of  the  Christ— and  not  a  type  merely, 
but,  in  the  divine  plan,  the  substance.  "When 
they  should  have  been  purified  from  their 
dross  in  the  fires  of  chastening,  and  should 
turn  unto  Jehovah  from  all  their  rebellion 
and  unrighteousness,  the  Spirit  of  God  would 
be  poured  out  upon  them,  they  would  receive 
a  new  heart,  and  serve  the  Lord  in  inward 
obedience  and  holiness;  then  "the  King's 
Son,"  "the  sprout  out  of  the  root  of  Jesse," 
should  sway  over  them  the  peaceful  sceptre 
of  his  beneficent  reign.  Their  unbelief 
balked  this  plan,  indeed,  so  far  as  the  body 
of  the  nation  was  concerned ;  but  we  are  here 
in  the  age  of  anticipation  and  hope  of  the 
ideal  kingdom;  and  the  New  Testament  will 
show  how  God  brought  about  the  substantial 
accomplishment  of  the  old  oracles,  through 
the  medium,  but  not  in  the  experience,  of  his 
ancient  people. 

The  house  of  Jacob— as  explained  by 
the  facts,  is  the  company  of  those,  whether 
Jew  or  Gentile,  who,  under  the  Messiah's  rule, 
stand  toward  God  in  the  relation  of  faith  and 
obedience,  in  which  Jacob  stood,  in  the  typi- 
cal theocracy.  —  "He  shall  reign  over  the 
house  of  Jacob  forever,"  etc.  His  king- 
dom, having  been  witnessed  by  the  fleeting 
types  and  shadows  of  the  earlier  time,  is  itself 
permanent,  and  shall  continue  without  end. 
The  promise  would  commonly  be  understood, 


then,  of  an  endless  duration  of  the  earthly 
reign,  over  the  actual  but  converted  Israel. 

34.  Then  [and]  said  Mary  unto  the  an- 
gel. How  shall  this  be,  seeing  I  know 
not  a  man?  Her  question  does  not,  like  that 
of  Zacharias,  demand  proof  of  the  fact  an- 
nounced, but  only  desires  to  know  how  this  is 
consistent  with  her  conscious  virginity.  It  is 
evident  that  she  thinks  of  the  promised  birth 
as  taking  place  soon,  before  her  marriage.  Her 
assertion  of  her  virginity  is  of  a  present  fact 
and  not  of  any  vow,  or  future  state,  as  Ro- 
manists have  sometimes  claimed.  That  would 
be  strangely  inconsistent  with  the  fiict  of  her 
espousal  to  a  future  husband. 

35.  In  the  answer  of  the  angel,  Marj''? 
doubt  is  resolved. — The  Holy  Ghost  {Spirit) 
shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of 
the  Highest  shall  overshadoAV  thee.  It 
has  been  often  noticed  how  the  sublime  state- 
ment clothes  itself  in  the  peculiar  form — paral- 
lelism of  the  clauses  —  of  Hebrew  poetry. 
Holy  Spirit,  Power  of  the  Highest, 
and  come  upon  (overshadow),  in  the  two 
members  repeat,  and  at  the  same  time,  diver- 
sify the  leading  thoughts.  The  idea  of 
coming  upon,  and  of  overshadowing,  is 
probably  drawn  from  the  fact  of  the  Sheki- 
nah,  or  mysterious  .symbol  of  Jehovah's 
presence  over  the  ark,  between  the  cherubim 
in  the  tabernacle,  whither  he  went  and  when 
he  settled  down  (£.1.25:22).  The  purport  of 
the  whole  account  is  that  the  origination  of 
that  extraordinary  life  of  which  Mary  was  to 
be  the  mother,  would,  in  the  entire  absence 
of  the  ordinary,  human,  conditions,  be  ef- 
fected by  the  direct  agency  of  God  himself — 
she  being  still,  and  remaining,  so  far  as  this 
birth  was  concerned,  an  unsullied  virgin. 
This  may  possibly  aid  us  to  understand  how 
the  human  germ,  impregnated  without  any 
particle  of  human  passion,  by  God's  own 
power,  should  come  to  be  a  man  without 
blemish  or  spot,  and  able  to  live  without  sin. 
Such  a  person   would  evidently  be,  as  never 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


33 


3(5  And,  behold,  thy  cousin  Ehsabeth,  she  hath  also 
conceived  a  son  in  her  old  age;  and  this  is  the  sixth 
mouth  with  her,  who  was  called  barren. 

37  Kor  "  with  God  nothing  shall  be  impossible. 

38  And  Mary  said,  liehold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord; 
be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy  word.  And  the  angel 
departed  from  her. 

3ii  And  Mary  arose  in  those  days,  and  went  into  the 
hill  country  with  haste,  'into  a  city  of  Judah  ; 

40  And  entered  into  the  house  of  Zacharias,  and 
saluted  Elisabeth. 


36  be  called  the  Son  of  (iod.  And  behold,  Elisabeth 
thy  kinswoman,  she  also  hath  conceived  a  son  in 
her  old  age:   and  this  is  the  si.xlh  mouth  with  her 

37  that  '  was  called   barren.     For   no  word   from   God 
3S  shall  be  void  of  power.     And  Mary  said.  Behold,  the 

-handmaid  of  the  Lord;  be  It  uuto  me  according  to 
thy  word.     And  the  angel  departed  from  her. 

39  And  Mary  arose  in  these  days  and  went  into  the 

40  hill  country  with  haste,  into  a  city  of  Judah;  and 
entered  into  the   house  of  Zacharias  and  saluted 


.6  Josb.  21:9,  10,  11. 


was  another  of  woman  born,  fitted  to  be  the 
partner  and  vehicle  of  the  Divine  Person,  the 
Eternal  Word,  in  his  becoming  flesh. — There- 
lore  also — seeing  that  God  himself  is  here 
the  father— the  holy  thing  which  shall  be 
born  of  thee — the  pure  embryo — shall— 
wlien  born — be  called  the  Son  of  God. 
Shall  be  called  is  equivalent  to  shall  he, 
and  thus  the  proper  metaphysical  Sonship, 
growing  out  of  identity  of  nature  with  God,  is 
asserted  of  Jesus.  To  remove,  in  a  measure, 
the  natural  improbability  of  such  a  thing, 
the  angel  voluntarily  gives  to  Mary  a  sort  of 
sign  by  which  her  trustful  mind  might  be  al- 
together assured. 

3t>.  And,  behold — another  very  remark- 
able fact — thy  cousin  Elisabeth  {Elisabeth 
thy  kinstvomnn),  she  hath  also  conceived 
a  son  in  her  old  age.  What  the  degree  of 
relationshi[)  between  the  two  women  was,  is 
not  intiiTiated  by  the  Greek  word,  and  cannot 
be  more  definitely  known.  Elisabeth  was  of 
the  tribe  of  Levi ;  and  Mary's  father,  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  had  probably  married  into 
that  tribe,  so  as  to  bring  her  into  relationship 
to  Elisabeth.  That  the  latter  had  conceived 
in  her  old  age,  was  a  thing  .so  much  out  of 
tlie  natural  way  as  to  constitute  an  Instance 
calculated  to  confirm  Marys  confidence. 
"Behold  an  example  in  thy  own  family!" 
(Grotius,  cited  by  Meyer.) — Who  was  called 
barren.  Called  so  in  the  way  of  reproach 
and  taunt.  This  throws  light  on  the  joy  of 
Zacharias  promised  in  ver.  14,  above. 

37.  For  with  God  nothing  shall  be  im- 
possible. This  is  more  accurately  given 
in  the  Revision.  —  For  no  word  from.  God 
shall  be  void  of  power.  This  exj)lains  how 
so  strange  a  thing  could  have  taken  place 
with  Elisabeth.  God  promised,  and  was  Able 
to  fulfill;  and,  at  the  .same  time,  guarantees 
that  the  prediction  to  Mary  shall  be  accom- 
plished. Every  word  which  he  has  spoken  j 
will  have  power  from  God. 


38.  Behold  the  handmaid  [bondmaid]  of 
the  Lord  ;  be  it  unto  me  according  to 
thy  word.  There  was  no  more  struggle  of 
mind  or  hesitation;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
there  was  no  forwardness.  She  has  come,  in 
some  measure,  to  understand  what  is  foretold, 
and  doubtless  feels  a  corresponding  humility, 
as  well  as  a  sense  of  the  honor.  She  is  the 
Lord's  servant,  and  let  it  be,  however  amazing 
to  her,  as  to  him  seems  best. 

39-45.  Mary's  Visit  to  Ellsabeth. 

39.  In  those  days— almost  immediately, 
or,  at  least,  within  a  month  after  what  was 
just  related,  as  would  appear  from  considering 
the  dates  (ver. 36. 56, 57). — The  hill  country — or 
moimtnin  country,  is  a  natural,  though  un- 
common, designation  of  the  tract  of  high 
land  .surrounding  Jerusalem  for  a  considerable 
distance,  especially  northward  and  southward, 
rising  in  many  places  nearly  three  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  Mediterranean, 
and  much  more  than  that  above  the  Jordan 
and  the  Dead  Sea.  So  strikingly  was  this  the 
case,  that  in  approaching  Jerusalem  from  any 
direction  bot  the  south,  they  were  in  strict 
propriety  said  to  "go  up."  Most  of  the  terri- 
tory of  Ephraim,  Benjamin,  and  Judah  lay  on 
this  long  mountain  ridge. — With  haste — in- 
dicates the  eagerness  with  which  ^fary  sought, 
as  soon  as  possible,  an  interview  with  the 
aged  relative  who  shared  with  her  the  special 
favor  of  God.  A  city  of  Judah  {Jii(hn). 
Luke  seems  not  to  have  known  what  city, 
and  we  know  not.  It  is  doubtful  whether  i.t 
this  time  the  priests  lived,  as  a  matter  of 
cour-e,  in  the  priest-cities  anciently'  allotted 
to  them.  Hebron  was  such  a  city,  near  Jeru- 
salem, and  may  have  been  the  one  intended, 
the  more  probably  since  it  is  described  in 
Joshua  21  :  11,  as  in  the  mountain  (hill 
country)  of  Judah. 

40.  .Vnd  entcrod  into  the  house  of 
Zacharias,  and  saluted  Elisabeth.  The 
onumeration  of  particulars  marks  the  eager- 


34 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


41  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  when  Elisabeth  heard 
the  saUitatiou  ol  Mary,  the  babe  leaped  in  her  womb; 
and  Elisabeth  was  (illed  with  the  Holy  Ghost: 

42  And  she  spake  out  with  a  loud  voice,  and  said, 
"Blessed  urt  thou  among  women,  and  blessed  is  the 
fruit  ot  thy  womb. 

43  And  whence  «  this  to  me,  that  the  mother  of  my 
Lord  should  come  to  me? 

..'.  ?cr, '  J,  as  soon  as  the  voice  of  thy  salutation  sound- 
ed in  mine  ears,  the  babe  leaped  in  my  wouib  for  joy. 

45  And  blessed  /.y  she  that  believed :  for  there  shall 
be  a  performance  of  those  things  which  were  told  her 
from  the  Lord. 


41  Elisabeth.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Elisabeth 
heard  the  salutation  of  Mary,  the  babe  leaped  in 
her  womb;  and  Elisabeth  was  filled  with  the  Holy 

42  Spirit;  and  she  lifted  up  her  voice  with  a  loud  cry, 
and  said,  Blessed  ail  thou  among  women,  and  blessed 

43  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb.  And  whence  is  this  to  me, 
that  the  mother  of  my  Lord  should  come  unto  me? 

44  For  behold,  when  the  voice  of  thy  salutation  came 
into  mine  ears,  the  babe  leaped  in  my  womb  for  joy. 

45  And  blessed  is  she  that  i  believed ;  for  there  shall  be 
a  fulfilment  of  the  things  which  have  been  'spoken 


a  ver.  28  ;  Judg.  5  :  24. 1  Or,  believed  that  tkere  shall  be. 


ness  with  which  Mary,  weary  and  foot-sore, 
hastened  to  the  object  of  her  journey. 

41.  When  Elisabeth  heard  the  saluta- 
tion of  Mary,  the  babe  leaped  in  her 
womb.  The  salutation  was  more,  certainly, 
than  a  mere  "  Hail,''  or  "  Peace  to  thee."  It 
must  have  indicated  who  the  visitor  was,  and 
probably  may  have  been  the  first  announce- 
ment to  Elisabeth  from  any  woman  that  her 
condition  was  known.  Thus  God  had  him- 
self dealt  with  her,  in  his  own  strange  way, 
to  terminate  her  reproach  among  men.  The 
movement  of  the  babe  has  generally  been 
treated  as  the  proof  to  Elisabeth  that  the 
mother  of  her  Lord  was  present.  It  was 
rather  an  incident  of  the  discovery.  Elisa- 
beth's excitement  of  mind  under  all  these  cir- 
cumstances may  quite  naturally  account  for 
the  phenomenon  (although  it  may  well  have 
contributed  to  Mary's  exultationjwhich  she  in- 
terpreted as  a  distinct  experience  of  the  uncon- 
ciousbabe  (ver.  u).  "  The  emotion  which  posses- 
ses her  is  communicated  to  the  child,  whose  life 
is  as  yet  one  with  her  own ;  and  at  the  sudden 
leaping  of  this  being,  who  she  knows  is  com- 
passed about  by  special  blessing,  the  veil  is 
rent."  (Godet).  Meagre  support  can  ration- 
ally be  got  from  this  occurrence  for  the 
opinion  of  those  who  find,  in  ver.  15,  that 
John  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit  before 
he  wasi  born.  Just  as  little  does  it  warrant 
the  old  figment  of  desperate  advocates  of 
infant  baptism,  that  unconscious  babes  can 
exercise  gospi;!  faith.— Elisabeth  was  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  (Spirit).  She  was 
miraculously  confirmed  in  the  supposition 
that  Mary  was  the  mother  of  the  Messiah, 
and  qualified  to  pour  forth,  like  an  ancient 
prophet,  God's  truth  concerning  the  virgin, 
her  son,  and  his  work. 

42.  Thus  she  spake  out  (exclaimed)  with 
a  loud  voice  (or  .s/(o?f/)— showing  the  over- 
. mastering  strength  of  the  prophetic  impulse 


which  urged  her — Blessed  art  thou  among 

women — peculiarly  favored  by  God,  over  all 
other  women,  as  selected  to  be  the  mother  of 
the  Christ  —  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy 
womb.  Elisabeth  is  enlightened  as  to  the 
fact  of  the  conception  foretold  in  ver.  35. 
This  fact  is  to  be  referred  to  a  point  of  time 
between  ver.  38  and  39. 

43.  And  whence  is  this  to  me — from  what 
source  have  I  the  privilege?  The  lowly 
wonder  of  her  soul  desires  explanation. — 
That  the  mother  of  my  Lord  should 
come  to  me?  That  equivalent  nearly 
to  "in  order  that,"  depends  on  the  preceding 
this  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  the  latter 
include  the  reason  for,  quite  as  much  as  the 
fact  of,  Mary's  coming.  The  mother  of 
my  Lord. — Elisabeth  recognizes  in  the  future 
son  of  Mary,  whom  her  own  son  was  to  pre- 
cede and  assist  (ver.  i-)  her  own  Lord  (ve.-.  i«), 
whom  she  already  accepts  in  the  person  of  his 
mother. 

44.  For.  The  womanly  heart  finds  in 
this  experience  a  confirmation,  or  reason,  of 
that  knowledge  of  the  dignity  of  the  embryo 
son  of  Mary,  which  was  due  to  the  prophetic 
inspiration  mentioned  in  ver.  41. 

45.  And  blessed  is  she  that  believed  :  for 
there  shall  be  a  performance  (accomplish- 
ment) of  those  things,  etc.  The  alternative 
rendering  of  the  Kevision— "believed  that 
there  will  be"— seems  decidedly  preferable, 
not  only  because  the  main  thing  promised 
Mary  is,  in  eflTect,  already  accomplished 
(Meyer),  but  because  it  is  too  palpable  a 
truism  to  say  that  one  is  happy  because  such 
great  promises- are  to  b^  fulfilled,  while  the 
real  happiness  is  in  having  cherished  such 
a  ^ith  as  did  not  doubt,  when  Mary  might 
have  doubted,  like  Zacharias,  that  such 
things  could  be,  and  so  have  lost  the  bless- 
ing. 

4G-55.  Mary's  Hymn  of  Praise  to  God. 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


35 


46  And  Mary  said,  <"  My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord,  I  46  to  her  from  the  Lord.    And  Mary  said, 

47  And  luy  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  Ciod  my  Saviour.  My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord, 

I  47         And  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God  my  Savioar 


a  1  Sam.  2 : 1 ;  Ps.  34 :  2,  3 ;  35 :  9 ;  Hab.  3 :  18. 


46.  And  Mary  said.  Note  the  culm  sim- 
plicity of  stylo,  as  compared  with  the  almost 
tumultuous  vehemence  of  Elisabeth.  Her 
whole  effusion  is  an  echo  of  the  lyrical  poetry 
of  the  Old  Testament,  especially  of  the  song 
of  praise  of  Hannah,  the  mother  of  Samuel, 
(1  aani. ch. 2).  (Meyer).  Of  analogous  aim,  but 
immeasurably  lower  in  tone,  is  the  laud  as- 
cribed to  Judith  in  the  fiction  of  the  Apoch- 
rypha,  (Ju<tiihi6:  in).  It  is  rightly  printed  in 
poetic  stichoi,  or  lines,  and  displays  that 
rhythm  of  thoughts,  leading  to  a  variant  repe- 
tition or  parallelism  of  members,  which 
appears  so  conspicuous  in  many  of  the  Psalms, 
in  the  Proverbs,  and  the  prophetic  poetry 
of  the  Old  Testament.  A  loosely  strophical 
character  of  the  piece  may  be  discerned, 
according  to  which  Mary  utters  her  senti- 
ments of  joyous  praise  to  God  for  his  per- 
sonal favors  to  her;  and  celebrates  the  far- 
reaching  influences  of  this  visitation  on 
society,  in  its  various  grades,  and  on  the 
nation  of  Israel.     (Compare  Godet,  p.  100  f). 

46,  47.  My  soul.  Distinguished  from 
"spirit,"  in  the  next  member,  as  the  middle 
element  of  the  human  constitution  between 
the  body  on  one  hand  and  tlie  spirit  on  the 
other.  It  may  be  regarded,  generally,  as  the 
Beat  of  the  sensations,  perceptions,  understand- 
ing, emotions,  and  will  of  the  individual  man. 
[For  another  view  of  the  terms  "soul" 
{^vxri),  and  "spirit"  (n-ceO/na),  in  the  New 
Testament,  see  a  brief  article  by  Prof.  D.  R. 
Goodwin,  D.  d.,  in  the  "Journal  of  the 
Society  of  Biblical  Literature  and  Exegesis," 
June  and  December,  1881.  He  reaches  the 
following  conclusions:  "(1)  The  words  soul 
and  spirit  are  generally  employed  in  the 
Scriptures  in  an  indiscriminate  way,  each  as 
denoting  the  whole  mind  or  inner  man.  (2) 
In  some  few  cases  spirit  may  be  used  to 
denote  especially  the  higher  faculties  or 
functions  of  the  mind  or  .soul,  but  even  then 
not  in  direct  contrast  with  the  soul  itself. 
(3)  In  some  cases  spirit  is  used  for  what  does 
not  at  all  belong  to  man  in  his  natural  state; 
but,  for  a  certain  temper,  disposition,  and 
direction  of  the  heart,  imparted  by  the 
Divine  Spirit  in  the  life  of  Christ,  by  virtue 


of  which  Christians  are  called  spiritual  (or 
pneumatic)  men.  But  (4)  there  is  no  ground 
in  the  Scripture  use  of  the  words  soul  and 
spirit  for  the  trichomistic  doctrine  of  a  sharp 
and  radical  distinction  between  the  two,  as 
co-ordinate  facts  of  man's  nature — much  less 
as  distinct  substances  in  his  constitution." — 
A.  Hj. — Doth  inagnify=make  great,  exalt, 
and  celebrate  with  praises.  The  verb  repre- 
sents the  word  which  comes  first  in  the  sen- 
tence of  the  Latin  Vulgate — ynagnificat — from 
which  the  whole  hymn  received  that  title  in 
the  musical  service  of  the  early  churches,  and 
has  retained  it  ever  since. — My  spirit — the 
highest  and  specifically  human  element  of 
man,  among  earthly  creatures,  by  virtue  of 
which  he  has  knowledge  of  realities  above 
the  objects  of  sense,  forms  ideas  far  transcend- 
ing the  bounds  of  the  understanding,  and  is 
capable  of  sentiments  akin  to  those  of  angels 
and  of  God.  It  is  the  subject  of  fiiith;  the 
meeting-place  where  all  the  faculties  and 
experiences  of  our  being  may  come  into 
intercourse  with  God.  It  is  not  always  used 
thus  in  Scripture,  as  sharply  discriminated 
from  soul  and  body,  but  is  frequently  so  used, 
and  especially  when,  as  here,  one  or  both  the 
other  terms  are  used  in  connexion  with  it. 
Nothing  in  this,  and  nothing  in  Scripture, 
warrants  us  in  aflSrming  that  the  human  soul 
and  spirit  are  distinct  entities,  or  separable 
elements  of  the  mental  constitution.  When 
Bishop  Ellicott,  in  his  note  on  1  Thess.  5:  23, 
{Commentaries^  p.  90),  and  still  more  elabo- 
orately  in  Sermon  V.  on  the  Destiny  of  th« 
Creature  (p.  99  ff. ),  solemnly  argues  that  the 
mention  of  "body,  soul,  and  spirit,"  binds 
us  to  believe  that  they  are  really  different 
essences  composing  the  human  being,  he 
seems  to  urge  a  claim,  not  only  groundless, 
but  perilous  to  faith.  He  is  in  danger  of 
branding  the  whole  science  of  psychology  as 
antichristian.  We  think  of  the  distinction 
intended  by  the  terms  here  in  question  as 
analogous  to  that  between  the  understanding 
and  reason  ;  or,  between  either  of  these  and 
sense;  or,  between  mind  and  heart.  See 
again  Dr.  Hovey's  comment,  above. — Hath 
rejoiced    (rather,    did    exult)    in    God    my 


36 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


48  For  "he  hath  regarded  the  low  estate  of  his  hand-    48 
uiaiden  :  for,  behold,  from  henceforth  *  all  generations 
shall  call  me  hlessed. 

49  For  he  that  is  mighty  "hath  done  to  me  great 
things;  and ''holy  ?'»■  his  name.  49 

50  And  «his  mercy  is  on  them  that  fear  him  from 
generation  to  generation.  | 

51  /He  hath  shewed  strength  with  his  arm:  s'he  hath    50 
scattered  the  proud  in  the  imagination  of  their  hearts. 

52  ''  He  hath  put  down  the  mighty  from  Iheii-  seats, 
and  exalted  them  of  low  degree.  51 

53  'He  hath  tilled  the  hungry  with  good  things;  and 
the  rich  he  hath  sent  empty  away. 

54  He  hath  holpen    his  servant  Israel,  *  in  remem-    52 
brance  of  his  mercy  ; 

55  '  As  he  spake  to  our  fathers,  to  Abraham,  and  to    53 
his  seed  for  ever. 

54 


For  he  hath  looked  upon  the  low  estate  of  his 
1  handmaiden  : 

For  behold,  from  henceforth  all  generations 
shall  call  me  blessed. 

For  he  that  is  miglity  hath  done  to  me  great 
things ; 

And  holy  is  his  name. 

And  his  mercy  is  unto  generations  and  genera- 
tions 

On  them  that  fear  him. 

He  hath  shewed  strength  with  his  arm  ; 

He  hath  scattered  the  proud  ^in  the  imagination 
of  their  heart. 

He  hath  putdown  princes  from  Ifieir  thrones, 

And  hath  exalted  them  of  low  degree. 

The  hungry  he  hath  filled  with  good  things; 

And  the  rich  he  hath  sent  empty  away. 

He  liath  holpen  Israel  his  servant, 

That  he  might  remember  mercy 

(As  he  spake  unto  our  fathers) 

Toward  Abraham  and  his  seed  for  ever. 


ol  Sam.  1:  11;  Ps.  138:  6....ftMal.  3 :  12  ;  ch.  11:  27....cPs.  71  :  19;  12« :  2.  3....(iPs.  Ill:  9....e  Gen.  17:  7:  Ex.  20- 6-  ?•<   103 
17,  18. . . ./ Ps.  9H  :  1;  118:15;  Is.i.  40:  10;  51 :  »  ;  52  ;  10...  .g  Ps.  33:  10;  1  Pet.  5:  5. ..  .ft  1  Sum.  2  ■  6,  etc. :  Joh  5  :  11;  Ps.  113:  (i. ... 

il  Sam.  2:5;  Ps.  34  :  10....*  Ps  98:  3  ;  Jer.  31 :  3,  20 (  Gen.  17:  19;  Ps.  132:  11;  Rom.  U  :  28;  Giil.  3  :  16. 1  Gr.  bond-maiden. 

....2  Or.  by. 


Saviour.  Mary's  present  extolling  of  God 
as  Lord,  is  an  expression  of  her  understand- 
ing and  heart  through  her  vocal  organs,  and 
is  rooted  in  a  former  experience,  recorded  in 
ver.  36-38,  where  her  spirit  was  entranced  in 
a  revelation  of  him  as  now  her  Saviour,  and 
in  what  sense  a  Saviour,  is  explained  by  ref- 
erence to  a  definite  act. 

48.  For  he  hath  regarded  (rather,  has 
looked  iipo7i,  preterit  again)  the  low  estate 
(the  humiliation)  of  his  handmaiden. 
Though  he  is  high,  yet  had  he  respect  unto 
the  lowly.  Upon  her  in  her  common  lot,  of 
poor  parents,  as  would  seem,  and  betrothed 
to  a  man  of  a  class  despised  by  the  high  and 
religiously  influential  among  the  people,  has 
he  bestowed  the  greatest  distinction  ever  con- 
ferred on  a  mortal.  This  is  confirmed  by  the 
wonderful  truth  that  follows. — Behold, 
from  henceforth  all  generations  shall 
call  me  blessed.  Surely  he  has  taken  her 
out  of  her  humiliation,  and  placed  her  on 
high.  Elisabeth,  in  declaring  her  "blessed 
among  women,"  has  but  anticipated 
the  judgment  of  all  who  shall  hear  truly 
concerning  her  to  the  end  of  time.  Mary's 
humility  of  spirit  in  all  her  adoring  grati- 
tude for  God's  great  favor,  is  the  best  proof 
how  she  would  have  revolted  at  the  thought 
of  being  herself  deified  in  subsequent  ages, 
and  made  to  stand  between  the  millions  of 
worshipers  and  God  her  Saviour. 

49.  She  ascribes  it  all  to  him  that  is 
mighty — thus  bringing  forward  the  power  of 
him  who  has  done  these  great  things  (comn.  2: 35), 
"power  of  the  Highest,"  according  to  the 
promise    in    ver.    35    above.      And   holy  is 


his  name.  This  designation,  "The  Mighty 
One,"  reflecting  one  phase  of  his  character, 
is  to  be  associated  in  our  minds  with  the  idea 

of  holiness  (Ps.89;  19;  111:9;  Rev.  15:4). 

50.  And  his  mercy  is  on  them  that  fear 
him  from  generation  to  generation.    And 

hi.s  mercy  is  unto  generations  and  generations. 

Kevision    (comp.  Ps.  89:  l,  4;    Oen.  U:  9;  Ex.  20).        This 

appears  to  be  a  general  truth  to  which  Mary 
is  led  by  a  consideration  of  God's  gracious 
dealing  with  her. 

51-53.  These  verses  are  specially  like  the 
strain  of  Hannah  (1  Snm. 2:4r-.),  and  may  be 
viewed  as  Mary's  prophetic  historj''  of  the 
blessings  to  be  experienced  through  the  reign 
of  her  Son.  The  verbs  are  all,  as  far  as  ver. 
55,  in  the  aorist  (preterit)  tense,  and  repre- 
sent the  Hebrew  perfect,  as  expressive  of 
general  truths,  or  of  future  events,  regarded 
in  prophecy  as  having  already  taken  place. 
They  anticipate  the  beatitudes  of  the  Sermon 
on  tha  Mount,  especially  as  given  by  Luke, 
where  the  promises  are  directly  of  temporal 
gifts  to  them  that  are  physically  needy  and 
wretched;  but  to  them,  doubtless,  as  being 
therefore  prepared  in  spirit  for  the  gifts  which 
the  spiritual  nature  craves.  The  proud, the 
mighty,  and  the  rich,  in  these  verses,  are  the 
leading  class  of  the  Jewish  nation  represented, 
in  their  haughtiness,  arrogance,  and  tyranny, 
by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  and  chief  priests 
of  that  age.— Those  of  f.ow  degree  and  the 
hungry  —  are  such  as  Zacharias,  Simeon, 
Anna,  Lazarus,  and  his  sisters,  and  the  com- 
mon people  who  heard  Jesus  gladly,  yet 
were  despised  by  the  self-righteous  rulers. 

54,55.  In  all  this  Mary  finds  the  fulfill- 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


37 


56  And  Mary  abode  with  her  about  three  months,  and 
returned  to  her  own  house. 

57  Now  Elisal)etirs  full  time  came  that  she  should  be 
delivered  ;  and  she  brought  lortli  a  son. 

38  And  her  neighbours  and  her  cousins  heard  how 
the  Lord  liad  shewed  great  mercy  upon  her ;  and  « they 
rejoiced  with  her. 

59  And  it  came  to  pas.s,  that  '  on  the  eighth  day  they 
came  to  circumcise  thfe  child;  and  they  called  him 
Zacharias,  after  the  name  of  his  father. 

60  And  his  mother  answered  and  said, 'Not  so;  but 
he  shall  be  called  John. 

61  And  they  said  unto  her.  There  is  none  of  thy 
kindred  that  is  called  by  this  name. 

62  And  they  made  signs  to  his  father,  how  he  would 
have  him  called. 

03  And  he  asked  for  a  writing  table,  and  wrote, 
saying,  ''His  name  is  John.    And  they  marvelled  all. 


50  And  Mary  abode  with  her  aljout  three  months, 
and  returned  unto  her  house. 

57  Now  Klisabeth's  time  was  fulfilled  that  she  should 

58  be  delivered;  and  she  brought  forth  a  son.  And 
her  neighbours  and  her  kinsfolk  heard  that  the  Lord 
had  magnified   his  mercy   towards   her;    aud   they 

59  rejoiced  with  her.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
eighth  day,  that  they  came  to  circumcise  the  child  ; 
aud  they  would  have  called  him  Zacharia.s,  alter  the 

00  name  of  his  father.     And  his  mother  ai)swere<i  aud 

61  said.  Not  so  ;  but  he  shall  be  called  Johu.  And  they 
said  unto  her.  There  is  none  ol  thy  kindred  that  is 

62  called  by  this  name.     And  thev  made  signs  to  his 

63  father,  what  he  would  have  him  called.  Aud  he 
asked  for  a  writing  tablet,  and  wrote,  saying.  His 


a  ver.  U b  Gen.  17:  12;  Lev.  12:  3 e  ver.  13 d  ver.  13. 


nient  of  the  ancient  promises  of  help  to 
Israel  through  the  reign  of  the  Messiah. 
The  Revision  is  a  decided  improvement,  al- 
though strict  fidelity  requires  all  these  narra- 
tive verbs  to  be  expres.sed  in  the  preterit 
tense. 

56.  Marys  Rkturn.  The  three  months 
brought  her  ni^ar  to  the  birth  of  John.  To 
some  it  will  seein  strange  that  she  should 
leave  before  Elisabeth  had  passed  her  trial; 
and  it  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  this 
statement  is  placed  by  anticipation  before  its 
true  order.  But  had  it  been  true  that  Mary 
had  staid  so  long,  it  could  hardly  fail  to  have 
been  related  distinctly. 

57-06.  Birth  of  John  the  Baptist. 

58.  And  her  neighbours  and  her  cousins 
{kinsfolk),  family  connections  of  all  degrees, 
heard  how  (that)  the  Lord  had  shewed 
great  mercy  (ratiier,  was  mag)iifyi?ig  his 
mercy)  npon  her.  The  blessing  is  not  men- 
tioned as  though  it  had  been  an  instantaneous 
thing,  already  past,  but  it  was  permanent  in 
the  presence  and  preservation  of  the  child,  so 
remarkable  a  boon  to  its  aged  parents.  "We 
have  nothing  said  to  intimate  that  they  knew 
anything  as  yet  to  distinguish  the  birth  from 
any  other  in  extraordinary  circumstances, 
where  ottspring  had  been  greatly  desired. 

59.  On  the  eighth  day— the  regularly  ap- 
pointed time  (c.eii  i7:t2:Phii.3:5).  The  parents 
walked  here  in  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord 
blameless  (ver.e).  Only  by  circumcision  did 
the  son  of  a  Jewish  family  become  a  citizen, 
a  member  of  the  nation,  and  so,  indirectly, 
a  sharer  in  important  religious  privileges  of 
that  people.  That  the  rite  was  directly  of 
civil  significance  only,  suits  with  its  exclusive 
applicability  to  the  male  sex.  It  was  performed 
by  the  parents,  or  one  appointed  by  them,  and 


the  occasion  was  regarded  as  a  domestic  festi- 
val.    And    they    called   him   Zacharias — 

("would  have  called,"  Revised  Version,"  were 
for  calling,"  Davidson)  ;  literally,  ''were  in 
the  act  of  caltiny."  They  may  have  used  the 
word,  but  before  it  had  been  formally  applied 
to  the  child,  the  mother  inter{)osed,  and  pre- 
vented its  being  done.  The  naming  took  place 
in  connection  with  the  circumcision,  as  Abra- 
ham received  his  full  name  (as  also  did  Sarah) 
at  ihe  time  of  his  circumcision. 

60.  And  his  mother  answered— to  their 
proposal  of  the  name  Zacharias— and  said, 
Not  so;  but  he  shall  be  called  Joim. 
Some  have  thought  this  mention  of  John 
implied  a  supernatural,  prophetic,  coinci- 
dence with  the  name  given  by  the  angel 
(ver.  13);  but  it  secms  not  at  all  unlikely  that 
during  the  subsequent  months  Zacharias  had 
communicated  to  his  wife  what  occurred  with 
him  in  the  temple,  including  the  name.  He 
could  do  this  by  writing,  as  we  see  just  below. 

61.  Early  in  the  Jewish  history,  names  were 
applied  to  their  children  almost  always  with 
direct  reference  to  the  appellative  significance 
of  the  words  used,  and  without  any  regard  to 
the  names  of  parent  or  ancestt)rs.  Now,  the 
neighbors  of  Elisabeth  took  it  for  granted 
that  she  would  use  for  her  child  his  fathers 
name,  or  that  of  some  relative.  Nor  would 
they  desist  from  their  intention  until  they  had 
applied  to  the  father  for  his  wish  in  the  matter. 

62.  And  they  made  signs.  That  they 
consulted  him  by  making  signs,  literal Iv, 
by  ''nodding  to"  him,  appears  to  indicate 
that  he  had  become  deaf  as  well  as  speechless. 
Yet  it  is  not  a  decisive  proof 

63.  On  a  writing  table  (tablet),  he  very 
positively  confirms  the  direction  of  the  angel. 
— His  name  is  John-which  heaven  had  de- 


38 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


64  "And  his  mouth  was  opened  immediately,  and  his 
tongue  loused,  and  he  spake,  and  praised  God. 

65  And  lear  came  on  all  thai  dwelt  round  about 
them:  and  all  these  ''sayings  were  noised  abroad 
throughout  all  "^the  hill  country  of  Judea. 

66  And  all  they  that  heard  Ihem,  •'laid  them  up  in 
their  hearts,  saying.  What  manner  of  child  shall  this 
be!    And  'tlie  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  him. 

67  And  his  father  Zacharias  /was  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  prophesied,  saying, 

68  ?  Blessed  6e  the  Lord  God  of  Israel;  for*  he  hath 
visited  and  redeemed  his  people, 


64  name  is  John.  And  they  marvelled  all.  And  his 
mouth    was    opened   immediately,  and   his    tongue 

65  loused,  and  he  spake,  blessing  God.  And  fear  came 
on  all  that  dwelt  riniud  about  them:  and  all  these 
sayings  were  noised  abroad  throughout  all  the  hill 

66  country  of  Jud;ea.  And  all  that  heard  them  laid 
them  up  in  their  heart,  saying.  What  then  shall  this 
child  be?     l-'or  the  band  of  the  Lord  was  with  him. 

67  And  his  father  Zacharias  was  tilled  With  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  prophesied,  saying, 

68  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel ; 

For  he  hath  visited  and  wrought  redemption  for 
his  people. 


a  ver.  20 6  Or,  things c  ver.  39 d  cli.  2:  1»,  51 e  Gen.  :19  :  2  ;  Ps.  80:  17;  89:  21  ;  Acts  H  :  21.... /Joel 2  :  28 o  1  Kiiies 

1:48;  Ps.  41:13;  72:  18;  106:48. ...*  Ex. 3:16;  4:31;  Ps.  Ill  :9;  ch. 7:16.  »  » 


clared  that  it  should  be. — And  they  mar- 
velled all,  because  of  this  inexplicable  agree- 
ment between  the  parents  in  a  purpose  so  sin- 
gular. Now  had  the  day  come  (ver.  20)  in  which 
the  things  promised  to  the  priest,  in  the  holy 
place,  were  accomplished,  so  that  his  penalty 
of  dumbness  might  be  remitted. 

64.  And  his  mouth  was  opened  im- 
mediately, and  his  tongue  was  loosed. 
The  divine  power  which  had  inflicted  on  him 
that  silence  for  a  definite  period,  now  that  the 
period  was  precisely  complete,  released  him 
from  all  restraint  on  his  speech. — And  he 
spake,  and  praised  God.  Doubtless  even 
the  penalty  which  he  had  endured,  seen  now 
in  its  connection  with  all  God's  working  in 
the  matter  of  his  Son,  would  seem  a  proper 
theme  of  praise,  and  his  whole  soul  would  go 
out  in  thoughtful  adoration  (praising  or  bless- 
ing) in  his  recovered  utterance. 

65,  66.  These  verses  describe  the  natural 
effects  of  such  an  interposition  of  God's  hand, 
in  an  age  of  lively  expectation  of  Messianic 
events;  effects  which  immediately  began  to 
be  experienced,  and  are  here  summarily  re- 
lated, as  extending  through  a  considerable 
period  of  time. — We  may  note  in  the  brief 
record  how  widely  the  report  spread,  so  that 
the  natural  fear  extended  not  only  to  all 
the  neighboring  people,  but  in  the  whole 
mountain  land  of  Judea  all  these  sayings 
■were  noised  abroad  {talked  over  and  over 
fiteAaAeiTo) ;  while  among  those  who  had  heard 
them  the  heart- wonder  deepened  as  they  pon- 
dered, and  they  asked,  What  manner  of 
child  shall  this  be?  See  Kevised  Version. 
Surely  such  a  birth  imports  an  exalted 
destiny.  Thus  was  the  way  preparing  for 
that  reception  which  John  should  meet,  when 
he  came  forth  at  last  with  his  call  to  re- 
pentance and  preparation  for  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

67-79.  Prophetic  Hymn  of  Zacharias. 


67.  And  his  father  Zacharias  was  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  (Spirit),  and  prophe- 
sied. The  latter  statement  again  defines  and 
explains  the  former;  he  was  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  so  as  to  qualify  him  for  the  pro- 
phetic utterances  which  follow,  and  in  which 
his  inspiration  appears.  The  time  of  this  is 
probably  that  of  the  circumcision  and  nam- 
ing, and  may  be  part  in  the  discourse  which 
then  he  spake,  blessing  God.  Luke's  fre- 
quent manner  of  introducing  proleptically 
historical  facts  led  him  first  to  follow  out  the 
impression  made  by  what  had  so  far  occurred 
^Ter.  65, 66),  and  iiow  lie  resumes  the  psalm  of 
Zacharias.  This  suits  better  with  the  neces- 
sity of  assuming  s(>7ne  special  occasion  for  the 
discourse,  and  with  the  address  (ver.  76  n.)  to  the 
"  little  child,"  as  present. 

68.  Saying,  Blessed  be  the  Lord  (the) 
God  of  Israel,  etc.  In  this  noble  psalm 
Zacharias  celebrates,  first  (ver.68-70),  the  fulfill- 
ment of  God's  ancient  promises,  through  the 
gift  of  the  Messiah,  whose  coming  and  its 
consequences  are  present  to  him  as  an  ac- 
complished fact;  next  (ver. 71-75),  the  blessings 
that  follow  from  it  to  Israel;  then  (ver. 76, 77), 
the  connection  of  his  own  Son  with  this 
epiphany  and  its  blessed  results;  and,  finally 
(ver.  78, 79),  he  traces  all  back  to  God's  mercy, 
and  forward  to  the  enlightenment  of  them 
that  sit  in  darkness  (including,  though  per- 
haps not  consciouslj',  the  heathen  world),  and 
the  attainment  of  the  path  of  peace.  The 
form  of  the  expressions,  the  character  of  the 
imagery,  the  quality  of  the  salvation,  all  are, 
as  we  should  expect,  still  Hebraistic,  as  is  true 
of  the  utterances  of  all  participants,  human 
and  celestial,  in  this  prelude  to  the  gospel. 
Everything  is  conceived  as  would  be  natural 
to  a  pious  son  of  Abraham,  to  whom  "the 
things  which  God  has  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him"  were  only  partially  revealed  by 
his  Spirit.     (Comp.  1  Cor.2:9, 10).     We  are  still  in 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE.  39 


69  "And  hath  raused  up  an  horn  of  salvation  for  us 
in  the  house  of  his  servant  David; 

70  *As  he  spake  by  the  uiouth  of  his  holy  prophets, 
which  have  been  since  the  world  began: 

71  That  we  should  be  saved  from  our  enemies,  and 
from  the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us; 

72  <^To  perform  the  mercy  promuied  to  our  fathers, 
and  to  reniemlKir  his  holy  covenant; 

73  ''Tlie  oath  which  he  sware  to  our  father  Abraham, 

74  That  he  would  grant  unto  us,  that  we  being  de- 
livered out  of  the  hands  of  our  enemies  might  'serve 
him  without  fear, 


69  And  hath  raised  up  a  horn  of  salvation  for  us 
In  the  house  of  his  servant  David 

70  (As  he  spake  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets 

that  liave  been  of  old), 

71  Salvation  from  our  enemies,  and  from  the  hand 

of  all  that  hate  us ; 

72  To  shew  mercy  towards  our  fathers. 
And  to  remember  his  holy  covenant; 

73  The  oath  which  he  sware  unto  Abraham  our 

father, 

74  To  grant  unto  us  that  we  being  delivered  out  of 

the  hand  of  our  enemies 


ft  Jer  23-5,6;  30:  10:  Dnn.  9:  24;  Acts  3:  21;  Rom   l:2....c  Lev.  26:42;  Ps.  98:3:  105.8.9,  106:  U,  Exek. 
16:60;  ver.  54....<i  Gen.  12  :  3 ;  17:4;  M:  16,  17;  Heb.  6:  13,  17  ...eKoni.6:  18.22;  Heb.  9:  14. 


the  twilight,  amid  the  shadows  of  a  prepara- 
tory era.  The  tenses  of  verbs  are  in  the  pre- 
terit of  Hebrew  prophecy.  Things  future 
are  seen  as  already  realized.  The  trun.slation 
of  this  pas.sage,  as  used  in  the  Latin  and 
other  liturgies,  is  called,  from  the  Latin  of 
the  first  word,  the  Bcncdictus.—\is\tcA  and 
redeemed  his  people— rather,  wrotight  re- 
demption for  (Revised  Version),  or,  7nade  a 
ransom. 

6D.  An  horn  of  salvation — a  designation 
of  the  Messiah— horn  in  the  Old  Testament, 
being  a  familiar  symbol  of  strength  and  vic- 
tory. Of  salvation,  as  affording  salva- 
tion. This  appears  in  the  house  of  David,  i.  e., 
as  one  of  the  family  of  David.  Zacharias 
would  appear  to  have  thought  of  the  poster- 
ity of  David. 

70.  As  he  spake,  etc.  This  great  boon  is 
thus  characterized  as  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecies  in  all  the  Old  Testament,  from  the 
beginning  of  human  history. 

71.  That  we  should  be  saved  (literally, 
salvation)  from  our  enemies,  in  loose  appo- 
sition with  "horn  of  salvation,"  ver.  69,  the 
intervening  verse  being  parenthetical.  The 
provision  for  salvation  has  passed  into  the 
idea  of  salvation  experienced.  It  is  con- 
ceived of  as  a  national  blessing,  as  was  natural 
to  a  Hebrew,  and  its  character  is  evolved  in 
the  following  verses  to  75  inclusive.  That 
rescue  from  external  enemies  (see  also  ver.  74), 
appears  so  prominent  in  the  description  of 
"salvation,"  is  thoroughly  consistent  with  a 
multitude  of  expressions  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  most  natural  in  the  mouth  of  a 
pious  Israelite,  living  in  the  distressed  circum- 
stances of  his  people,  oppressed  and  degraded 
under  a  Pagan  rule,  at  the  time  of  John's 
birth. 

72.  To  perform  the  mercy  promised 
to  our  fathers.  This  is  involved  in  that 
salvation,  and  is  now  spoken  of  as  divinely 


intended  in  the  gift.  The  literal  translation 
would  be:  "  <o  do  mercy  with  our  fathers"  ; 
but  it  is  not  obvious  hou>  affording  salvation 
to  this  late  age  was  doing  "mercy  with  the 
fathers."  The  thought  may  possibly  be  that 
the  fathers  are  ever  present  in  their  children, 
mercy  shown  to  whom,  in  fulfillment  of 
promises  in  which  the  former  trusted,  is 
mercy  to  them.  But  Isa.  29:  22,  23,  ascribes 
shame  to  Jacob  and  paleness  of  face,  (on  ac- 
count of  the  unrighteousne.-s  of  his  posterity), 
which  will  he  removed  when  they  repent  and 
sanctify  their  father's  God.  (Comp.  Mic. 
7:  20,  and  Lange's  note  on  the  place.)  In  the 
New  Testament,  also,  Abraham  rejoices  to 
see  the  day  of  Christ  (JoUas:  56);  is  represented 
as  conversant  with  the  fortunes  of  men  on  the 
earth  (Lukei6:25ff) ;  and  all  the  fathers  live 
unto  God  (20:38).  In  conformity  with  this 
view,  which  might  be  much  enlarged  by 
references  to  the  Apocryphal  literature  of  the 
Jews,  we  may,  perhaps,  best  understand  the 
language  before  us  as  practically  meaning, 
that  the  procurement  of  the  Messianic  salva- 
tion is  literally  showing  mercy  to  the  fathers, 
who  are  waiting  for  it,  "to  Abraham  and  his 
seed"  (ver.  55,  Revised  Version). — And  to  remem- 
ber his  holy  covenant — a  parallel,  in  which 
nearly  the  same  thought  is  brought  out  in 
other  terms.  The  covenant  always  involved 
promises,  if  it  did  not  really  consist  in  them 

(Gcii.  15;  1«;  17:2  (T;  Ex.  24.7,  8).  The      prOmiseS, 

hitherto  unfulfilled,  God  now  remembers  so 
as  to  accomplish. 

73.  The  oath  which  he  sware,  etc.,  is 
only  another  designation  of  the  same  engage- 
ment of  the  Lord,  made  pointedly  specific  by 
reference    to    Abraham  (Gen.  12 : 1-3 ;  n :  4 ;  22 :  16  r. 

Comp.  Heb.  6:  13,  17). 

74.  That  he  would  grant  unto  us,  that 
we  being  delivered,  etc.  This  also  is  a  part 
of  the  salvation  (ver. 71).  Being  in  the  par- 
ticipal   form,  it  views  the  deliverance  from 


40 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  I. 


75  "In  holiness  and  riglueousness  before  him,  all  the 
days  of  our  life. 

76  And  thou,  child,  shall  be  called  the  prophet  of  the 
Highest:  for  '  thou  shall  go  belore  the  face  of  Ihe  Lord 
to  prepare  his  ways; 

77  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people  ""'by 
the  remission  of  their  sius, 

78  Through  the  « tender  mercy  of  our  God  ;  whereby 
the/dayspring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us, 


Should  serve  him  without  fear. 

In  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him  all  our 

days. 
Yea  and  thou,  child,  shalt  be  called  the  prophet 

of  the  Most  High : 
For  thou  shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to 

make  ready  his  ways ; 
To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people 
In  tne  remission  of  their  sins. 
Because  of  the  i  tender  mercy  of  our  God, 

2  Whereby  the  dayspriug  from  on  high  n shall 

visit  us. 


o  Jer.  32 :  39,  40 ;  Eph.4:  24;  '^Thess.  2:  13;  2Tiin.  1:  9,  Tit.  2:  12;  1  Pet.  1  :  15  ;  2  Pet.  1  :  4..   .ftlsa.  40:  3;  Miil.  3 :  1;  4:5;  Miitt. 

11 :  10;  ver.  17.... c  Mark  1:4;  ch.  3  :  3....(i  Or, /or e  Or,  bowels  of  the  mercy /  Or,  sun-rising,  or,  branch  ,  Num.  21 :  17  ; 

Isa.  11:  1;  Zecta.  3:  8;    6,  12  ,  Mul.  4:  2. 1  Ov,  heart  of  mercy...  2  Or,  Wherein..   .3  Many  uucieut  uutUorities  read,  hath 

visited  us. 


human  foes  as  a  condition  of  the  higher 
blessings  next  mentioned.  It  is  not  gram- 
matically dependent  on  "the  oath,"  etc.; 
but  is  parallel  to  "to  perform,"  and  "to  re- 
member" (ver.  72).  That  WG  might  [shoidd] 
serve  him  without  fear — fear  of  unsympa- 
thizing,  worldly,  sometimes  hostile  and  in- 
tensely cruel  rulers,  such  as  had  so  often 
afflicted  the  nation  for  generations  past. 

75.  In  holiness — not  the  ordinary  word 
for  holiness,  nearly  equivalent  to  purity — 
and  righteousness,  such  as  that  ascribed  to 
Zacharias  and  Elisabeth  (ver.  6).  This  immacu- 
late religiousness  of  service  the  prophet  sees 
destined  for  the  Messianic  worsliipers  as  a 
perpetual  distinction,  not,  as  heretofore,  an 
occasional,  transient,  partial  quality,  which 
faded  away  as  the  early  dew.— Before  him 
all  the  days  of  our  life.  As  long  as  the 
nation  continues.  All  our  days,  omitting  "of 
our  life,"  is  the  correct  text. 

76.  And  thou  [al.so],  child,  shalt  be 
called  the  prophet  of  the  Highest.  He 
has  celebrated  the  Messiah  and  his  benefits, 
first,  but  is  not  allowed  to  omit  a  notice  of  the 
preparatory  part  which  his  son  is  to  play  in 
this  great  fulfillment  of  eternal  plans.  "And 
thou,  also,  ciiild,"  (the  Kevised  Version  would 
givetheforceof  rt/.S'oby  the  preceding  "Yea"), 
implies  that  his  announcement  is  not  cotnplete 
without  adding  something  concerning  him. 
Child,  my  ofl'spring,  child,  though  thou  art. 
Shalt  be  called,  equivsilent  to  shall  be,  as 
in  ver.  35.  "The  prophet"  is,  primarily,  the 
spokesman  for  God,  who,  uttering  the  divine 
counsels  generally,  incidentally /o?'P^e^^s  some 
things.— For  thou  shalt  go  before  the  face 
of  the  Lord.  The  for  explains  and  confirms 
the  designation  of  prophet.  To  go  before 
the  face  is,  as  in  ver  17,  to  precede  in  time, 
and  to  go  in  the  view,  under  the  eye,  on  the 
errand,    of   another.       The    Lord    here    is, 


probably,  to  Zacharias  the  same  person  as  "the 
Highest"  in  the  preceding  sentence,  and  yet 
the  event  shows  him  to  be  the  Messiah. — To 
prepare  his  ways,  viz.,  to  make  ready  for 
his  coming,  by  teaching  the  people  the  true 
nature  and  necessary  conditions  of  the  salva- 
tion which  he  will  bring;  for  the  very  idea  of 
evangelical  salvation  had  died  out  of  the 
minds  of  the  proud  and  work-righteous  seed 
of  Abraham,  as  a  mass.  How  indispensable 
such  a  preparation  was  appears  from  the  fact 
that  neither  Zacharias  himself,  nor  Mar}',  nor 
Elisabeth,  has  distinctly  noticed,  in  these  in- 
spired utterances,  the  subject  of  repentance, 
the  new  heart,  the  spiritual  transformation,  in 
whicli  the  blessings  promised  by  them  would 
really  be  found.  The  "salvation"  of  which 
tliey  catch  a  glimpse,  is  national,  mainly  ex- 
ternal, and  its  conditions  are  expressed  in 
terms  of  Old  Te.stament  jjrophecy.  They 
scarcely  see  these  things  so  clearly  now  as,  in 
occasional  visions,  did  Daniel,  Isaiah,  Jere- 
miah, Micah,  Ezekiel.  "  It  is  darkest  just  be- 
fore day." 

77.  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  .  .  . 
by  (in)  the  remission  of  their  sins.  Here 
is  the  nearest  approach  to  an  essentially  gospel 
view.  This  was  John's  first  aim,  "preaching 
a  baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of 
sins."  He  should  teach  that  salvation  in- 
volved pardon;  that  pardon  was  required 
because  of  sins,  and  could  be  received  through 
a  new  view,  a  new  heart,  new  purposes,  a  new 
life  before  God.  Even  those  who  were  to 
prove  "his  people,"  were  ignorant  of  these 
things  now. 

78.  Through  the  tender  mercy  of  our 
God.  God  already  appears  more  in  his  special 
relation  to  the  heart  of  his  worshipers,  as 
our  God.  Tender  mercy  is  literally,  "the 
bowels  of  mercy,"  as  in  Phil.  2:  1.  The 
„  bowels,"    like  our  word   "heart,"   denotes, 


Ch.  I.] 


LUKE. 


41 


79  "  To  give  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  i  79  To  shine  upon  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  the 
the  shadow  of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  shadow  of  death; 

peace.  j  To  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace. 

80  And  'the  child  grew,  and  waxed  .strong  in  spirit,  I  80  And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit, 
and  '  was  in  the  deserts  till  the  day  of  his  shewing  unto  |  and  was  in  the  deserts  till  the  day  of  his  shewing 
Israel.  j      unto  Israel. 


a  Mark  1:  4;  cb.3:3,  &  Ian.  9:  2;  42:7;  49:9;  Miitt.  4  :  16;  Acts  26:  18....&  cb.  2:  40....C  Matt.  3  :  1 :  11 :  7. 


metaphorically,  in  Hebrew,  the  seat  of  affec- 
tions, emotions,  strong,  especially  tender,  feel- 
ing. It  is  this  tender  compassion  of  God 
through,  literally,  "on  account  of,"  which, 
all  these  provisions  of  blessing  are  furnished 
us. — Whereby  —  ("wherein,'^   in  the  exercise 


the  yoke  of  Jesus  (Matt.  Il:  32;  comp.  Johu  14  :  27  ;  16:S3). 

Toward  this  the  shining  of  that  light  would 
guide  (literally,  direct)  our  feet.  Zacharias 
includes  himself  among  those  who  needed 
this  direction. 

80.  And    the    child   grew,   and    wuxed 


of  which  feelings  of  mercy) — tlie  dayspring  ;  strung  (lyr/.s-  strengthened)  in  spirit.  This 
from  on  high  hath  visited  us.— Kutiier,  "a!  verse  I'oritaitrs  ail  that  we  are  jjerniittcd  to 
dayspring,''  literally,  "a  rising,"  as  of  the  j  know  further  concerning  the  private  life  of 
sun.  or,  possibly,  of  a  briglit  star.  The  word  |  John;  and  the.se  words  give  the  whole  account 
also  means  sometimes  an  upspringing,  viz.,  of  |  of  his  domestic  development.     He  grew  nor- 


the  shoot  of  a  plant;  then  "  tln^  dawn,"  as 
occasioned  by  the  ajiproaching  rise  of  the  sun. 
It  is  here  plainly  a  Hgure  for  the  Messiah; 
(compare  Malachi  4:  2 — ^"sliall  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  arise" ].,  It  might,  indeed,  have 
been  used  in  the  sense  of  "the  branch" 
(zech.3:8;6:i2);  "the  rod  out  of  the  stcm  of 
Jesse"  (isa.ii:!);  but  here  all  the  adjuncts 
visited,  literally  "  looked  upon,"  and — 
from  on  high,  favor  the  sense  of  "dawn" 
or  "sunrise."  Wliat  metaphor  could  be  more 
expressive  of  the  joyfulness  of  the  promised 
salvation?  The  preterit  tense  of  the  verb, 
hath  visited,  properly,  visited,  is  in  precise 
accordance  with  the  usage  througii  this  whole 
psalm,  and  has  strongly  the  support  of  tiie  in- 
ternal evidence.  On  the  other  hand,  the  best 
manuscripts  favor  the  reading  followed  in  the 
Revised  Versit)n,  "will  visit  us";  and  unless 
other  light  arises  on  the  passage,  that  will 
probably  be  accepted  b^'-and-by. 


mally,  in  body,  and  mentally  and  morally 
he  became  strong.  The  clause,  in  spirit, 
here  expresses  the  whole  complement  of  the' 
body  in  making  up  the  man— soul  being  in- 
cluded. Strength  is  the  qualitj'  which  seems 
to  have  attracted  attention  in  his  character 
from  the  first,  and  this  agrees  with  the  stern- 
ne  s  and  severity  of  his  public  function.  ISot 
a  word  of  grace  or  favor,  either  as  a  trait  of 
his  disposition,  or  existing  in  the  regard  had 
for  him  by  God  or  man.  The  other  quality 
was  the  conspicuous  one,  remembered  in  the 
narratives  of  his  home  life,  which  were  pre- 
served. Compare  and  contrast  the  two  some- 
what analogous  cases  of  Samuel  (1  S:ini.  2:  i«.  m.  26) 
and  Jesus  (i.iike2: 40-52). — And  was  in  the 
deserts  till  the  day  of  his  shewing  unto 
Israel.  This  was  all  that  could  be  told  of 
his  life  from  the  time  when  he  left  the  shelter 
of  his  home.  That  home,  considering  the 
age  of  his  parents,  may  have  been  broken  up 


79.  To  give  light  to  {to  shine  forth  upon)  j  while  he  was  yet  young,   and   his  seclusion 


them  that  sit  in  darkness.  The  infinitive 
marks  the  result  of  the  day-spring  visiting 
us.  Darkness  is  the  symbol  of  ignorance, 
moral  corruption,  and  consequent  misery. — 
The  shadow  of  death  is  a  Hebrew  expres- 


from  the  world  may  have  continued  a  num- 
ber of  years,  before  he  began,  at  the  age  of 
thirty,  to  i)reach  and  baptize.  His  natural 
disposition  would,  it  seems,  make  such  seclu- 
sion congenial;  but  he  probably  adopted  it  in 


sion  for  the  deepest  gloom  (?«  23  <)— such  part  from  a  desire  to  cultivate  a  religious  life, 
gloom  as  the  imagination  associates  with  the  ,  and  to  prepare  himself,  like  Elijah  and  other 
idea  of  death.— To  guide  our  feet  into  the  |  early  prophets,  for  that  office  which  he  recog- 
way  of  peace  Peace  was  to  the  Hebrew  i  nized  a  call  to  perform.  Nobody  of  any 
a  summary  designation  of  complete  welfare.  !  consequence  now  pretends  to  connect  John 
This  way  of  peace  was  in  the  Old  Testa-    with  the  Essenes,  or  any  other  known  ascetic 


ment  the  way  of  wisdom,  or  the  pious  con- 
formity of  all  one's  spirit  and  conduct  to  the 
requirements  of  JehoVah  (Prov.  .i:  i:u7) ;  in  the 
New  Testament  it  will  be  found  in  wearmij: 


and  recluse  school  or  sect  of  men  ;  but  we 
perceive  a  degree  of  individual  asceticism, 
such  as  has  been  popularly  associated  in  all 
ages   with   the  conception  of  eminent  piety. 


42 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  II. 


CHAPTEK    II. 


AND  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  there  went 
out  a   decree  from  Cesar  Augustus,  that  all  the 
World  should  be  °  taxed. 


1      Now  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  there  went  out 
a  decree  from  Caesar  Augustus,  tliat  all  Uhe  world 


'.  Or,  enrolled. 1  Gr.  the  inhabited  earth. 


The  deserts  here  referred  to  were  parts  of 
the  '"wiiderness  of  Judea'  (Matt. 3:  i;  Luke:<:  .>, 
•■ihewiiiieruess").  It  lay  southcast  of  Jerusalem, 
within  the  borders  of  Judah,  and  since  John 
was  baptizing  in  the  Jordan  "in  the  wilder- 
ness," the  term  would  seem  to  have  embraced 
a  certain  portion  of  the  desert  country  bor- 
dering that  river  from  its  mouth  northward. 
It  was  not  a  desert  like  Sahara,  but  an  arid, 
barren  country,  much  of  it  mountainous, 
with  treeless,  rocky  slopes  and  summits, 
broken  through  by  deep  chasms  worn  by  the 
waters  of  occasional  rains,  uncheered  by  ver- 
dure, except  for  a  short  time  in  the  spring, 
and  at  other  seasons  along  the  beds  of  streams 
that  might  still  trickle  down  the  ravines,  or 
around  the  much-prized  springs,  and.  rare 
perennial  brooks.  In  a  very  narrow  strip, 
close  on  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  vegetation 
flourished,  bord(Ted  by  the  parched  desert. 
Many  natural  caves  and  hollows  of  the  rocks 
afforded  shelter  for  hermits,  whether  ceno- 
bites  or  solitaries.  Somewhere  in  this  quarter 
dwelt  the  strange  sect  of  the  Essenes,  a  monk- 
ish community  of  the  Jews,  who  in  that 
period  had  retired  thither  from  the  world,  to 
avoid  its  contamination,  and  to  cultivate  a 
more  religious  life.  All  attempts,  however, 
to  identify  John  with  thenj,  in  principles  or 
practice,  have  so  utterly  failed,  that  they  are 
only  remembered  as  things  of  the  past.  John 
would  find  the  rough  and  uninviting  solitudes 
of  the  wilderness  suitable  for  abundant  com- 
munion with  God  ;  and  its  privations  would 
train  him  to  that  sturdiness  and  independence 
which  were  needed  in  facing  the  worldly  and 
self-indulgent  ways  of  a  stiflT-necked  and 
gainsaying  people.  Whether  he  returned  at 
all  to  his  birthplace,  during  the  years  before 
his  shewing  to  the  people;  whether  he  took 
part  in  feasts  and  fasts,  or  any  solemn  rites  of 
his  nation,  we  cannot  tell.  There  he  abode 
mainly,  at  least,  till  the  day  of  his  shew- 
ing unto  Israel.  It  was  God  that  showed 
him,  or  pointed  him  out,  "when  the  word  of 
God  came  unto"  him,  and  sent  him  forth 
among  the  people  (•■2:'A3). 


Part  I.   Sect.  II.    Ch.  2:  1-52.      Birth 

AND  Private  Life  of  Jesus.  This  section 
of  the  Gospel  treats  (1)  of  the  birth  of  Jesus 
(veriT);  (2)  the  announcement  of  the  fact  to 
shepherds,  and  joy  of  the  angels  thereupon 
(814) ;  [S)  visit  of  the  shepherds  to  the  babe  and 
his  mother  in  Bethlehem  (i5-2o) ;  (4)  the  cir- 
cumcision (21);  (5)  the  presentation  in  the 
temple,  and  the  prophetic  recognition  of  the 
Messiah  by  Simeon  and  Anna  (•■ii-as);  (6)  the 
private  life  of  Jesus  through  childhood  and 

youth  (39-52). 

1-7.  The  Birth  op  Jesus.  In  those 
days.  A  loose  designation  of  the  period 
within  which  the  birth  of  John  the  Baptist 
fell — ^overlooking  the  brief  statements  in  ver. 
80  of  the  preceding  chapter. — There  went 
out  a  decree.  What  the  decree  ordered  was 
an  enrollment,  or  registration  of  all  the  popu- 
lation of  the  empire — the  whole  world. 
Literally  "^Ae  inhabited  world,"  which,  so  far 
as  definitely  known,  was  then  mostly  included 
within  the  Roman  Empire.  This  enrollment 
was  not  properly  a  "taxing,"  as  we  now 
understand  that  term;  but  might  have  been 
only  to  secure  such  an  enumeration  of  per- 
sons, with  their  age,  their  occupation,  stand- 
ing, and  property — a  census,  in  short — as 
would  afl'ord  a  basis  for  taxation,  for  enlist- 
ment into  the  army,  and  other  measures. 
The  credibility  of  Luke's  statement  that  such 
a  census  was  then  ordered,  has  been  impugned 
on  the  ground  that  profane  history  gives  no 
account  of  it,  and  that  if  there  had  been  one, 
it  could  not  have  taken  place  in  Judea,  which 
was  not  yet  made  a  province,  but  was  gov- 
erned by  Herod  as  an  "associate"  king.  In 
reply  to  the  last  objection,  it  may  be  remarked 
that  Tacitus  expressly  names  {Annai.i-.u)  king- 
doms {regna)  as  well  as  provinces,  among  the 
subjects  included  in  the  great  Domesday 
Book  of  the  whole  empire,  which  Augustus 
had  drawn  up  with  his  own  hands.  And 
certainly  Herod,  who  was  the  mere  creature 
of  the  emperor,  would  not  be  spared  the 
necessity,  as  he  would  not  lack  the  willing- 
ness, to  contribute  to  the  revenues  by  which, 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


43 


2  (a And  this  taxing  was  first  made  when  Cyrenius  I    2  should  be  enrolled.    This  was  the  first  enrollment 
was  governor  of  Syria.)  I 


in  effect,  his  own  government  would  be  sus- 
tained. As  to  tlie  manner  of  it,  the  emperor 
would  naturally  allow  Herod  to  conduct  the 
enrollment  in  conformity  with  Jewish  customs, 
and  the  latter  would  probably  be  able  to  show 
that  it  was  not  made  with  reference  to  any  tax 
immediately  to  be  levied.  That  Augustus 
required  such  a  census  to  be  taken  about  that 
time  is  supported  by  the  authority  of  Luke 
himself,  a  historian  as  trustworthy,  for  all  that 
appears,  as  any  of  his  age.  His  testimony 
cannot  be  canceled  by  the  mere  silence  of 
others,  considering  how  scanty  details  we 
have  of  the  transactions  of  that  period.  But 
we  are  not  left  without  other  evidence.  The 
Roman  historians  mention  an  enrollment  as 
occurring  in  the  year  of  Rome  740.  Now  it 
is  not  at  all  likely  that  this  would  be  effected 
simultanoou-sly  throughout  the  vast  empire; 
and  in  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  precise  year 
of  the  Saviour's  birth,  that  one  may  have 
been  yet  unfinished  in  Palestine  at  our  present 
point  of  time. 

To  this  may  be  added  that  the  Christian 
apologists,  in  the  second  century,  appeal  to 
census  lists  as  existing,  taken  in  Palestine  by 
Quirinius,  which  all  persons  could  examine 
for  themselves,  and  none  of  their  acute  and 
learned  opponents  disputed  them  on  this 
point. 

2.  And  this  taxing  was  first  made. 
Omit  the  and,  and  read,  T/iis  enroUmenf, 
first — or,  as  a  first  one — took  place — when 
Cyrenius  was  governor  of  Syria.  The 
translation  will  vary  as  we  receive  or  reject, 
according  to  different  texts,  the  article,  the 
first,  or  a  first.  There  seems  to  be  a  plain 
reference  to  another  enrollment  made,  as  a 
second,  under  the  governorship  of  Cyrenius 
over  Syria  in  a.  d.  6,  about  ten  years  after 
this,  when  Judas  the  Galilean  raised  an  insur- 
rection (Act»5:S7).  To  the  accuracy  of  this 
statement  it  is  objected  that  Cyrenius  (in 
Latin,  Qnirinus  or  Quirinius)  was  governor  I 
(proconsul)  of  Syria  in  and  after  A.  D.  6.  It 
is  assumed  then  that  Luke  has  mistaken  the 
governor  of  the  time.  Surely  not  of  neces- 
sity, unless  we  know  that  Cyrenius  was  some- 
where else  at  the  time  when  Christ  was  Imrn,  j 
or  that  somebody  else  was  then  in  that  office.  I 


Assuming  that  he  could  not  have  held  it 
twice,  a  great  variety  of  violent  grammatical 
expedients  have  been  hazarded  to  obviate  the 
discrepancy.  These  have  been  treated  in 
Godet  (who  unfortunately  adds  one  of  his 
own),  and  other  extended  commentaries;  and 
it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  discuss  them  here. 
If  Godet  were  right  in  saying  (I.,  p.  12!^), 
"history  proves  that  Quirinius  did  not  be- 
come governor  until  the  year  4,"  in  any 
sense  of  the  word  governor,  we  should  have 
simply  to  admit  that,  in  the  scarcity  of  in- 
formation as  to  the  actual  circumstances  of 
that  province  at  the  time  in  question,  we 
must  fall  back  on  the  authority  of  Luke,  and 
not  try  to  explain  how  the  fact  here  asserted 
by  him  consists  with  the  other  fact,  that 
Quirinius  is  known  to  have  been  governor 
there  ten  years  afterward  (acu. 6:37),  "in  the 
days  of  the  taxing."  Comp.  Joseph.,  Jew. 
Antiq.  18:  1.  1  f.).  But  since  the  arguments 
of  A.  W.  Zumpt  on  this  subject  {Commenta- 
iio  Epigraphica  de  Syria  Ro7nanorum  pro- 
vincia.  etc.,  V.  2,  Berlin,  18o4',  it  is  tliought 
by  many  not  at  all  improbable,  that  Quir'n- 
ius  was  first  governor  of  Syria  ahont  the 
time  of  Christ's  birth,  say,  from  some  time  in 
the  year  750,  u.  c.  So  probable  is  this,  that 
if  it  were  not  that  Matthew  informs  us  that 
the  nativity  occurred  while  Ilerod  was  yet 
alive,  little  difficulty  won  id  be  felt.  (See  a 
synopsis  of  Zumpt's  rorsoning  in  Smith's 
Diet,  of  Biography,  p.  r)25  f.)  But  President 
Woolsey,  in  his  candid  consideration  of  the 
matter  in  that  Article,  shows  clearlj'  that 
however  nearly  he  has  made  out  what  we 
should  be  glad  to  have  proved,  his  result  does 
not  relieve  us,  because  we  seem  to  see  in 
Josephusthat  Quintilius  Varus  was  president 
of  Syria  during  the  last  years  of  Herod,  and 
until  after  his  death.  But  we  may  .«till  sup- 
pose that  Quirinius,  being  in  that  part  of  the 
empire,  was  employed  as  a  special  commis- 
sioner to  superintend  the  enrollment,  he 
having  proved  himself  a  vigorous  and  effi- 
cient officer,  which  Varus  was  not.  AVe 
should  then  have  to  suppose  further  that 
Luke  had  employed  the  Greek  word  (ijyeMwf), 
which  may  designate  any  leadership,  in  a 
more  loose  sense  than  he  is  in   the  habit  <»f 


44 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  II. 


3  And  all  went  to  be  taxed,  every  one  into  his  own 
city. 

4  And  Joseph  also  went  up  from  (ialilee,  out  of  the 
city  of  Nazareth,  into  Judea,  unto  "the  city  of  David, 
which  is  called  Bethlehem ;    ('  because  he  was  of  the  j 
house  and  lineage  of  David  ;) 

5  To  be  taxed  with  Mary"  his  espoused  wife,  being 
great  with  child. 


3  made  when  Quirinius  was  governor  of  Syria.  And 
all  went  to  enrol  themselves,  every  one  to  his  own 

4  city.  And  Joseph  also  went  up  from  Galilee,  out  of 
the  city  of  Nazareth,  into  Judaea,  to  the  city  of 
David,  which  is  called  Bethlehem,  because  he  was  of 

5  the  house  and  family  of  David;  to  enrol  himself 
with  Mary,  who  was  betrothed  to  him,  being  great 


a  1  Sum.  16:  I,  4;  John  7:  12 b  Halt.  1:  16;  ch.  1 :  27 c  M»tt.  1 :  18;  ch.  1 :  27. 


doing.  This  view  is  regarded  with  favor  by 
Farrar  (Com.  on  Luke  in  the  Cambridge  Bible 
for  Schools,  p.  64) ;  and  Meyer,  who  has  no 
objection  to  finding  Luke,  or  any  other  Bibli- 
cal writer,  out  of  harmony  with  facts,  admits 
and  maintains  that  it  is  probably  correct.  It 
may  be  added  that  to  Luke's  own  authority 
(compare  remark,  p.  43),  may  be  added  the 


4.  And  Joseph  also  went  up  .  .  .  On 
went  up,  see  on  1:  39. — Out  of  the  city  of 
Nazareth,  see  on  1 :  26. — Into  Judea,  from 

the  northern  to  the  southern  district  of  the 
Holy  Land. — City  of  David,  where  David 
was  born,  or  at  least  where  his  father,  Jesse, 
lived  (1  Sam.  16: 1),  and  from  which  David  came 
forth  to  the  public  view.— Unto  Bethlehem, 


testimony  of  some  of  the  earliest  Church 
Fathers,  who  appeal  to  evidence  as  existing 
in  their  day,  of  the  historical  accuracy  of  our 
passage  (Justin  Martyr,  Apol.  1,  34,  46;  Ter- 
tul.  Adv.  Marcion,  4,  7.  Cited  by  McClellan, 
Translation  of  the  New  Testament,  I.  895  f. , 
where  the  whole  question  is  copiously  dis- 
cussed), 

3.  And  all  went  to  be  taxed  (enrolled), 
every  one  into  his  own  city,  viz.,  the  city 
of  his  ancestors,  where  the  family  records 
were  kept.  This  was  according  to  the  Jewish 
custom,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  the  emperor 
would  be  likely  to  respect. 


NAZARETH. 

about  six  miles  south  of  Jerusalem.  It  was 
on  even  higher  ground  than  the  capital  city, 
was  hallowed  from  very  early  times  as  thei 
burial  place  of  Rachel,  and  the  scene  of  many 
interesting  events. — Because  he  was  of  the 
house  and  lineage  (family)  of  David. 
The  house  was  the  immediate  family  and 
descendants  of  David;  the  lineage  (itnrpii) 
was  the  clan,  family  in  a  wider  sense,  that 
sprang  from  one  of  the  immediate  sons  of 
Judah. 

5.  To  be  taxed  (to  enroll  himself )  with 
IWary  his  espoused  wife  {irho  iras  betrothed 
to    him),  being    great    with    child.    Omit 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


45 


6  And  80  it  was,  that,  while  they  were  there,  the 
days  were  accoiuplished  that  she  should  be  delivered. 

7  And  «she  brought  forth  her  firstborn  son,  and 
wrapped  him  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  him  in  a 
manger;  because  there  was  no  room  for  them  in  the 
inn. 


6  with  child.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they  were 
there,  the  days  were  fulfilled  that  she  should  be  de- 

7  livered.  And  she  brought  forth  her  firstborn  son; 
and  she  wrapped  him  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid 
him  in  a  manger,  because  there  was  no  room  for 
them  in  the  inn. 


great.  Msiry  may  have  gone  with  him 
simply  from  unwillingness  to  be  separated 
from  her  espoused,  or,  possibly,  that  she 
might  be  in  the  place  (Bethlehem,  Mie.  5:  1) 
foretold  in  prophecy;  but  we  can  only  con- 
jecture. Their  journey,  from  all  that  we 
know  of  their  circumstances,  must  have  been 
on  foot;  but  this  would  not  then  be  regarded 
as  a  special  hardship. 

6.  While  they  were  there,  etc.  How 
long  a  time  they  had  spent  there,  we  cannot 
tell.  If  they  were  dependent  on  the  meagre 
accommodations  of  an  inn,  we  could  hardlj' 
suppose  them  to  have  tarried  very  long.  But 
the  word  translated  inn  is  very  different 
from  that  emploj'ed  in  ch.  10:  34.  It  is  that 
which  is  rendered  "guest  chamber"  (22:11); 
so  that  it  is  as  likely,  perhaps,  to  mean  the 
room  allotted  to  visitors  in  a  private  house. 
Whether  so  or  not,  privacy  at  the  critical  mo- 
ment could  be  afforded  to  the  expectant  mother 
only  in  a  place  which  was  probably  common 
in  use  to  the  family  and  to  domestic  animals. 
Such  were  often  found  or  prepared  in  the 
natural  or  artificial  hollows  of  the  rock,  of 
which  the  hills  about  Bethlehem  consi.«ted. 
We  are  in  no  case  to  think  of  a  house  of  en- 
tertainment, such  as  our  word  now  suggests; 
but,  at  the  most,  of  a  simple  structure  fur- 
nished by  the  hospitality  of  the  neighborhood, 
in  which  travelers  might  shelter  themselves 
and  their  beasts,  supplying  themselves,  for 
the  most  part,  with  bedding  and  food. 

T.  And  she  brought  forth  her  first-born 
son.  Plainly  implying,  and  i)roving,  unless 
some  reason  can  be  shown  for  taking  the 
adjective  in  a  sense  different  from  the  obvious 
one,  that  she  afterward  bon*  other  sons,  or 
another,  in  reference  to  whom  this  was  the 
first.  These  appear  often  in  the  gospel  liistory 
as  sons  of  Joseph  and  >[arv. — .\nd  wrapped 
him  in  swaddling  clothes.  This  early 
suggested  to  some  expositors  that  Marypa.ssed 
thri>ugh  her  trial  without  the  pains  and  in- 
firmity of  ordinary  child-birth,  that  she 
should  be  able  to  act  as  her  own  nur.«e,  and 
the  child's. — And  laid   him   in  a   manger. 


Manger  cannot  mean  stable,  here,  as  some 
have  supposed  ;  it  is  what  we  commonly  un- 
derstand by  the  word,  the  feeding  trough  for 
the  cattle;  but  it  implies  that  the  scene  was  a 
place  which  partook  of  the  character  of  a 
stable.  This  was,  in  its  circumstances,  a 
lowly  entrance  upon  life,  as  became  one 
whose  home  was  to  be  lowly,  and  whose 
friends  would  be  the  poor  and  despised, 
chiefly;  and  whose  earthly  end,  a  thousand 
times  more  pitiable  than  his  birth.  As  we 
have  already  intimated,  it  would  not  seem  so 
.squalid  to  the  people  of  that  time,  and  of  the 
condition  of  Joseph's  family,  as  to  us;  yet 
few  who  have  at  any  time  since  experienced 
the  hardships  of  poverty,  loneline.«.s,  and 
neglect,  could  think  of  the  birth  of  the  Saviour 
without  feeling  that  he  could  sympathize 
with  all  their  griefs.  It  is  not  related  here  as 
any  notable  privation  or  distress,  but  is  calmly 
explained  by  the  statement  that  there  was 
no  room  for  them  in  the  inn,  or  lodging 
place.  Was  ever  an  event  of  literally  infinite 
consequence  told  in  words  so  unambitious 
and  plain? 

The  date  of  this  event  has  occasioned  dis- 
cussion enough  to  fill  a  library,  if  the  record 
of  it  could  be  got  together  in  books;  but  with 
no  proper  definiteness  of  result.  The  year 
assumed  in  making  Christ's  birth  the  epoch 
of  the  Christian  Era,  is  very  generally  agreed 
now  to  be  too  late  by  at  least  four  years 
(Herod  having  died  in  the  spring  of  ToO  \j.  c, 
and  not  in  753),  and  possibly  by  five  or  seven. 
If  we  arrive  at  the  exact  date  of  Herod's 
death,  we  have  not  a  particle  of  testimony  as 
to  how  long  before  that  was  the  Nativity,  and 
every  point  from  which  men  would,  by  long 
and  intricate  inferences,  reach  the  day,  or 
month,  or  year,  is  itself  unstable,  so  that  no 
certainty  results.  It  is  sad  to  think  that  so 
much  learning,  historical,  mathematical, 
astronomical,  has  failed  of  the  desired  result 
in  the  treatises  of  Ideler,  Browne,  Wieseler, 
Zumpt,  McClellan,  Greswell,  and  others. 
But  each  one  generally  aims  to  destroy  the 
conclusions  of  his  predecessor,  and  effectually 


46 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  II. 


8  And  there  were  in  the  same  country  shepherds  i    8     And  there  were  shepherds  in  the  same  country 


abiding  in  the  tield,  keeping  "watch  over  their  tlock  by 
night. 

y  And,  lo,  the  angel  of  the  liOrd  came  upon  them, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone  round  about  them: 
*and  they  were  sore  afraid. 

10  And  the  angel  said  unto  them,  Fear  not:  for,  be- 
hold, I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  »wh'eh 
shall  be  to  all  people. 


abiding  in  the  tield,  and  keeping  'watch  by  night 
9  over  their  flock.  And  an  aifgel  of  the  Lord  stood  by 
them,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone  round  about 
10  them:  and  they  were  sore  afraid.  And  the  angel 
said  unto  them,  Be  not  afraid ;  for,  behold,  I  bring 
you  good  tidings  of  great  joy  which  shall  be  to  all  the 


a  Or,  th6  night  watches. 


..*ch.  1:  12....cGen.l2:3;  M:ilt.  2S:  1!» ;  M:i 
night-watches. 


1 :  15  ;  ver.  31,  32;  ch.  2-t :  47  ;  Col.  1 :  2i. 1  Or 


does  it;  while  a  critical  examination  shows 
his  own  process  to  be  an  enumeration  of 
probabilities  to  his  mind,  ending  in  a  verdict 
which  might  fairly  be  interpreted:  "I  guess 
that  this  opinion  is  a  demonstrated  truth." 
Does  he  think  that  by  increasing  the  weight 
and  number  of  links,  he  can  strengthen  the 
chain  while  yet  every  link,  where  the  strain 
come.%,  is  as  weak  as  the  first  that  was  ever 
tried?  One  thing  has  now,  perhaps,  been 
sufficiently  proved— that  God  has  not  been 
pleased  to  allow  us  a  certain  knowledge  of 
the  day  or  the  hour  of  the  first  advent  .of  his 
Son,  any  more  than  of  that  which  is  yet  to 
take  place.  Hence  we  may  infer  with  prac- 
tical, assurance,  that  it  is  of  no  serious  con- 
sequence that  we  should  have  such  knowl- 
edge. It  could  hardly  have  been  a  matter  of 
care  to  Luke,  or  his  researches  would  have 
brought  him  to  a  statement  clear  and  unques- 
tionable; for  almost  certainly  the  truth  would 
have  been  within  the  knowledge  of  any  of 
those  who  personally  associated  with  Christ. 

8-14.  ANaELic  Announcemknt  of  the 
Birth  to  the  Shepherds. 

8.  And  there  were  in  the  same  country 
shepherds  abiding  in  the  field.  The  nar- 
rative concerns  not  itself  about  kings  or 
princes,  or  the  great  and  rich  of  the  earth, 
in  palaces,  which  angels  had  seldom  visited, 
except  on  errands  of  retribution ;  but  with 
shepherds^  men  of  the  people,  of  such 
grade  as  were  most  intently  expecting  the 
promised  salvation,  and  would  be  found  most 
ready  to  welcome  it. — Abiding  in  the  field 
(living  in  the  open  air).  In  the  same 
country,  i.  e.,  Judea,  where  Abraham  had 
ranged  with  his  family,  and  his  flocks  and 
herds,  and  where  David  had  for  j'ears  tended 
his  father's  sheep;  for  the  region  about 
Bethlehem,  for  some  distance,  seems  to  have 
been  adapted  to  nothing  so  well  as  nomadic 

pasturage.— Keeping    watch by 

night.      This  statement   would   not,  indeed, 
prove  that  it  was  not  now  mid-winter;    for 


shepherds  may  have  had  to  be  in  the  fields, 
sometimes  in  the  most  inclement  weather. 
But  when  we  consider  that  the  night  air  made 
a  charcoal  fire  necessary  to  those  who  were 
standing  out  in  a  palatial  court,  in  the  heart 
of  Jerusalem,  on  an  April  night  (John  i8: is),  it 
is  certainly  very  hard  to  think  of  shepherds 
exposed  to  the  rigors  of  mid-winter,  on  the 
lofty  mountains  of  Judea.  The  number  of 
the  shepherds  may  have  been  considerable, 
although  there  was  but  one  flock;  for  the 
flocks  were  often  very  large. 

9.  And  the  (an)  angel  of  the  Lord  came 
upon  them.  This  better  expresses  the  no- 
tion of  some  suddenness  and  surprise  attend- 
ing the  visit,  which  the  Greek  verb  often  in- 
timates   (10:40;  24:4;  Acts4:lilThess.5;!l),    than    the 

Revision.  All  at  once  there  was  present  to 
them  an  angel.  Lo  secins  not  to  have  been 
in  the  original  text. — And  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  shone  round  about  them.  The 
glory  was  probably  a  brightness,  a  radiant 
glow,  such  as  others  had  been  conscious  of, 
who  had  been  allowed  special  visitations  of 
the  divine  presence,  such  as  we  may  imagine 
as  constituting  the  light  of  heaven,  where 
there  is  no  light  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the 
moon. — And  they  were  sore  afraid.  It  was 
again  that  awe  which  smites  the  mind  in  the 
more  sensible  nearness  of  God,  or  of  any- 
thing plainly  supernatural. 

10.  And  the  angel  said  unto  them. 
Fear  not.  The  real  design  of  the  revela- 
tions of  God  in  the  Bible,  particularly  the 
New  Testament,  is  to  remove  fear  from  the 
human  heart.  It  aims  rather  to  kindle  a  love 
which  casts  out  fear,  by  not  only  showing 
God  reconciled,  but  bringing  us  to  recon- 
ciliation.— For,  behold — it  is  an  important 
announcement — I  bring  you  good  tidings. 
In  the  form  of  a  verb  (tvayye\iioixai),  the  Greek 
announces  that  "good  news"— the  gospel — 
which  was  henceforth  to  constitute  the  bur- 
den of  revelation  unto  the  end,  th.e  news  of 
salvation  for  sinners,  amply  provided,  freely 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


47 


11  "For  unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of 
David  'a  Saviour,  =  wliich  is  Christ  the  Lord. 

12  And  this.v/«(/;  he  a  si^'n  unto  you;  Ye  shall  find 
the  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a 
manger. 

i;i<i  And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a  multi- 
tude of  the  heavenly  host  praising  (jod,  and  saying, 

14  "tilory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  ou  earth /peace, 
vgood  willtoward  men. 


11  people:   for  there  is  born  to  you  this  day  in  the  city 

12  o(  Uavid  a  Saviour,  who  is  Hhrist  the  Lortl.  And 
this  is  the  sign  unto  you;  Ye  shall  tind  a  babe 
wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  lying  in  a  manger. 

13  And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  an;;el  a  njultitude 
of  the  heavenly  host  praising  (jod,  and  saying, 

14  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 

And  on  earth  -peace  among  ^meu  iu  whom  he 
ia  well  pleased. 


aU«.  !>•«        h  M^itt.  1:  21.... c  Malt.  1  r  16;  16  :  16  ;  1  :  43  ;  Acs  2:  36;  10:36;  Phil.  2:  11. .  ..d  (;cn.  2S:  12;  32:  1.2;  103:20.  P-. 
21-  lis- 2;"  l):.ii.  7:  10:    Hel..  \:U.  Kev.  5:  ll....e  ch.  I'J :  :)» ;    Kphe-.  1:  «;  3:  10.  21  ;    Rrv.  5:  13..../  Isa.  57  :  1:);  ch.  1:79; 

Kom.  5:1;  Eph^^.  2:  17;  Col.  1  :  20 g  John  3:  16:    Kphe<   2:  4,  7;    2  Thess.  2.  IK;  1  John  4:  !),  10. 1  Or,  Anointed  Lord 

2  Many  aucleiil  authorltien  read,  peace,  good  iiUaaure  among  men 3  Gi-.  men  uf  guud pleasure. 


offered,  and  available  for  all,  without  dis- 
tinction of  nationality,  rank,  or  condition. 
This  is  fully  brought  out  in  the  following 
clauses. — Of  great  joy,  i.  c,  suited  to  oc- 
casion great  joy.— Which  ((/reat  joy)  shall 
be  to  all  (the)  people,  i.  e.,  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. Such  it  was  tit  to  be  in  its  intrinsic 
nature  and  in  the  design  of  its  Author;  such 
it  became  transiently  to  the  mass  of  that 
people  (John  6:  to),  and  eternally  to  a  prepared 
few  (John  1:12. 13);  and  such  it  is  to  be,  finally 
and  permanently,  to  the  nation  as  a  whole 

(Rom.  11:  26.31). 

11.  For  unto  you  is  born,  etc., — prop- 
erly, "teas  born^  The  promise  long  de- 
ferred and  waited  for  has  been  fulfilled.  The 
birth  is  stated  first  (as  in  the  Revision)  as 
nearest  to  the  heart. — This  day,  since  the 
sunset  which  closed  yesterday.  In  the  city 
of  David,  as  the  ancient  prophecips  foretold 
(Mic.  5:2;  compare  Matt.  2:  G;  John  7:  42). 
This  sentence  stands  last  in  the  original,  be- 
ing reserved  until  what  was  more  important 
had  been  told. — A  Saviour — a  Greek  word  is 
used,  equivalent  to  Jesus,  the  Grecized  He- 
brew, as  in  ch.  1 :  31 ;  Matt.  1:21.— Which 
(who)  is  Christ  the  Lord. — Christ  is  equiv- 
alent to  anointed.  This,  may  accordingly  be 
taken  as  anointed  Lord,  which  view  West- 
cott  and  Hort  indicate  in  their  form  of  the 
Greek  text,  though  the  sense  before  given  is 
probably  correct.  Either  way,  the  Saviour 
born  is  declared  to  be  the  Messiah,  and  di- 
vine. The  angelic  ken  discerns  as  already 
realized  that  which  the  Apostle  Paul  long 
after  celebrates  as  the  result  of  the  incarna- 
tion, death,  and  ascension  of  the  Saviour, 
"that  everj'  knee  should  bow,  and  every 
tongue  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to 
the  glory  of  God  the  Father." 

Vl.  And  this  shall  be  (is)  a  sign  unto 
you;  i.  c,  the  statement  which  I  will  now 
make  is  a  token  by  which  you  can  test  the 
verity  of  my  anouncement. — Ye  shall   find 


the  (a)  babe  wrapped,  etc.  The  extraordi- 
nary fact  of  a  babe  just  born  lying  in  a 
manger,  swathed  in  bands  wrapped  round  and 
round,  in  lack  of  more  comfortable  clothing, 
would  prove  to  them  that  the  angel  had  spoken 
with  superhuman  knowledge. 

13,  14.  And  suddenly  there  was  with 
thcangel.  The  language  gives  the  impres- 
sion of  a  mavelous  apparition.  In  an  instant, 
without  an  intimation  of  how,  or  whence,  in 
place  of  a  single  angel  amid  the  vacant  night, 
there  came  to  be  a  multitude  of  the  heav- 
enly host,  or  armj'.  With  reference  to  the 
number  of  his  angels,  Jehovah  is  named  the 
Lord  God  of  Sabaoth.  They  are  called  a  host, 
as  a  convenient  way  of  indicating  a  vast  num- 
ber— not  a  confused  throng — but  in  ordered 
ranks,  and,  perhaps,  with  leadership  of  well- 
adjusted  grades.  While  earth  slept,  not 
dreaming  even  of  the  change  initiated  in  its 
moral  situation  and  eternal  prospects,  all 
heaven  is  seen  astir  and  thrilling  with  un- 
wonted interest. — Praising  God,  and  say- 
ing. Glory  to  God,  etc.  Verse  14,  is  to  be 
regarded  as  a  declaration  by  the  angels  that 
glory  is  rendered  to  God  in  heaven  on  ac- 
count of  the  birth  of  Jesu.s. — Glory  to  God  is 
adoring  honor,  the  expressed  rccogniti(m  of 
those  excellences  which  God  has  displayed  in 
this  gift  of  a  Saviour,  as  being  worthy  of  uni- 
versal worship.  This  was  manifested  in  the 
highest,  viz.,  '^places,"   the  loftiest  heavens 

in    which    he    resides    (Jnl>  1G:  lO;  ?».  US:  l;  Matt.  21:9; 

Eph.  1:3). — And  on  earth— as  opposed  to  the 
highest — peace,  viz.,  '^i.i prepared."  Such 
had  been  promised  to  be  the  fact  in  the  Mes- 

Sinaic     times      (I«'i.9:6.7;  52:710;  Mic.5:2-5).  The 

predictions  would  have  led  us  to  expect  a 
cessation  of  war  and  conflicts  among  men,  as 
one  fruit  of  the  advent  of  Christ.  We  may 
still  hope  that  the  expectation  .shall  sometime 
be  fulfilled,  although  blood  still  flows  in  rivers, 
and  hearts  still  break,  by  myriads,  through 
the  atrocities  of  war.     But  it  was  peace  in  a 


48 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  II. 


higher  sense  that  was  chiefly  intended — the 
cessation  of  conflict  with  God  through  sin,  and 
/  of  his  anger  toward  the  sinner  in  Christ  (Rom. 
1:7;  5:1;  Kph.  2 :  u-17).  To  Jews,  familiar  with  the 
comprehensive  significance  of  the  Hebrew 
word  Shalom,  Greek  (etp^vjj),  "peace"  would 
still  more  broadly  suggest  all  welfare  and 
blessing,  even  all  of  salvation.  Jesus  himself 
seemed  so  little  to  expect  it  in  the  other  sense, 
as  a  speedy  result  of  his  influence,  that  he 
rather  spoke  of  himself  as  come  to  send  a 
sword.     Yet  his  peace,  once  generally  estab- 


glory — peace — good  will.".  But  as  it  is  all  said 
"praising  God"  (ver. is);  as  the  glory  is  in 
"the  highest"  places  unto  God,  and  as  "the 
good  will  "  to  men  is  hardly  now  a  matter  of 
prayer,  it  seems  better  to  regard  the  whole  as 
a  declaration  of  what  is  in  heaven,  and  is  por- 
tended on  the  earth.  But  it  will  be  noticed 
that  the  Revised  Version  gives  quite  another 
rendering  of  the  last  clause.  This  depends  on 
the  addition  of  a  letter,  in  excellent  author- 
ities for  the  Greek  text,  to  the  word  translated 
"good  pleasure,'    turning  it  into  a  possessive 


Bl'.THLlillKM. 


lished  in  human  souls,  is  the  sure  and  only 
hope  of  all  peace. — Good  will  (rather,  good 
pleasure)  toward  (or,  among)  men.  The 
"good  pleasure"  is  God's  gracious  regard  for 
men  as  manifested  in  the  gift  of  salvation  to 
them  in  their  lost  and  wretched  condition. 
Compare  12:  B2;  Phil.  2:  13,  where  salvation, 
in  another  aspect,  is  the  fruit  of  God's  good 
pleasure.  Such  is  the  apparent  sense  of  this 
brief  and  comprehensive  song,  according  to 
the  familiar  form  of  the  text,  in  its  last  clause. 
Some  prefer  to  understand  the  expre.^sions  in 
an  optative  or  hortatory  sense  :  "  Let  there  be 


case,  "of  good  pleasure."  Then  the  strict 
translation  becomes,  "c/zirf  on  earth  peace  in 
men  of  good  pleasure.''  This  sounds  strangely 
to  our  ears,  but  the  evidence  in  its  favor  is  so 
weight}'  that  most  of  the  greate.-^t  critics  of  the 
age  have  been  constrained  to  accept  it  as  what 
was  actually  written.  Indeed,  if  this  sentence 
had  been  familiar  to  us,  and  seen  to  be  con- 
sistent with  the  context,  the  reasons  in  favor 
of  the  old  reading  would  be  easily  answered. 
In  this  form,  too,  the  parallel  between  the 
two  members  of  the  hymn  is  m(>re  satisfactory 
— on  earth  answering  to  in  the  highest ;  peace. 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


49 


15  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  angels  were  gone  away 
from  them  into  heaven,  "  the  sheplierils  said  one  to 
another,  Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Bethlehem,  and  see 
this  thing  which  is  come  to  pass,  which  the  Lord  hath 
made  known  unto  us. 

IG  And  they  came  with  haste,  and  found  Mary,  and 
Joseph,  and  the  babe  lying  in  a  manger. 

17  .\nd  when  they  had  seen  tV,  they  made  known 
abroad  the  saying  wiich  was  told  them  concerning  this 
child. 

l.S  And  all  they  that  heard  it  wondered  at  those 
things  which  were  told  them  by  the  shepherds. 

19  *  Hut  Mary  kept  all  these  things,  and  pondered 
Ihem  in  her  heart. 

20  And  the  shepherds  returned,  glorifying  and  prais-  | 
ing  (ii)d  for  all  the  things  that  they  had  heard   and 
seen,  as  it  was  told  unto  tlieni. 

21  «  And  when  eight  days  were  accomplished  for  the 
circumcising  of  the  child,  his  name  was  called  <<  JKSUS, 
which  was  so  named  of  the  angel  before  he  was  con- 
ceived in  the  womb. 


15  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  angels  went  awaj 
from  them  into  heaven,  the  shepherds  said  one  to 
another.  Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Bethlehem,  and 
see  this  >  thing  that  is  come  to  pass,  which  the  Lord 

16  hath  made  known  unto  us.  And  they  came  with 
haste,  and  found  both   Mary  and  Joseph,  and   the 

17  babe  lying  in  the  manger.  And  when  they  saw  it, 
they  made  known  concerning  the  saying  which  was 

18  spoken  to  them  about  this  child.  And  all  that  heard 
it  wondered  at  the  things  which  were  spoken  unto 

19  them  by  the  shepherds.     But  Mary  kept  all   these 
2J -sayings,  pondering  tlic.ii  in   her  heart.     And   the 

shepherds  returned,  glorifying  and  praising  (iod  for 
all  the  things  that  they  hsid  heard  and  seen,  even  aa 
it  was  spoken  unto  them. 
2;  And  when  eight  days  were  fulfilled  for  circum- 
cising him,  his  name  was  called  Jksus,  which  was  so 
called  by  the  angel  before  he  was  conceived  in  the 
womb. 


.  the  men,  the  thepherdt ft  Qen.  37  :  11 ;  ch.  1 :  66;  ver.  51 e  Gen.  17 :  12;  Lev.  12:  3;  cb.  1 :  59 d  Matt.  1 :  21,  25: 

1  :  31. 1  Or,  taying J  Or,  thiagt. 


to  glory  ;  in  men,  to  to  God.  The  clause  tnen 
of  good  pleasure  is  certainly  singular  and  ob- 
scure. Yet  to  the  Hebrew  mind  it  would 
naturally  convey  the  idea  of  "men  whose 
good  pleasure  it  was,"  viz.,  to  receive  the 
peace  provided  in  Christ,  or,  as  the  connection 
might  require,  "men  who  were  the  objects  of 
good  pleasure,"  viz.,  God's,  described  above. 
This  is  much  the  more  probable  sense,  and  is 
given  more  idiomatically  by  the  Revision, 
as  "men  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased."  It 
does  not  refer  to  particular  men  in  distinc- 
tion from  others,  but  to  all  men,  regarded  now 
as  objects  of  God's  good  pleasure,  in  that  he 
has  sent  them  a  Saviour.  Meyer  substan- 
tially adopts  the  other  view.  Neither  of  the 
two  texts  is  so  unquestionably  certain  as  to 
nullify  the  other,  and  we  have  thought  it 
right  to  comment  on  both,  while  we  strongly 
incline,  as  a  matter  of  documentary  evidence, 
with  the  light  now  afforded,  to  accept  as  genuine 
the  reading,  "men  of  good  pleasure." 
15-20.  Visit  of  the  Shephkkds. 

15.  Such  an  announcement  must  be  followed 
up,  especially  as  the  departure  of  the  angels, 
now  distinctly  visible,  through  the  upper  re- 
gions of  the  atmosphere,  into  heaven,  gave  it 
additional  solemnity. — Let  us  now  go  even 
unto  Bethlehem— a  way  of  speaking  which 
implies  that  it  was  a  considerablt"  journey  for 
them  to  undertake.  They  w^i..d  not  stop 
short  of  the  very  spot. — And  see  this  thing 
— strictly,  "  this  sar/ing" — interpreted  by  the 
last  clause  of  the  verse — which  the  Lord,  etc. 

16.  And  found — discovered,  after  search — 


and  they  saw  what  God  had  made  known  to 
them.  That  they  should  be  permitted  to 
intrude  on  the  privacy  of  such  a  scene,  may 
have  been  partly  owing  to  the  simple  man- 
ners of  the  time;  but  more  to  the  unavoidable 
freedom  of  the  phice — whether  a  stable  in  our 
sense,  or  the  broad,  open  court  of  the  inn,  or 
a  cave  for  the  shelter  of  beasts;  and  some- 
what, perhaps,  to  a  preliminary  intimation  of 
the  reason  of  their  visit. 

17.  And — they  made  known  abroad — 
to  those  who  were  present,  nut  abroad. 
The  word  abroad  is  better  omitted. — The 
saying — concerning  the  child.  The  llcvi- 
sioii  is  better:  "  Concerning  the  saying  which 
was  spoken  to  them  about  this  child.'' 

18.  Until  this  intelligence  from  the  shep- 
herds, we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  any 
person  there,  except  Joseph  and  Mar^',  knew 
that  anything  out  of  the  way  of  nature  had 
taken  place. 

19.  But  Mary  kept  all  these  things  {say- 
ings) and  pondered  {ot,  pondering)  them 
in  her  heart.  Her  mother-heart,  not  com- 
prehending clearly  yet  what  it  was  to  have 
borne  the  Messiah,  suffered  not  a  word  that 
could  afford  light  to  fall;  "pondering," 
strictlj',  "putting  together."  "comparing" 
them  all  to  see  what  conclusion  they  would 
warrant.  The  process  was  carried  on  in  her 
heart. 

20.  The  complete  correspondence  of  what 
the  shepherds  heard  and  saw  at  the  manger, 
with  what  was  said  to  them  by  the  angel, 
cleared  their  knowledge,  confirmed  their 
faith,  and  filled  them  with  a  livelier  spirit  of 


Mary,  and  Joseph,  and  the  babe  lying  in 
a  {the)  manger.     Insert  both  before  Mary,  j  thanksgiving  and  praise. 
The  sign   (ver.  12)  was  thus  literally  realized,        21.  Thk   Circumcision  of  Jesus 

D 


And 


50 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  II. 


22  And  "  when  the  days  of  her  purification  accord- 
ing to  the  luw  of  Moses  were  accomplished,  they 
brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  to  present  him  to  the  Lord  ; 

23  (As  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  'Every 
male  that  openeth  the  womb  shall  be  called  holy  to  the 
Lord;) 

24  And  to  offer  a  sacrifice  according  to  '  that  which  is 
said  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  A  pair  of  turtledoves,  or 
two  young  pigeons. 

25  And, behold,  there  was  a  man  in  Jerusalem,  whose 
name  wax  Simeon;  and  the  same  man  wa.s  just  and 
devout,  d  waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel:  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  upon  him. 


22  And  when  the  days  of  their  purification  according 
to  the  law  of  Moses  were  fulfilled,  they  brought  him 

23  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  present  him  to  the  Lord  (as  it  is 
written  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  Every  male  that 
openeth  the  womb  shall  be  called  holy  to  the  Lord), 

24  and  to  offer  a  sacrifice  according  to  that  which  is  said 
in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  A  pair  of  turtledoves,  or  two 

25  young  pigeons.  And  behold,  there  was  a  man  in 
Jerusalem,  whose  name  was  Simeon  ;  and  this  man 
was  righteous  and  devout,  looking  for  the  consola- 
tion of  Israel:  and  the  Holy  Spirit  was  upon  him. 


a  Lev.  12:  2,3,  4,  6 5  Ex.  13:  2;  22  :  29;  34- 19;  Num.  3:  13;  8:  17;  18:15....c  Lev.  12:  2,6,8 Isa.  40:  1;  Murk  15:  43;  ver.  38. 


when  eight  days  were  accomplished  {ful- 
filled) for  the  circumcising  of  the  child 
(of  him),   his  name  was  called  Jesus.     It 

■will  be  noticed  that  the  fact  of  his  being 
circumcised  is  simply  assumed,  and  that 
everything  about  it  claims  little  attention, 
compared  with  the  case  of  John  (i:  ^f)-  This 
has  led  some  to  surmise  less  subserviency  to 
the  ritual  law;  but  is  it  not  rather  from  the 
overwhelming  interest  in  that  name,  Jesus, 
Saviour,  which,  however  common  previously, 
as  an  appellation  of  men,  was  thenceforth  to 
be  holy  as  "the  name  above  every  name"  in 
heaven  and  on  earth,  for  time  and  for  eter- 
nity? Yet  our  Lord,  "being  made  of  a 
woman,  made  under  the  law,"  must  be  cir- 
cumcised, that  he  might  in  every  sense  fulfill 
the  law. 

23-24.  The  Purification  in  the 
Temple. 

22.  And  when  the  days  of  her  [their) 
purification  were  accomplished  {ful- 
filled). The  law  of  Moses  regarded  the  wo- 
man who  had  given  birth  to  a  child  as  ceremo- 
nially unclean,  in  the  case  of  a  son,  for  forty 
days;  after  which  certain  purifying  rites, 
involving  a  sacrifice,  were  to  be  performed, 
before  she  could  be  regarded  as  ritually  clean. 
Purification  was  not  required  of  the  child; 
but  as  another  ceremony  was  appointed  for 
the  first-born  son  on  such  an  occasion,  both 
mother  and  child  are  associated  here  in  the 
pronoun  "their"  of  the  correct  text.  The 
law  for  the  mother,  may  be  read  in  Lev.  12: 
2-4;  for  the  child,  in  Ex.  13:2;  22:29;  34: 
20;  Num.  3:13.— They  brought  him  to 
.ferusalem.  Circumcision  might  be  per- 
formed in  private;  but  the  purification  and 
presentation  must  take  place  at  the  .sanctuary, 
through  the  priest. — To  present  him  to  the 
Lord,  as  it  is  written,  etc.  (See  Ex.  13:  2.) 
This  presentation  was  in  order  to  the  ceremo- 
nial redemption,   by  which  every  first-born 


son  must  be  bought  oflP  by  his  parents.  The 
ground  of  this  necessity  is,  with  much  proba- 
bility, supposed  to  have  been  that,  before  the 
limitation  of  the  priesthood  to  the  family  of 
Aaron,  the  Lord  had  claimed  every  first-born 
son  for  a  priest.  After  that  institution,  the 
claim  was  not  enforced,  but  was  kept  in  re- 
membrance by  requiring  that  such  son,  at  the 
age  of  a  month,  should  appear  at  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  be  "redeemed"  by  paying  five 
shekels  to  the  sacred  treasury,  for  the  priests 
who  took  his  place  (Num.  is :  15, 16).  If  the  claim 
of  five  shekels  (more  than  three  dollars  in 
silver),  still  held,  it  must  have  been  a  heavy 
tax  on  those  who,  like  Joseph  and  Mary,  had 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  Cf)ncession  in  the 
law  (Ex.  13:8),  which  allowed  those  who  could 
not  aflPord  a  lamb  for  the  purification  sacrifice, 
or  even  the  pair  of  turtle  doves,  to  present 
what  was  still  cheaper  and  more  easy  to  pro- 
cure, two  young  (unfledged)  pigeons.  The 
oflTering  required,  for  the  redemption  of  their 
Son  from  the  ritual  priesthood,  that  he  might 
become  the  High  Priest  of  God  for  all  man- 
kind, may  well  have  forbidden  the  expense  of 
a  lamb  for  the  mother  (Lev.  12:6). 

25--38.  Prophecies  of  Simeon  and 
Anna. 

1.  Of  Simeon,  25-35. 

25.  And  behold — calls  attention  to  a  re- 
markable coincidence.— There  was  a  man 
in  Jerusalem,  apparently  residing  there, 
and  well  known  for  his  piety  and  his  great 
age. — And  the  same  {this)  man  was  .just 
{rifjhteous)  and  devout,  belonging  to  the 
same  class  of  worshipers  as  Zacharias  and 
Elisabeth  (i:5, 6),  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea 
(Mark  15: 43).  Righteous  in  the  same  sense 
as  in  the  passage  cited,  while  devout  cor- 
responds to  "walking  in  the  commandmentH 
and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless."  — 
Waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel, 
i.  c,  for  the  great  relief  to  Israel  from  their 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


51 


26  And  it  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  he  should  not  <•  see  death,  before  he  had  seen  the 
Lord's  Christ. 

27  And  he  came  'by  the  Spirit  into  the  temple:  and 
when  the  parents  brought  in  the  child  Jesus,  to  do  tor 
him  after  the  custom  of  the  law, 

28  Then  took  he  him  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed 
God,  and  said, 

29  Lord,  'now  let  test  thou  thy  servant  depart  iu 
peace,  according  to  thy  word : 

30  For  mine  eyes  ■^have  seen  thy  salvation, 

31  Which  thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all 
people ; 

32  '  A  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of 
thy  people  Israel. 

33  And  Joseph  and  his  mother  marvelled  at  those 
things  which  were  spoken  of  him. 


I  26  And   it  had  been   revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy 

I       Spirit,  that  he  should  not  see  death,  before  he  had 

[  27  seen  the  Lord's  Christ.     And  he  came  in  the  Spirit 

into  the  temple:   and  when  the  parents  brought  in 

the  child  Jesus,  that  they  might  do  concerning  him 

I  28  after  the  custom  of  the  law,  then  he  received  him 

into  his  arms,  and  blessed  God,  and  said, 

29  Now  lettest  thou  thy  i servant  depart,  O^Lord, 
According  to  thy  word,  in  peace ; 

30  For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation, 

31  Which  thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all 

peoples ; 

32  A  light  for  3  revelation  to  the  Gentiles, 
And  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel. 

33  And  his  father  and  his  mother  were  marvelling  at 


».-  i8;  Hi-h.  11:  5.... 6  M»lt.  4:  I....cGeii.  46:  30;  Phil.  1  :  23. ...dUn.  52:  10;  cb.3:  6....1!  Isa.  9:  2;  42:  6;  49:6;  60:  ] 
2,  3;  Matt.  4:  16;  Acts  13:  47;  28:  26. 1  Gr.  bondtervant 2  Matter 3  Or,  tke  unveUing  o/tke  GentUet. 


prostration,  ungodliness,  and  suffering.  (Com- 
pare Gen.  49:  18;  Isa.  40:  1 ;  49:  2=3),  which 
he  looiced  for  as  coming  through  the  Mes- 
siah— And  the  Holy  Ghost  (Spirit)  was 
upon  him.  This  seems  to  be  stated  as  if  it 
were  habitually  qualifying  him  for  the  revehi- 
tion  next  spoken  of,  and  for  the  special  dis- 
cernment which  he  now  displayed. 

26.  And  it  was  (had  been)  revealed  nnto 
him  that  he  should  not  see  death,  etc. — 
and  with  the  addition,  as  we  may  Judge  from 
ver.  29,  that  when  he  had  seen  the  Lord's 
Christ  he  would  die 

27-29.  And  he  came  by  (in)  the  Spirit 
into  the  temple — not  of  his  own  personal 
impulse,  therefore,  but  moved  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  to  visit  the  temple  just  at  that  time. — 
And  when  the  parents — as  they  were  both 
taken  to  be — brought  in  the  child  Jesus  to 
do  for  him  after  the  custom  of  the  law; 
namely,  to  redeem  as  described,  on  ver.  22, 
23,  then  took  he  him  up  (received  him — 
strictly,  it — )  in  his  arms  ;  received  as 
though  it  had  been  offered  to  him  for  his 
blessing;  into  his  arms,  with  affectionate 
tenderness. — And  blessed  God;  returning 
thanks  with  praise. — Now,  Lord,  lettest 
thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  ac- 
cording to  thy  word.  The  order  of  the 
words  is  correctly  represented  in  the  Re- 
vision. The  Greek  for  Lord  (S«<j-)rdTjjs),  is 
not  the  one  ordinarily  used,  but  one  which 
names  the  master  in  relation  to  the  servant. 
It  recurs  often  in  Luke.  Lettest  thou  thy 
servant  depart  (fhnu  dost  dismiss,  or  set  him 
free).  Thy  word  is  the  saying  in  which 
the  revelation  of  ver.  20  had  been  expressed. 
The  whole  verse  is  thus  a  joyful  and  adoring 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  term  of  his 
detention  on  the  earth  is  fulfilled,  and  that 


with  the  appearance  of  the  infant  Messiah 
his  release  is  beginning.  Now — after  so  long 
a  time — art  thou  at  last  setting  thy  bond- 
servant free,  O  Master,  as  thy  long  cherished 
promise  foretold,  in  blessed  peace.  He  is  di- 
vinely assured  that  this  infant  is  the  promised 
Saviour,  and  finds  in  the  fact  a  proof  that  he 
may  now  go  to  his  rest. 

30.  For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salva- 
tion. Thy  salvation  is  more  nearly,  "thy 
provision  for  salvation,"  the  Greek  word 
(tratTrjpiov)  being  different  from  that  which 
ordinarily  expresses  the  idea  (<rur>)pta). 

31.  Which  thou  hast  prepared  (pre- 
paredst)  before  the  face  of  all  people 
(peoples),  as  lying  open  to  their  acceptance 
also. 

32.  A  light  to  enlighten  (for  revelation 
to)  the  Gentiles.  This  is  a  still  more  distinct 
statement  of  the  design  to  extend  the  benefits 
of  salvation  to  all  the  peoples,  so  that  none 
should  be  left  without  a  knowledge  of  the 
will  of  God  and  the  way  of  life.  His  declara- 
tions are  as  explicit  as  those  of  Isaiah,  and  in 
respect  to  evangelical  largeness,  quite  throw 
the  utterances  of  Mary  and  Zucharias  (ch.  1) 
into  the  shade.  The  universal  scope  of  the 
mercy  in  Christ  is  thus  indicated  at  his  first 
appearance  among  men. — And  the  glory 
of  thy  people  Israel.  What  a  glory  if 
only  they  had  so  accepted  the  offered  blessing, 
that  the  rest  of  the  world  should  have  looked 
up  to  that  nation  as  the  perpetual  leaders  of 
salvation  ! 

33.  And  Joseph  and  his  mother  mar- 
velled (trere  marvelling).  Joseph,  in  a 
later  Greek  text,  in  place  of  his  father, 
betraj's  the  care  of  men  to  speak  more  pre- 
cisely than  the  inspired  writer  had  done. 
They  were  wondering  at  what  he  was  saying. 


52 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  II. 


34  And  Simeon  blessed  them,  and  said  unto  Mary  his 
mother,  Behold,  this  child  is  set  lor  the  <■  fall  and  rising 
again  of  many  in  Israel;  and  for 'a  sign  which  shall 
be  spoken  against; 

3ij  (Yea, '  a  sword  shall  pierce  through  thy  own  soul 
also,)  that  the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  may  be  re- 
vealed. 

36  And  there  was  one  Anna,  a  prophetess,  the 
daughter  of  Phanuel,  of  the  tribe  of  Aser:  she  was  of 
a  great  age,  and  had  lived  with  an  husband  seven  years 
from  her  virginity ; 


34  the  things  which  were  spoken  concerning  him ;  and 
Simeon  blessed  them,  and  said  unto  Mary  his  mother, 
Behold,  this  child  is  set  lor  the  falling  and  the  rising 
of  many  in  Israel;  and  for  a  sign  which  is  spoken 

35  against ;  yea  and  a  sword  shall  pierce  through  thine 
own  soul ;  that  thoughts  out  of  many  hearts  may  be 

36  revealed.  And  there  was  one  Anna,  a  prophetess,  the 
daughter  of  Phanuel,  of  the  tribe  of  Asher  (she  was 
lof  a  great  age,  having  lived  with  a  husband  seven 


olsa.  8:  14;  Hoseal4:9;  Mate.  21:  44;  Rnni.9:  32,  S-S :  1  Cor.  1  :  23,  24:  2  Cor.  2 :  16;  1  Pet.  2 :  7  3 b  Acts 

Jofau  19  :  25. 1  Gr.  advanced  in  many  days. 


:22....cP».  42:  10; 


both  as  coming  from  a  stranger,  and  because 
of  the  boundless  extent  of  benefits  which  he 
predicted  from  it,  reaching  to  the  ends  of  the 
world. 

34.  And  Simeon  blessed  them,  (invoked 
God's  blessing  on  the7n)—and  said  unto 
Mary — to  her  in  particular,  as  if  with  a  divine 
perception  of  her  peculiar  relation  to  the 
child,  and  certainly  with  a  prophetic  fore- 
sight of  her  future  experiences— Behold  this 
child  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising  again 
{falling  and  rising  up)  of  many  in  Israel. 
Is  set— is  placed,  appointed.  The  fall  and 
rising  again,  may  be  taken  as  referring  to 
the  same,  or  to  different  persons.  In  the 
former  view  the  phrase  would  foretell  the 
moral  prostration  into  which  many  would 
fall,  the  repentance  and  humiliation  which 
they  would  experience,  when  made  conscious 
of  sin,  in  the  light  of  the  Messianic  preaching, 
and  the  elation  of  spirit,  a  rising  up  of  the 
he.art,  through  pardon,  justification,  and  adop- 
tion, which  in  that  light  would  be  found 
possible.  In  the  latter,  and  more  probably 
correct  view,  the  fall  was  to  happen  to 
the  worldly,  proud,  self-righteous,  and  obsti- 
nately unbelieving — the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
and  rulers  ganerally,  who  would  be  crushed, 
and  carry  down  the  nation  with  them — while 
yet  many  of  the  lowly,  penitent,  seeking 
ones  would  rise_ through  faith  in  Jesus  to  true 
dignity,  happiness,  and  glory ;  and  in  the  end  a 
great  multitud;i  of  the  nation,  yea,  "all  Israel 
should  be  saved"  (Rom.  11:  26.  Comp.  Isa. 
8:  14;  Rom.  9:  32,  33;  1  Cor.  1:  23,  24;  1  Pet. 
2:  7,  8). — And  for  a  sign  which  shall  be 
spoken  against.  Omit  which  shall  be. 
How  tjrue  this  was  in  the  first  age,  on  the  part 
of  both  Jew  and  Gentile,  is  obvious  to  every 
one.  "Gainsaying,"  in  Rom.  10:21,  is  the 
action  of  those  who  were  doing  what  is  here 
predicted.  It  culminated  in  the  taunts  and 
ribaldry  of  the  day  of  crucifixion,  when  he 


who  was  given  as  a  sign  (M^tt.  i2:S9. 40)  of 
God's  counsel  concerning  his  kingdom,  was 
rejected  in  favor  of  an  infamous  malefactor. 
35.  Yea,  a  sword  shall  pierce  through 
thy  own  soul  also.  The  Revision  prop- 
erly omits  the  parenthesis,  and  substitutes 
"and"  in  the  beginning  for  also  at  the  end. 
This  clause  joins  closely  with  the  preceding, 
and  the  following  one  depends  on  this.  A 
sword  shall  pierce, strictly,  go  through,  etc., 
is  a  metaphor  to  express  strongly  the  pangs 
which  would  rend  the  mother's  heart,  in  view 
of  that  contradiction  of  sinners  against  her 
Son  (Heb.  12:  3),  under  which  she  would  see  him 
expire  on  the  cross.  The  order  of  the  Greek 
words  makes  this  only  a  complementary 
phase  of  the  suffering  to  Jesus  himself;  he  is 
set  for  a  sign  snoken  against,  and  through 
thy  own  soul  also  will  go  a  sword. — That 
the  thoughts  {reasonings,  or  process  of 
thought)  of  [out  of)  many  hearts  may  be 
revealed.  That,  distinctly  equivalent  to 
in  order  that.  It  is  of  the  divine  purpose 
that  as  a  result  of  Christ's  death  of  agony, 
the  views  and  conclusions  of  men  concerning 
him  should  be  brought  to  light  in  their  words 
and  conduct.  So  it  proved  from  the  Day  of 
Pentecost. 

36-38.    Testimony   of    Anna,    a    Pro- 
phetess. 

35.  And  there  was  one  Anna,  a  pro- 
phetess— a  successor  to  Hannah  and  Hulda 
and    Deborah,    of    the   olden    time^proving 
again,    how,    at    this  turning  period   of   the 
Jewish  history,   the  special  sources  of  com- 
munication from  heaven  to  men,  were  opened 
anew. — Daughter  of  Phanuel,  of  the  tribe 
of  Aser  {Asher) — showing  that  in  the  oblite- 
ration  of   tribal   boundaries,    the   lineage   of 
women  also  was,  in  some  cases  at  least,   ao- 
i  curately   preserved. — She   was   of  a  great 
I  age,  and  had   (having)  lived  with   a   hus- 
'  band  seven  years  from  her  virginity. 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


53 


37  And  she  iva.i  a  widow  of  about  fourscore  and  four 
years,  which  departed  not  from  the  temple,  but  served 
iiod  with  fastings  and  prayers  "  night  and  day. 

as  And  she  coming  in  that  instant  gave  tliauks  like- 
wise unto  the  Lord,  and  spake  of  him  to  all  them  that 
*  looked  for  redemption  in  Jerusalem. 

3'J  And  when  they  had  performed  all  things  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  the  Lord,  they  returned  inio 
Galilee,  to  their  own  city  Nazareth. 

40 '■And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit, 
filled  with  wisdom:  and  the  grace  of  Uod  was  upon 
him. 


37  years  from  her  virginity,  and  she  had  been  a  widow 
even  unto  fourscore  and  four  years),  who  departed 
not  from  the  temple,  worshipping  with  fastings  and 

38  supplications  night  and  day.  And  coming  up  at  that 
very  hour  she  gave  thanks  unto  (jod,  and  spuke  of 
him  to  all  tliem  that  were  looking  for  the  redemption 

39  of  Jerusalem.  And  when  they  had  accomplished  all 
things  that  were  according  to  the  law  of  the  Lord, 
they  returned  into  Galilee,  to  their  own  city  Naza- 
reth. 

40  And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong, '  filled  with 
wisdom  :  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him. 


a  Acts 26:  7  ;  1  Tim.  5:5 b  Hark  15:  43;  ver.  25;  ch.  24:  21....e  ch.  1 :  80;  ver.  52. 1  6r.  becoming /uU  of  wiidom. 


37.  And  she  was  a  widow  of  about 
fourscore  and  four  years.  Rather,  even  unto 
eighty-four  years.  The  description  emphasizes 
her  single  marriage  and  long  widowhood.  She 
had  been  married  but  a  short  time,  and  ever 
since  had  remained  a  widow,  which  was  re- 
garded as  religiously  honorable  to  her.  The 
reckoning  of  her  age  at  this  time  is  a  little  un- 
certain. The  English  Revision,  in  rendering 
"she  had  been  a  widow  even  for,"  etc.,  would 
suppose  her  full  age  to  have  been  at  least  one 
hundred  and  five  years.  The  Greek  seems 
hardly  to  warrant,  certainly  docs  not  necessi- 
tate, the  "even  for,"  and  the  intention  of  the 
writer  more  probably  was  to  say  that,  after 
being  left  a  widow  in  early  life,  she  had  lived 
as  a  widow  even  on  to  eighty-four  years  of 
age.  So  Meyer,  (rodet,  Farrar. — Which  (?/;Ao) 
departed  not  from  the  temple — was  there 
wlienever  it  was  open  to  worshipers. — But 
served  God  {worshiping — performing  ser- 
vice to  Qod)  in  fastina^s  and  prayers  {sicp- 
plications)  night  and  day.  Fastings  were 
a  main  part  of  the  practical  righteousness  of 
that  day,  treated  by  our  Lord  (Matt.  6:  is,  tr.]  as 
standing  on  a  level  with  almsgiving  and 
prayer.  Thej'  were  not  commanded  in  the 
divine  law;  only  one  in  the  year,  on  the  Day 
of  Atonement,  being  required.  Some  others 
had  been  brought  in  to  commemorate  great 
national  calamities;  and  in  the  ascetic  .sj^stem 
of  tlie  PiiaristH^s  two  weekly  fasts,  on  Monday 
and  Tlnirsday,  had  become  sacred  among 
them.  The  special  word  used  for  prayers 
here,  "supplications,"  or  entreaties,  implies 
special  earnestness  and  fervor.  Night  and 
day  marks  the  continuance  of  worship  in 
the  temple,  and  may  possibly  mean  that  she 
had  a  place  of  lodging  in  the  temple  enclosure, 
though  this  can  be  only  conjecture;  and  the 
probable  view  is  that,  being  there  late  and 
early,  "all  the  time,"  as  we  say,  she  spent 
parts  of  the  night,  as  well  as  the  day  time,  in 
ber  devotions.         '" 


38.  And  she  coming  in  (the  verb  was 
translated  "came  upon  '  ver.  9,  see  note)  that 
instant  (at  that  very  hour,  when,  namely, 
Simeon  was  speaking  of  the  Christ-child), 
gave  thanks  likewise  unto  the  Lord. 
She  thanked  God  for  his  wonderful  gift,  and 
spake  of  him  to  all  them  that  looked  for 
(the)  redemption  in  {of)  Jerusalem.  Re- 
demption of  Jerusalem  was  equivalent  to 
the  consolation  of  Israel,  for  which  Simeon 
waited  (ver.  25),  only  not  so  directly  referring  to 
the  person  of  the  Messiah.  The  language  im- 
pliesthat  there  were  numbers  of  pious  expect- 
ants in  the  city — all  them — and  Anna,  as  a 
prophetess,  would  now  be  able  to  assure  them 
that  the  redemption  was  drawing  nigh.  [The 
tense  of  the  verb  translated  spake  indicates 
continued  action — was  speaking — doubtless  to 
one  after  another,  or  to  group  after  group,  as 
she  had  opportunity  to  do,  as  devout  persons 
came  into  the  temple  courts — persons  whom 
she  knew  to  be  waiting  for  the  redemption  of 
Jerusalem. — A.  H.] 

39.  Return  of  the  Holy  Family  to 
Nazareth.  All  things  according  to  the 
law,  particularly  the  purification,  and  the 
presentation  of  the  child  (ver.  22--24). — They  re- 
turned into  Galilee,  to  their  own  city 
Nazareth.  Luke  writes  as  if  entirely  un- 
aware of  the  visit  of  the  wise  men,  the  flight 
into  Egypt,  the  recall,  and  the  intention  of 
Joseph  to  settle  in  Judea — incidents  of  this 
period  mentioned  by  Matthew  (2: 1-23). 

40.  Bodily  and  Spiritual  Develop- 
ment OF  Jesus.  And  the  child  grew, 
and  waxed  strong.  Or,  was  strengthened, 
pliysically,  after  the  manner  of  other  chil- 
dren ;  whether  with  freedom  from  those  acci- 
dents and  maladies  to  which  most  are  subject, 
we  are  left  to  conjecture.  Perhaps  the  nega- 
tive is  involved  in  the  statement  that  "he 
bare  our  sicknesses"  (Matt.s:  17). — Filled  with 
wisdom — more  exactly,  becoming  filled.  There 
was  as  truly  normal  a  strengthening  and  ex- 


54 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  II. 


41  Now  his  parents  went  to  Jerusalem  °  every  year 
at  the  feast  of  the  passover. 

42  And  when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  they  went  up 
to  Jerusalem  alter  the  custom  of  the  feast. 

43  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  the  days,  as  they 
returned,  the  child  Jesus  tarried  behind  in  Jerusalem; 
and  Joseph  and  his  mother  knew  not  of  it. 

44  But  they,  supposing  him  to  have  been  in  the 
company,  went  a  day's  journey  ;  and  they  sought  him 
among  their  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance. 

45  And  when  they  found  him  not,  they  turned  back 
again  to  Jerusalem,  seeking  him. 

46  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  three  days  they 
found  him  in  the  temple,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the 
doctors,  both  hearing  them,  and  asking  them  questions. 


41  And  his  parents  went  every  year  to  Jerusalem  at 

42  the  feast  of  the  passover.  And  when  he  was  twelve 
years  old,  they  went  up  after  the  custom  of  the  feast ; 

43  and  when  they  had  fulfilled  the  days,  as  they  were 
returning,  the  boy  Jesus  tarried  behind  in  Jerusa- 

44  lem  ;  and  his  parents  knew  it  not;  but  supposing 
him  to  be  in  the  company,  they  went  a  day's  jour- 
ney ;  and  they  sought  for  him  among  their  kinsfolk 

45  and  acquaintance:   and  when  they  found  him  not, 

46  they  returned  to  Jerusalem,  seeking  for  him.  And 
it  came  to  pass,  after  three  days  they  found  him  in 
the  temple,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  '  doctors,  both 


a  Ex.  23  :  15,  17 ;  3i  :  28  ;  Deut.  16 :  1. 16. 1  Or,  teacher: 


pansion  of  his  intellectual  powers  and  endow- 
ments as  of  his  bodily  frame.  He  advanced 
in  knowledge  of  his  Father's  works  and  will 
and  ways  and  word,  and  in  the  right  applica- 
tion of  such  knowledge  to  the  conduct  of  life, 
for  himself  and  others,  for  time  and  eternity, 
(isa.  ii:2f).  And  the  grace  of  God  was 
upon  him  (johni:u).  He  enjoyed  the  fruits 
of  God's  favor  in  all  his  experience.  It  was 
the  necessary  result  of  the  fact  just  before 
stated.  This  prepares  us  for  the  remarkable 
relation  concerning  him  in  the  next  para- 
graph. 

41-51.  Attendance  on  the  Passover 
AT  Twelve  Years  of  Age. 

41.  Now  (and)  his  parents  went  to 
Jerusalem  every  year  at  the  feast  of  the 
passover.  This  was  required  of  every  male 
Jew  above  twelve  years  of  age  (ex.  23:  15 ;  Deut. 
16;  1-8;  1  Sr.m.  1 :  3. 2i).  After  the  building  of  the 
temple,  the  Passover  could  be  celebrated 
nowhere  but  in  Jerusalem.  It  began  on  the 
14th  of  the  month  Abib,  afterward  Nisan, 
and  continued  through  an  entire  vk'eek. 
Women  were  allowed,  in  the  later  ages  even 
recommended,  to  attend;  and  in  regard  to 
younger  children,  it  was  probably  optional 
with  parents  to  take  them  or  not. 

42.  And  when  he  was  twelve  years  old. 
A-t  this  age,  the  Jewish  boy  began  to  assume 
a  position  in  the  community  which  he  did  not 
occupy  before.  He  was  now  called  "a  son  of 
the  law  ";  began  to  practice  the  fastings,  and 
prescribed  prayers ;  to  wear  the  phylactery, 
like  adult  men.  Scrupulous,  but  not  Phari- 
saic regard  for  the  Mosaic  law,  is  marked  in 
the  piety  of  this  family. 

43.  Fulfilled  the  days,  viz.,  the  well- 
known  seven  (Ex.  nie). — The  child  (boi/) 
Jesus  tarried  behind  in  Jerusalem  ;  and 
Joseph  and  his  mother  knew  not  of  it. 
We  are  left  uncertain   whether   it  was  un- 


awares to  the  boy  that  they  departed  without 
him.  Nor  does  anything  indi'cate  whether 
this  was  his  first  visit  to  Jerusalem  at  the 
Passover.  It  may  have  been  only  the  first 
at  which  anything  specially  noteworthy  oc- 
curred. 

44.  They  went  a  day's  journey — i.  e., 
without  making  special  effort  to  find  him. 
This  day's  journey  would  be  but  a  few  miles, 
perhaps  not  more  than  six  or  eight. — The 
company  was  what  we  should  call  a  caravan, 
made  up  of  the  inhabitants  of  Galilee,  who, 
for  greater  security  from  marauders,  would 
join  sometimes  scores,  if  not  hundreds,  of 
families  journeying  slowly  to  and  from  the 
holy  city.  In  order  to  rest  during  the  heat 
of  noontide,  it  was  their  custom  to  start  before 
light  in  the  morning.  To  get  all  together  on 
the  road,  and  to  settle  arrangements  for  the 
night's  encampment,  might  occui>y  a  consid- 
erable part  of  one  day. — And  tliey  sought 
him.  The  Greek  is  nearly  like  our  "tried  to 
hunt  him  up." — As  their  kinsfolk  and  ac- 
quaintance may  have  been  widely  scattered 
through  the  train,  the  task  would  goon  slowly 
and  imperfectly  ;  and,  even  after  the  halt  for 
the  night,  was  continued  in  vain.  The  boy 
was  not  with  them. 

45.  And  when  they  found  him  not,  there 
was  nothing  to  do  but  to  go  back  to  Jerusa- 
lem, seeking  him.  Some  make  this  clause 
simply  mean  "to  seek  him  there";  but  it  may 
su-pose  a  search  on  the  way  back,  as  well  as 
after  they  arrived.  The  next  morning  they 
would  begin  their  scrutiny  of  the  city.  From 
the  question  of  Jesus  (ver.  49),  we  may,  per- 
haps, infer  that  they  did  not  go  directly  to 
the  temple;  but  in  the  course  of  the  day  they 
reached  the  place. 

46.  The  phrase,  after  three  days,  reckon- 
ing them  to  begin  with  the  departure  of  the 
company,  would  bring  us  near  to  the  close  of 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


55 


47  And  «all  that  heard  him  were  astonished  at  his  47  hearing  them,  and  asking  them  questions:  and  all 
understanding  and  answers.  that  heard  hiiu  were  aiua/.cd  at  his  understanding 

48  And  when  they  saw  iiini,  they  were  amazed:  and  48  and  his  answers.  And  when  they  saw  him,  they 
his  mother  said  unto  him,  Son,  why  hast  thou  thus  were  astonisticd:  and  his  mother  said  uiilo  him, 
dealt  with  us?  behold,  thy  lather  and  I  have  sought  i  Son,  why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us?  behold,  thy 
thee  sorrowing.  *  49  father  and  I  sought  thee  sorrowing.     And   he  said 

VJ  And  he  said  unto  them,  IIow  is  it  that  ye  sought  j       unto  them.  How  is  it  that  ye  sought  me?    knew  ye 
me?   wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  '•my  Father's; 
business?  I 

a  M»tt.  7  :  28;  Hark  1  :  22  ;  ob.  i:  22.  S2;  John  7  :  15,  46 6  Johu  2  :  16. 1  Or.  Child. 


the  third  day,  according  to  our  way  of  speak- 
ing. But  with  the  Hebrews,  one  day,  with 
any  part  of  the  day  before  and  after  it,  would 
freely  be  called  three  days.  Meanwhile 
Jesus,  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  some  who 
would  be  interested  in  his  character  and  man- 
ners, was  availing  himself  of  the  religious 
privileges  afforded  at  the  temple,  which  he 
would  be  able  to  compare  with  the  worship 
and  instruction  of  the  rural  synagogue  of 
Nazareth.  In  some  one  of  the  courts  of  that 
great  and  splendid  structure,  some  of  the 
renowned  rabbis  of  the  day  were  frequently 
found  teaching  the  disciples,  who  sat  below 
them,  reverently  drinking  in  the  wisdom  that 
fell  from  their  lips.  The  names  of  a  crowd 
of  these  teachers  of  the  law  have  come  down 
to  us.  It  is  sufficient  to  mention  the  illus- 
trious Hillel,  Nicodemus,  "the  teacher  of  Is- 
rael" (Revision),  and  Joseph  of  Arima- 
thea.  It  is  possible,  also,  that  Gamaliel, 
Paul's  future  teacher,  may  have  been  now 
pursuing  his  preparatory  studies  for  his  life 
work.  [Is  it  more  likelj',  in  view  of  the  lan- 
guage which  Luke  etnploys  (Acts 5: 34  ir.),  to 
describe  his  position,  a  few  years  later,  that 
Gamaliel  was  already  a  member  of  the  San- 
hedrim, and  therefore  one  of  the  teachers  or 
rabbis,  if  present  at  all  on  this  occasion? — 
A.  H.]  If  not  of  these,  of  such  men  we  are 
to  think  when  we  read  that  his  parents  found 
Jesus  sitting:  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors 
{teachers).  An  ordinary  boy  of  twelve  years, 
however  religious,  would  be  little  at  home  in 
such  a  place,  and  would  at  the  most  wait 
outside  the  circle,  to  catch  what  instruction 
he  could.  Jesus  was  not  only  in  the  midst  of 
them,  but  apparently  one  of  the  ring  of 
disciples— both  hearing  them  and  askin§: 
them  questions.  Here  is  opened  a  wide 
field  for  the  imagination,  in  which  expositors 
have  freely  expatiated,  touching  the  attitude 
and  manner  of  the  child,  the  topics  on  which 
he  discoursed  and  asked  questions.  The  nar- 
rative does  not  indicate  that  he  discoursed. 
AVe  are  simply  told  that  he  listened  to  them 


and  asked  them  questions.  This  was  the 
manner  of  teaching  at  the  time.  Purely 
oral,  it  was  catechetical  in  its  nature,  by 
question  and  answer,  yet  involving  some 
liberty  of  following  out  trains  of  thought 
suggested,  and  the  proposal  of  personal  ideas, 
in  the  waj-  of  questions  at  least. 

47.  That  he  thus  intimated  views  of  the 
truth  of  God  quite  different  from  the  stereo- 
t\'f)('d  dicta  of  the  ordinary  teachers,  is  plainly 
taught  us,  when  we  are  told  that  all  that 
heard  him  were  astonished  at  his  under- 
standing— as  displayed  in  the  questions  which 
he  propounded,  and  answers  which  he  gave; 
in  both  which  equally  he  betrayed  his  ac- 
quaintance with  the  very  spirit  of  the  truth. 
Everything  was  consistent  with  the  modesty 
of  youth,  while  expressing  more  than  the 
common  wisdom  of  age.  Even  then  he  "spake 
as  never  man  spake." 

48.  And  when  they  (his  parents)  saw 
him,  they  were  amazed.  The  Greek  verb 
here  denotes  a  still  greater  excitement  of 
wonder  than  that  for  "  astonished "  in  ver. 
47 — ("amazed,"  Revision).  This  freedom  and 
boldness  of  the  child,  as  it  would  seem  to 
them,  was  very  different  from  the  retiring 
modesty  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed. 
His  mother  spoke  first. — Son  (child),  why 
hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us?  Thy 
father  and  I  have  sought  thee  sorrowing. 
Her  grieved,  motherly  kindness  speaks  in  the 
word  "child,"  and  mingles  with  her  sudden 
joy,  in  the  form  of  a  gentle  rebuke,  when  the 
look  and  tone  must  have  been  of  contentment 
and  admiration. 

49.  Why  is  it  that  ye  sought  me  (were 
seeking  me)  ?  His  mother's  words,  not  simply 
"have  sought  thee,"  but  wei-e  seeking,  im- 
plied that  they  had  searched  the  city.  His 
answer  says,  in  effect,  "Why  should  you  spend 
time  in  such  a  quest? — Wist  ye  not  (did  ye 
7iot  know)  that  I  must  be  about  my  Fath- 
er's business?  or  '"  affairs";  strictly,  ''the 
things"  of  my  Father.  The  latter  phrase  is 
given   in  the  Revision  by   "must  be  in   my 


56 


LUKE 


[Ch.  II. 


50  And  "they  understood  not  the  saying  ■which  he 
spake  unto  them. 

51  And  he  went  down  with  them,  and  came  to 
Nazareth,  and  was  subject  unto  them:  but  his  mother 
*keiJt  all  these  sayings  in  her  heart. 

52  And  Jesus ''increased  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and 
an  favour  with  God  and  man. 


50  not  that  I  must  be  in  my  'Father's  house?  And 
they  understood  not  the  saying  which  he  spake  unto 

51  them.  And  he  went  down'  with  them,  and  came  to 
Nazareth;  and  he  was  subject  unto  them:  and  his 
mother  kept  all  Ihexe.  -  sayings  in  her  heart. 

5?  And  Jesus  advanced  in  wisdom  and  •* stature,  and 
in  *  favour  with  God  and  men. 


a  ch.  9.  4j;  18:  34 b  ver.  19;  D:iii.  7  :  28 c\  S:ini.  2:  26;  ver.  40. 1  Or,  ihovA  r-iy  Father's  &««ii 

of  my  Father.    2  Or,  (Aings 3  Or.  a^e-    ..4  Or,  grace. 


Gr.  in  the  things 


Father's  house,"  and  certainly  direct  ex- 
amples from  the  Greek  can  be  more  clearly 
and  abundantly  adduced  of  that  sense  of  the 
phrase.  At  the  same  time,  expressions  like 
this — the  things  of  God,  the  things  of  Cesar, 
the  things  of  a  child,  the  things  of  the  Spirit, 
and  (1  Tim. 4:15),  "meditate  on  these  things 
(see  preceding  verses) ;  give  thyself  wholly  to 
them,"  Greek,  "be  thou  in  these  things" — are 
so  common,  that  the  phrase  here  may  well 
have  meant,  "in  the  things  of  my  Father," 
in  his  affairs,  his  business.  It  is  said  with 
reason  that  the  other  meaning  agrees  well 
with  his  implied  correction  of  them  for  seek- 
ing him  elsewhere  than  in  his  Father's  house; 
but,  if  we  understand  his  thought  to  be  that 
his  Father's  affairs  in  Jerusalem  had  their 
seat  in  the  temple,  we  reach  the  same  point, 
with  a  broader  description  of  his  interest 
there.  The  question  is  somewhat  evenly 
balanced,  and  we  do  not  think  there  is  a 
necessity  for  abandoning  the  familiar  phrase. 
The  other  should  stand,  however,  as  an  alter- 
native rendering.  The  order  of  words  in  the 
original  gives  an  emphatic  prominence  to  the 
pronoun  I:  "that  it  behooves  me  to  be  in 
my  Father's  business?"  His  mother  had 
said.  Thy  father  and  I  have  sought  thee. 
Was  there,  in  his  phrase  "my  Father's  busi- 
ness," an  intimation  to  her  that  she  should 
remember  wlio  his  Father  really  was? 

50.  And  they  understood  not,  etc.  Was 
it  the  ambiguity  of  the  clause  just  corsidered 
that  perplexed  them?  If  it  plainly  desig- 
nated his  Father's  house,  the  perplexity  would 
be  at  its  minimum.  The  objection  to  the  truth 
and  consistency  of  Luke's  record  of  the  nativ- 
ity, which  has  been  based  on  this  verse,  and 
which  even  Meyer  urges,  assumes  that  Joseph 
and  Mary  must  have  clearly  understood,  frotn 
the  miraculous  birth  of  Jesus,  that  he  was 
God's  Son  in  the  sense  which  he  seemed  to  in- 
timate now  (and  that  this  is  hardly  accordant 
with  ver.  33) ;  that  there  was  nothing  in  the 
manner  of  his  saying  to  perplex  them  now, 
tmd  that  all  which  they  had  at  any  time  di- 


vined concerning  him  would  be  present  to 
them  at  all  times,  so  as  to  exclude  surprise  or 
questionings  at  any  of  the  prodigious  mani- 
festations of  the  divine  child.  No  one  of  these 
assumptions  can  be  upheld.   (Compare  God et.) 

51.  And  he  went  down  with  them.  All 
appearance  of  independence  which  his  answer 
might  suggest  is  dissipated  by  this  immediate 
exhibition  of  filial  attachment;  and  the  true 
relation  is  still  more  distinctly  confirmed  in 
the  next  clause. — And  was  subject  unto 
them.  He  subjected  himself,  was  obedient, 
habitually,  continuously,  while  abiding  with 
them,  as  the  Greek  expression  indicates. — But 
{and)  his  mother  kept  all  these  sayings  in 
her  heart.  This  is  nearly  the  same  jihrase 
as  in  ver.  19;  only  there  the  verb  signifies 
rather  she  "was  keeping  them  together,"  as 
the  materials  of  more  perfect  knowledge; 
and  here  that  "she  was  keeping  them  persist- 
ently," or  each  in  addition  to  the  preceding. 
The  use  of  but  in  the  Common  Version,  is  en- 
tirelj'  without  warrant. 

52.  Summary  Account  of  the  Further 
Development  of  Je.sus  in  his  Individual 
Life.  And  Jesus  increased  (adiimiced)  in 
wisdom  and  stature.  Increased  =  made 
progress.  In  Avisdom — that  is,  in  intellect- 
ual acquirements  and  moral  ada]>tation  of  all 
to  the  uses  of  life.  And  stature — his  physi- 
cal growth  was  proportioned  to  his  improve- 
ment in  the  inner  man.  To  translate  "in 
age,"  which  the  Greek  word  would  in  itself 
allow,  would  be  insippropriate  here,  where 
advancement  in  age  is  self-evident. — And  in 
favour  with  God  and  man  [men).  Favour 
isc^esame  as  "grace"  in  ver.  40— the  friendly 
and  complacent  disposition  towards  Jesus 
with  which  God  constantly  beheld  and  helped 
him,  and  the  good  will  which  such  a  spectacle 
of  innocence,  uprightness,  and  benevolence 
awakened  in  the  men  of  his  acquaintance. 

How  little  the  gospel  narrative  was  designed 
to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  men,  appears  strik- 
ingly from  the  fact  that  these  few  words  con- 
vey almost  everything  that  is  known  of  Christ 


Ch.  II.] 


LUKE. 


57 


during  a  period  of  about  eighteen  j'cars — from 
the  passover  visit  to  Jerusalem  until  his  com- 
ing forth  to  the  baptism  of  John.  This  is  the 
more  noticeable  from  contrast  with  the  Apoc- 
ryphal Go,-;pels  of  the  first  centuries.  They 
consist  very  largely  of  strange  and  mythical 
stories  of  prodigies,  often  extremel3'  puerile 
and  absurd,  which  are  connected  with  the 
nativity  and  early  life  of  Jesus.  And  we  may 
easily  imagine  that  fuller  knowledge  concern- 
ing just  tliese  years,  of  which  we  are  told 
nothing,  would  have  been  of  special  value  to 
us.  Here  his  history,  as  that  of  a  nuituring, 
and  then  a  ripened  private  life,  might  have 
afforded  us  examples  suited  to  our  own  copj^- 
ing,  whereas  afterward  we  more  easily  lose 
sight  of  the  man  in  tlie  Messiah.  But  the 
first  preachers  of  his  truth  were  too  much 
occupied  with  him  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners, 
the  Recovererof  the  lost,  to  allow  much  space 
for  any  other  views,  however  interesting. 

Remark. — The  preceding  account   of  the 
birth  and  early  life  of  our  Saviour  has  laid 
the  ground  for  various  questions  which  will 
often  arise  as  we  proceed  in  our  task.     The^' 
connect  themselves  with   the   peculiarity  of 
the  nature  originated  by  the  immediate  action 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  a  woman,  as  the 
result  of  which   it  could  be  said  "that  the 
Word  became  flesh,"  and  the  oflTspring  could 
be  called,    in  a  unique  sense,   "the   Son   of 
God."      It  might  seem   that    in    this    early 
stage  of  such  a  being,  the  mode  of  that  dual 
entity  in  one  person  would  betray  itself  by 
some    utterance    or    act  of  the   unredecting 
child,  or  the  ingenuous  youth.     Or,  could  we 
think,  in  his  case,  of  an  unreflecting  child, 
or,  with  an  implied  possibility  of  the  oi)po- 
site,  of  an  ingenuous  youth?     Doubtless,   if 
we  could,  at  any  period  of  his  life,  get  any 
explanation  of  the  enigma,  it  would  be  here, 
through  the  intimation  of  something  seen  or 
heard  by  his  mother  (from  whom  these  narra- 
tives concerning   him    must   have   come),   or 
the  other  conipanions   of  his   domestic   life. 
But  we  get  none.     The  mystery  is  fully  es- 
tablished with  the  first  manifestation  of  his 
rational    consciousness.      Everything   related 
concerning  him  obliges  us  to  think  that  if  we 
had  seen  him  with  our  own  eyes,  and  directly 
heard  him,  our  perplexity  would  have  been 
H.'.  great  as  it  is  now.     Certainly  his  mother 
did  not  understand  him  yet.  as  far  as  we  have 
gone  with  them.      That   look   of  wonderinjr  ' 


and   almost  awe-struck   delight   with    which 
she    embraces    him    in    Raphael's    "  Sistine 
Madonna,"    is   justified    by    the   weird,    un- 
earthly, yet  eminently  human,  glance  with 
which  he  looks  out  on  us  from  the  immortal 
canvass.      The   painter   would   delude   us   in 
regard  to  the  material  surroundings,  but  we 
can  scarcely  doubt  that,   if  we  had  seen  her 
and  her  infant  Son  in  their  lowly  domestic 
hut,   we  should   have   stoj)ped   in   silence,   as 
they  do  before  the  picture,  to  gaze  into  that 
divine    human    reality.      But   we   could   not 
comprehend  it.     We  could,  at  most,  join  in 
the  sacred  curiosity  with   which  the  mother 
pondered    every    saying    and    movement    of 
her  child.      From  this  indecision  of  hers  at 
the  time,  her  testimony  concerning  him  be- 
comes the  more  convincing  to  us  who  have 
the   light   of  subsequent   developments  con- 
cerning Christ's  character  and  works.     That 
she  did  not  know  him  as  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  in  a  dogmatic  sense,  gives  to  her  account 
of    his    development    the   force  of   a  moral 
demonstration    that    he    was  so,   without    at 
all  solving  the  my.stery  how.      Had   .«he   set 
out  to  establish  that  view,  she  could  hardly 
have  given  us  a  narrative  so  unintentionally 
suited  to  establish  it  in  our  thoughts.      The 
phenomenon  of  a  faultless  child  developing 
by  normal  stages  into  the  phj-sical  frame  of 
bo3'hood,    youth,    manhood;    growing    with 
equal  pace  in  strength,  distinctness,  compass, 
symmetry-     of    all     appropriate     intellectual 
l)()vvers;  able  to  receive  aid  from  what  helped 
others,   yet  often  able  to  give  back  more  to 
hishcilpers;  interested  in  the  matters  which 
engaged  the  studies  and  excited  the  pleasures 
of  others,  while  alwaj's  betraying  a  conscious- 
ness  of  higher   interests  than   generally  oc- 
cupied  them ;    and    with    a    sensibility   that 
answered,    in    its    emotions,    to    every    per- 
ception,  every   attainment,    everj-  communi- 
cation from  without— this  he  must  have  been 
to  those  who  noticed  him  then.     Above  all, 
there  was  a   moral   purity  and   elevation,  a 
fervid  glow  of  religious  sentiment,  animating 
every  thought  and  action,  and  crowning  the 
whole    expression    of   his  being.      It   would 
seem  more  than  human,  more  than  had  been 
apparent  in   any  prophet;   but   what  was   it 
more,  and  how  was  it  more?    There  was  no 
act  that  could  be  separately   predicated    of 
God,   none   at  nil   bespeaking  corrupted   hu- 
manity, many  which  were  perfectly  human, 


58 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  hi. 


CHAPTER  III. 


"IVTOW  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  I 
ll    Cesar,  Pontius   Pilate    being    governor  of   Judea, 
and  Herod  being  tetrarch  of  t.alilee,  and  his  brotlier  I 
Philip  tetrarch  of  Iturea  and  of  the  region  of  Trach- 
onitis,  and  Lysanias  the  tetrarch  of  Abilene, 

2  "Annas  and  Caiaphas  being  the  high  priests,  the 
word  of  God  came  unto  John  the  son  of  Zacharias  in 
the  wilderness. 


I  Now  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius 
CiBsar,  Pontius  Pilate  being  governor  of  Judaea,  and 
Herod  being  tetrarch  of  (ialilee,  and  his  brother 
Philip  tetrarch  of  the  region  of  Iturtea  and  Trach- 
2  onitis,  and  Lysanias  tetrarch  of  Abilene,  in  the 
high-priesthood  of  Annas  and  Caiaphas,  the  word  of 
God  came  unto  John  the  son  ol  Zacharias  in  the 


a  John  11 :  49,  51 :  18 :  13 ;  Acts  4  :  6. 


while  not  merely  human.  The  whole  was 
consistent  only  with  the  conception  that  he 
was  at  once  God  and  man.  At  no  time  did 
God  act  alone,  or  man  suffer  alone.  Every 
experience  was  that  of  the  God-man.  His 
own  revelations  concerning  himself  afterward 
interpret  the  prior  utterances  of  prophets  and 
angels,  with  a  distinctness  to  which  his 
mother  could  not  yet,  if  ever,  attain.  These 
revelations,  to  be  sure,  while  giving  us  all 
needed,  perhaps  all  possible,  light,  might 
still  be  expressed  in  "  Behold,  I  shew  you  a 
mystery!  "  We  have  the  fact  that  he  was  at 
once  equally  and  truly  God  and  man — the 
two  perfectly  and  inseparably  identified,  two 
without  confusion  of  natures  one.  This  one- 
ness of  God  .and  man  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
our  minds  can  receive  as  a  fact,  and  our 
hearts  rejoice  in.  What  is  behind  and  below 
that  fact  is  of  the  secret  things  which  belong 
to  God.  We  have  seen  the  fact  exhibiting 
itself  in  the  seclusion  of  an  humble,  laborious 
home,  and  we  shall  now  see  it  displayed  in 
the  activity,  patent  to  a  whole  nation,  of 
Christ's  brief  public  career. 


Part  I.     Sect.  III.     Ch.   3:   1-4:   13. 

From  the  Beginning  of  John's  Ministry 

TO  THAT  OF  JeSUS. 

1.  The  public  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist, 
including  the  baptism  of  Jesus.  Thisaccount 
embraces:  1.  The  date  of  the  beginning  of  his 
public  work  (ver.  1,2).  2.  The  nature  of  it 
(ver.  3.9).  3.  Its  effects  (ver.  10 17).  4.  The  fate 
of  John  (ver.  18-20).  5.  The  baptism  of  Jesus 
(ver. 21-23).  6.  The  genealogy  (ver. 2338).  7.  The 
temptation  (ch.  4:  1-13). 

1,  2.  The  Date.  This  is  given  with  a 
particularity  quite  consistent  with  the  purpose 
of  Luke  to  "write  in  order,"  which  would 
lead  him  to  fix  times  and  places,  whenever 
his  resources  furnished  him  the  means.  He 
defines  this  point  by  six  circumstances  of 
ever-narrowing  circuit. 


(a)  The  reign  of  Tiberius  Cesar.  This 
began,  strictly,  Aug.  19,  in  the  year  767  of 
the  Roman  era,  on  the  death  of  his  step-father 
Augustus,  the  first  emperor.  Much  use  is 
made  of  this  datum  in  researches  concerning 
the  year  of  Christ's  birth.  It  is  the  year  in 
which  John  began  to  preach  and  baptize;  and 
if  we  knew  at  what  time  in  the  year  he  began, 
and  that  Jesus  was  baptized  soon  enough 
after  he  began,  and  if  we  disregard  the 
"about"  in  ver.  24,  assuming  that  Jesus  was 
just  "thirty  years  of  age  when  he  began  to 
teach"  (ver.  23,  Revisinii),  we  might  possibly 
know  that  Jesus  was  born  between  the  19th  of 
August,  7'j1,  and  the  same  day  in  752  u.  c.  For 
the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius  would  reach 
to  781-82  u.  c,  thirty  subtracted  from  which 
gives  the  date  just  named.  But  that  encoun- 
ters the  difficulty  that  Herod  had  then  been 
some  time  dead ;  for  a  heavy  preponderance 
of  authority  favors  the  opinion  that  he  died 
in  the  spring  of  750  u.  c,  and  Jesus  was  born 
some  time,  perhaps  near  two  years,  before. 
In  this  state  of  the  case,  it  is  convenient  to 
find  that  Tiberius  was,  "two  or  three  years" 
before  the  death  of  Augustus,  raised  by  the 
latter  to  a  partnership  in  the  dominion.  This 
might  reduce  the  fifteenth  year  of  his  reign  to 
779-80  TJ.  c,  and  retaining  all  the  suppositions 
before  enumerated,  would  render  it  possible 
that  he  should  have  been  born  from  four  to 
five  years  before  A.  d.  1.  With  this  sup- 
posed date  agree  well  the  results  of  what 
other  lines  of  conjecture  have  most  proba- 
bility; and  we  are  practically  safe  in  resting 
in  it  as  a  hypothesis.  As  we  have  before  said 
(p.  46),  all  pretence  of  demonstrating  defi- 
nitely the  day,  month,  and  even  the  j'ear  of 
our  Lord's  birth,  is  mere  pretence.  Geikie 
(Life  and  Words  of  Christ,  Vol.  I.,  p.  559, 
note  S),  gives  the  elements  of  the  calculations, 
expresses  his  own  view,  and  closes  with  the 
sensible  remark  :  "Still  the  whole  subject  is 
very  uncertain.  Ewald  appears  to  fix  the 
date  of  the  birth  as   five  years  earlier  than 


Ch.  III.] 


LUKE. 


59 


our  epoch.  Potavius  and  Usher  fix  it  as  on 
the  "ioth  of  December,  five  years  before  our 
era ;  Bengel,  on  the  25th  of  December,  four 
years  before  our  era;  Auger  and  Winer,  four 
years  before  our  era,  in  the  spring;  Soaliger, 
three  years  before  our  era,  in  October;  St. 
Jerome,  three  years  before  our  era,  on  De- 
cember 25;  Eusebius,  two  years  before  our 
era,  on  January  6;  and  Ideler,  seven  years 
before  our  era,  in  December." 

(/>)  Pontius  Pilate  being  governor  of 
Judea.  He  was  procurator,  i.  c,  imperial 
administrator  of  the  revenues  of  Judea  for 
ten  3'ears,  a.  d.  25-36. 

(c)  Herod,  (Antipas,  son  of  Herod  the 
Great),  being  tetrarch  of  Galilee.  A  te- 
trarch  was,  originally,  as  the  name  itself 
indicates,  a  governor  of  a  fourth  part  of  what 
had  been  a  kingdom ;  now  it  designated  a 
petty  monarch  of  a  small  country,  dependent 
on  the  general  dominion  of  Home;  "a  tribu- 
tary prince,  not  of  sufficient  importance  to  be 
called  a  king."  (Smith,  Diet,  of  Bib.,  on  the 
word). 

id)  His  brother  Philip  tetrarch  of  Itu- 
rea.  This  was  a  small  district  northeast  of 
the  Sea  of  Galilee,  extending  half  way  to 
Damascus,  settled  by  Jetur,  son  of  Ishmael 
(Geo.  25: 15. 16),  from  whoiii  it  took  its  name — the 
modern  El-Jedur. — And  of  the  region  of 
Trachonitis.  (El-Lejah),  nearly  identical 
with  tlie  ancient  kingdom  of  Og;  a  rough, 
rocky  land,  as  its  Greek  name  signifies,  and 
inhabited  still  from  the  earliest  tiiries  by  a 
wild  and  predatory  race  of  people.  It  was 
situated  soutlioast  of  Iturea,  nearly  east  of 
the  sea.  Around  it,  on  the  west,  lay  the 
wider  country  of  Hauran  (Auranitis),  land  of 
Bashan,  which  also  was  included  in  the 
tetrarchy  of  Herod  Philip. 

(c)  Lysanias  the  tetrarch  of  Abilene. 
Since  Josephus  (.tn«..i9:5.  i),  mentions  Abilene 
as  called  "of  Lysanias,"  about  sixty  years 
before  this  (comp,  Antiq.,  20:  7.  1),  and  is 
supposed  by  some,  in  this  last  passage,  to 
refer  to  another  of  the  same  name,  in  the 
time  of  Claudius  Cesar,  Luke  has,  of  course, 
been  suspected  here  of  mistaking  the  time  of 
the  rule  of  Lysanias.  Scarcely  anything  is 
known  of  the  history  of  that  region  during 
the  nearly  eighty  years  between  these  two 
dates.  The  answer  to  the  charge  is  obvious, 
that  if  there  v)a.t  another  Lysanias  in  the  time 
of  Claudius,  it  shows  that  tiie  name,  and  prob- 


ably the  line,  had  been  kept  up  through  the  in- 
terval. Either  the  second  one  supposed,  may, 
therefore,  have  been  tetrarch  twenty  years, 
before  («bouiA.  d.  so),  or  his  father,  or  some  other 
member  of  the  family  may,  which  would  be 
just  what  Luke  relates.  If,  as  is  more  i)rob- 
able,  Josephus  does  not  intend  a  second  Ly- 
sanias in  Antiq.,  20:  7.  1,  then  Luke  simply 
informs  us  of  one,  whose  existence  would 
otherwise  be  unknown  to  us.  (See  Smith,  Diet. 
of  Hib.,  and  Winer,  R.  Wdrterb,  art.  Abilene). 
Little  is  known  of  him  or  of  his  country, 
"Abilene."  The  latter,  however,  from  the 
site  of  its  capital,  the  ruins  of  which  have 
been  identified,  must  have  lain  west  of  Da- 
mascus. 

The  sacred  writer,  having  described  the 
civil  state  of  all  the  region  of  country  per- 
taining even  remotely  to  Jerusalem,  comes 
now  to  the  religious  rule. 

(/)  Annas  and  Caiaphas  being  the 
high  priests,  (rather,  in  the  high  priesthood 
of  Annas  and  Caiaphas).  The  word  in  the 
Greek  for  high  priest,  is  now  universally 
agreed  to  be  singular;  but  as  two  men  are 
named,  the  words  can  be  consistently  joined 
only  in  the  way  here  given.  That  the  high 
priesthood  is  ascribed  to  both,  when  only  one 
high  priest  at  a  time  is  contemplated  by  the 
law,  shows  the  disorder  of  the  age  now  before 
us.  Annas  is  called  high  priest,  (Acts  4:  6; 
John  18:  19;  comp.  13);  while  in  John  11: 
49,  51,  we  are  told  that  Caiaphas  was  high 
priest  the  same  year.  The  explanation  seems 
to  be  given  by  the  history  of  that  time  in 
Josephus,  (xni..  18:?.  1: 20:8,9).  From  that  we 
learn  that  Annas,  a  rich  Sadducee.  had  been 
high  priest  (appointed  by  a  Roman  governor), 
but  deposed  several  years  before  our  date ;  yet, 
that  being  a  man  of  great  wealth,  ability,  and 
influence,  he  continued  to  enjoy  much  esteem 
from  the  people,  and  had  five  sons,  besides 
Caiaphas,  his  son-in-law,  successively  in  the 
office  during  his  life  time.  (joHd  is :  !.■)).  Jose- 
phus shows,  also,  with  what  capricious  fre- 
quency the  office  was  filled  and  vacated  by 
the  hated  Romans,  so  that  it  became,  appar- 
ently, not  uncommon  for  two  or  more  simul- 
taneously to  be  entitled  high  priest.  The 
respect  in  which  Annas  was  held,  with  the 
consideration  naturally  given  to  such  a  man 
by  his  own  sons  in  the  office,  would  especially 
conduce  to  his  being  called  high  priest,  and 
sharing  in  the  deliberations  of  the  acting  high 


60 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  hi. 


3  ''And  he  came  into  all  the  country  about  Jordan, 
preaching  the  baptism  of  repentance  "  lor  the  remission 
of  sius; 


3  wilderness.    And  he  came  into  all  the  region  rovind 
about  Jordan,  preaching  the  baptism  of  repentance 


a  Matt.  3:1;  Mark  1:4 b  cU.  1 :  77. 


priest  for  the  time.  Compare  our  practice  of 
still  calling  an  ex-governor  or  judge  by  his 
former  title. 

The  result  of  this  enumeration  of  contem- 
porary rulers,  civil  and  religious,  is  to  show 
that  the  ancient  realm  of  David  and  Solomon 
has  fallen  into  a  state  of  distraction  and 
decay,  pitifully  inferior  even  to  Herod's  un- 
principled and  cruel,  but  vigorous  and  power- 
ful, reign;  while  the  religious  institutions, 
representing  the  law  and  the  prophets  of 
better  day.s,  are  now  the  foot-ball  of  a  pagan 
power,  and  void  of  everything  like  a  sincere 
and  earnest  life. 

The  word  of  God  came  unto  John  the 
son  of  Zacharias  in  the  Avilderness. 
The  wilderness  was  the  region  famous  as 
"the  wilderness  of  Judea,"  called  "the  de- 
serts" (1:80),  into  which,  as  we  have  seen, 
John  withdrew  while  yet  a  boy,  and  where  he 
had  lived,  so  far  as  appears,  until  now.  We 
can  easily  suppose,  therefore,  that  John  had 
Geen  very  little,  in  the  course  of  his  life,  if 
anything  at  all,  of  Jesus,  notwithstanding 
their  family  relationship.  The  word  of  the 
liord  came  unto  (Greek,  ^^came  to  be 
upon")  John  Of  the  manner  of  this 
revelation  we  can  know  nothing,  and  may 
only  reverently  conjecture.  It  would  seem 
that  he  became  conscious  of  the  possession  of 
religious  truth  which  he  was  specially  called 
by  God  to  publish  to  the  people.  This  was 
the  form  of  speech  by  which  the  prophets  in 
the  Old  Testament  sometimes  described  the 
occasion  of  their  most  weighty  utterances 
(Joel  1:1;  Hos.  1: 1;  jer. 4: 4).  We  may  Icam  from 
the  connection  in  such  cases,  that  the  mode  of 
impartation  was  various— by  a  dream,  a  vision, 
possibly  by  words  heard,  or  a  sudden  flash  of 
intellectual  light,  or  deep  and  prolonged  study 
— and  that  the  constant  feature  of  their  expe- 
rience was  a  recognition  that  the  truth  present 
to  the  mind  of  the  prophet  was  not  of  his  own 
authorship,  but  a  message  from  God. 

3-9.  His  Work.— Its  Nature. 

3.  And  he  came  into  all  the  country 
{round)  about  {the)  Jordan,  This  expres- 
sion implies  that  he  left  now  the  "  wilderness," 
although  it  bordered  closely  on  the  lower  end 
of  the  Jordan  valley,  and  may  have  included 


so  much  of  this  as  lay  near  the  northern  end 
of  the  Dead  Sea.    The  country  round  about 

the  Jordan  was  the  arid  plain  which  stretched 
along  the  river,  from  a  few  miles  below  the 
Sea  of  Galilee  to  the  Dead  Sea;  bounded  by 
the  steep  wall  of  the  highlands  of  Bashan  and 
Gilead  on  the  east,  and  on  the  west  by  the 
more  gradual  and  less  elevated  slopes  of  the 
central  ridge  which  ran  north  and  south 
through  Judea  and  Samaria.  Its  ancient 
name  was  The  Arabah,  which  is  still  applied 
to  the  southern  prolongation  of  this  very  re- 
markable ravine,  from  the  Dead  Sea  to  the 
Elanitic  Gulf  The  natives  now  call  the  por- 
tion extending  north  from  the  Dead  Sea, 
even  to  the  sources  of  the  Jordan,  El  Ghor. 
It  was,  in  its  southern  portion,  for  the  most 
part  exceedingly  barren  and  desolate,  with 
only  small  strips  and  patches  of  verdure  where 
the  river  itself  gave  moisture,  being  scorched 
with  a  tropical  heat.  Jericho  lay  in  an  expan- 
sion of  its  width  near  the  Dead  Sea;  and  be- 
sides that,  scarcely  a  town  flourished  in  it. 
When  it  is  said  that  John  came  into  all 
this  country,  we  must  understand  that  he 
moved  from  place  to  place,  up  and  down  the 
river,  to  meet  the  convenience  of  people  who 
lived  opposite  to,  but  not  near,  its  several 
stages. — Preaching  the  (n)  baptism  of  re- 
pentance for  the  (unto)  remission  of  sins. 
This  might  be  paraphrased:  "Proclaiming 
the  duty  of  all  people  to  repent,  and  on  the 
ground  of  their  repentance  to  l)c  baptized, 
and  all  with  a  view  to  the  foregivness  of 
their  sins."  Preaching  meant,  properly, 
publicly  proclaiming  what  was  to  be  commu- 
nicated, as  news,  to  the  hearer.  Repent- 
ance was  the  main  thing  in  the  requirement 
of  John,  explained  by  him  in  its  grounds 
(ver.  7),  its  sanctions  (ver.  9),  and  its  varied  fruits 
and  manifestations  (vei-.  lou) ;  but  as  it  expressed 
itself  visibly  in  the  rite  of  baptism,  this  is 
mentioned  first  in  Luke — the  reverse  in  Mat- 
thew. The  baptism  which  he  preached  was 
an  immersion  of  the  professed  penitent  in 
water,  at  first  that  of  the  river  Jordan  (Matt. 
3;B),  the  neighborhood  of  which  John  seems 
to  have  frequented  just  because  it  alone  in  all 
that  region  would  furnish  the  supply  of  pure 
water  needed  for  the  vast  crowds  who  came 


Ch.  III.] 


LUKE. 


61 


to  the  rite.  The  word  baptism  is  simply 
the  Greek  noun  written,  with  slight  change, 
in  English  letters,  because  it  had  been  so  trans- 
ferred, not  in  the  earliest  Latin  versions,  but 
in  the  Vulgate,  from  which  it  came  into  the 
early  religious  vocabulary  of  England.  Va- 
riety of  modern  usage  has  unhappily  made 
the   English  word  ambiguous;  but  that  the 


Worterbuch,  Sophicles  {Lexicon  of  the  Byzan- 
tine Greek),  Stephanus'  Thesaurus,  etc.,  etc.; 
the  chief  commentaries,  Meyer,  De  Wette, 
Godet,  McClellan  (see  note  on  Matt.  28:  19), 
etc.,  etc.  Or,  he  may  refer,  as  an  example  of 
all,  to  Conant  on  Baptizein,  where  all  the 
known  instances  of  tlie  use  of  the  word  which 
could  bear  on  the  Scriptural  usage  are  col- 


RIVER   JORDAN. 


Greek  terjn  expressed  the  notion  of  dipping, 
plunging,  immersion,  whelming  (any  one  of 
which  terms  would  suggest  the  true  intent,  so 
far  as  the  New  Testament  rite  is  concerned), 
a  scholar  learns  upon  simply  consulting  the 
chief  dictionaries  of  the  Greek  language: 
Liddell  and  Scott,  Cremer  {Biblical-Theologi- 
cal hex.  of  the  New  Testatnent  Greek),  Grimm 
(Clavis"!,  Rost  and  Palm's  edition  of  Passow's 


lected  and  printed,  with  enough  of  the  context 
to  enable  any  one  to  make  the  right  defini- 
tion for  himself.  But  the  plain  English 
reader,  with  no  authority  but  his  Bible,  may 
arrive  with  equal  certainly  at  the  same  con- 
clusion, by  noticing  that  wherever  the  word 
baptism  occurs  in  the  New  Testament  to  de- 
note the  Christian  rite,  he  may  substitute  im- 
mersion, or  one  of  the  synonomous  words,  ia 


62 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  III. 


perfect  consistency  with  the  context ;  thus 
proving  to  a  demonstration  that  the  meaning 
not  only  may  be,  but  must  be,  what  these 
English  words  directly  convey.  He  need  only 
reflect  that  the  chances  against  one  of  these 
words  being  appropriate  in  five  or  ten  cases, 
when  some  other  sense  had  been  intended 
by  the  Greek,  would  be  innumerable;  whereas 
they  are  appropriate  in  every  case  of  the  use 
of  the  noun  or  the  corresponding  verb. 

A  ceremony  of  immersion  was  introduced 
by  John,  in  connection  with  his  demand  for 
repentance;  primarily,  it  is  possible,  to  sig- 
nify the  moral  purification  implied  in  re- 
newedness  of  heart  and  life.  In  the  subse- 
quent course  of  Christian  revelation,  other 
meanings,  other  power,  shone  forth  from 
the  simple  and  expressive  rite.  John  may 
have  seen  only  its  fitness  to  symbolize  the 
putting  away  of  sin,  and  the  preparation  for 
a  life  of  profound  and  resolute  ri  hteousness. 
"Repentance"  is,  etymologically,  that  change 
of  view  and  feeling  which  results  from  re- 
flection on  one's  past  conduct  and  inward 
character,  as  wrong,  and  which  leads  to  a 
radically  diff"erent  course.  Chalmers  gave 
a  good  description  of  it:  "renewedness  of 
mind."  Deep  moral  thoughtfulness  on  the 
past,  resulting  in  the  eff"ective  purpose  to  so 
live  as  to  please  God,  is  directly  suggested 
by  the  Greek  word.  A.s  such  an  exercise  of 
the  mind  must  needs  occasion  much  dissatis- 
faction with  oneself,  it  is  not  strange  that 
the  word  is  often  associated  with  regret  and 
self-reproach.  The  thorough  renovation  of 
the  life-purpose,  ho'.vever,  is  what  the  Scrip- 
ture makes  to  be  its  essence.  It  must  be 
largely  because  our  translation  takes  the  tone 
of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  in  which  the  words  for 
repentance  and.  its  cognates  express  directly 
the  notion  of  regret,  rue,  sorrow,  that  this 
element  of  dissatisfied  feeling  has  apparently 
become  in  many  minds  the  very  signification 
of  repentance.     It  is  only  an  incident  of  it. 


more  or  less  of  which  is  of  little  consequence, 
if  only  the  practical  resolution  to  serve  God 
with  the  whole  heart  is  thoroughly  estab- 
lished. The  essential  change  of  moral  state 
has  then  taken  place.  It  should  be  added 
that  the  Greek  verb  to  repent  may  have  sug- 
gested to  Hebrews  in  Christ's  day  more  of 
the  idea  of  feeling  than  to  the  native  Greeks, 
from  its  having  been  used  in  their  Greek 
translation  to  render  a  Hebrew  verb,  which 
was  appropriate  to  express  deep  and  painful 
emotion.  [Compare  the  excellent  note  of 
Dr.  Con:int  on  Matt.  3 :  2,  in  the  Revised  Ver- 
sion of  the  American  Bible  Union,  quarto 
edition.] 

Perhaps  the  notion  of  repentance  was  hard- 
ly so  comprehensive  in  John's  conception  as 
that  which  we  form  under  the  clearer  light 
of  the  gospel.  He  was  not  the  one  that  should 
come,  and  could  not  offer  the  immersion  in 
the  Spirit.  What  he  would  have  the  people 
do  was  to  consider  their  ways,  that  they 
might  see  how  far  they  were  from  the  ideal 
of  duty,  piety,  and  privilege,  which  their  in- 
stitutions and  their  Scriptures  set  before  them. 
That  ideal  was  to  be  realized  under  the  reign 
of  the  Messiah.  To  undergo  such  a  change 
as  would  prepare  them  to  welcome  his  ex- 
plicit teachings  and  control,  to  prepare  them 
for  faith  in  him — that  might  be  acceptable 
repentance  to  John. 

For  remission  of  sins,  z.  e.,  unto,  in  order 
to,  with  a  view  to  obtaining,  remission,  or 
"release  from,"  "forgiveness."  The  baptism 
of  repentance  thus  grammatically  looked  for- 
ward to  the  forgiveness,  and  was  not  based 
upon  it.  If  the  pledge  given  in  baptism  was 
truly  kept,  forgiveness  would  follow  at  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah,  when  this  change  of 
mind  would  have  prepared  the  subject  of  it 
for  faith  in  Christ.' 

It  has  been  made  a  question  whether  John 
found  a  rite  of  immersion  existing,  by  which 
proselj'tes  to  Judaism  professed  their  conver- 


1  May  there  not  be  a  better  explanation  of  the  words,  unto  the  remission  of  siiist  For  it  is  certainly  difficult 
to  believe  that  there  was  no  remission  of  sins  before  the  historical  Christ  was  known  and  accepted.  It  is  difficult 
to  see  how  forgiveness  could  be  withheld  from  one  who  had  truly  turned  to  the  Lord,  and  was  ready  to  welcome 
the  Christ  as  soon  as  he  should  be  revealed.  The  baptism  of  repentance  looked,  we  think,  to  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  because  entrance  upon  the  new  life,  symbolized  by  this  rite,  was  the  condition  of  forgiveness,  and  because 
no  man  enters  into  that  new  life  without  spiritual  union  with  Christ  and  preparation  of  heart  to  rely  on  his 
grace.  Compare  the  language  of  Peter  to  the  multitude  in  Acts  2:  38,  where  repentance  and  baptism  upon  the 
name  of  .lesus  Christ  are  still  enjoined,  "in  order  to  the  forgiveness  of  sins";  and  the  words  of  Peter  to 
Cornelius,  Acts  10:  :!4,  .'i5.  The  inward  change  was  supposed  to  be  genuine  when  it  led  to  obedience  in  the 
prescribed  outward  expression. — A.  H. 


Ch.  III.] 


LUKE. 


63 


4  As  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  words  of  Esaias 
the  prophet,  saying,  "The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 
wilderness.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  luuke  his 
paths  straight. 

5  Kvery  valley  shall  be  filled,  and  every  mountain 
and  hill  shall  be  brought  low ;  and  the  crooked  shall  be 
made  straight,  and  the  rough  ways  shall  be  made 
smooth: 

6  And  'all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 


4  unto  remission  of  sins;  as  it  is  written  in  the  book 
of  the  words  of  Isaiah  the  prophet, 

The  voice  of  one  crying  iu  the  wilderness, 
Make  ve  ready  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
Make  his  paths  straight. 

5  Every  valley  shall  be  filled, 

And  every  mountain  and  tiill  shall  be  brought 

low  ; 
And  the  crooked  shall  become  straight, 
And  the  rough  ways  smooth  ; 

6  And  all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 


alsa.  40:  3;  Matt.  3  :  3 ;  Uark  1:3;  Jotiii  1:  23....b  Ps.  98:  2 ;  Isa.  5'2  :  10;  ch.2:  10. 


sion,  and  were  instiilled  members  of  the  select 
nation.  There  is  no  mention,  certainly,  of 
any  such  usage  in  the  Old  Testament,  nor  in 
the  Apocrypha,  or  in  Josephus  or  Philt), 
or  in  the  other  Jewish  writings  prior  to,  or 
contemporary  with,  the  age  of  John.  Nor 
have  the  deepest  researches  of  scholars  re- 
sulted in  any  clear  proof  that  anything  anal- 
ogous to  baptism  then  existed.  That  certain 
ablutions  may  have  been  practiced  by  prose- 
lytes on  their  coming  to  the  passover,  and 
that,  in  the  first  or  second  century,  the  cus- 
tom of  immersing  proselytes  came  to  be 
thought  necessary,  is  generally  admitted.  See 
the  authorities,  jo?*o  and  con.,  briefly  condensed 
and  judiciousl3' estimated  in  Winer,  Real  \V6r- 
terbuc.h.  Art.  Proselyten-taufe.  A  very  recent 
writer.  Dr.  L.  Schultze,  says  (in  Zockler's 
Handbuch  de.r  Theologische  Wissenschaften, 
1883,  p.  404),  without  qualification,  "proselyte 
baptism  is  of  a  later  time" — than  John. 
(Comp.  Edersheim,  Life  of  Jesits,  App.  XI.) 
Again,  dogmatic  interest  has  discussed  the 
question  whether  John's  baptism  was  Chris- 
tian baptism.  It  was,  and  it  was  not.  The 
act  of  immersion  was  the  same,  when  prac- 
ticed by  Christ  and  his  apo.stles,  as  when 
practiced  by  John,  being  designated  every- 
where by  the  same  word.  But  the  significance 
of  the  rite,  as  expressive  of  a  sense  of  sin  and  a 
determination  to  take  a  new  moral  position, 
so  as  to  be  prepared  for  the  reception  of 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah— this,  on  the  part 
of  John's  disciples,  was  not  just  the  same  as 
the  sentiment,  the  aim,  and  the  effect  with 
which,  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  the 
believer  was  baptized  into  the  name  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
His  sentiment  is  that  of  grateful  devotion  to  a 
Saviour  already  well  known;  his  purpose  is 
to  die  with  that  Saviour  to  all  sin,  that  he 
may  live  with  him  a  new  life  of  holine.ss;  and 
the  effect  is  the  reception,  in  love  and  hope, 
of  the  end  of  his  faith— the  salvation  of  his 


soul    (Mark  16:  16;  Acta  2 :  38 ;  R  in.6:  3,  4 ;  2  Cor.  a:  19;  1  Peu 
3:  21;   1:  8,9). 

4.  As  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  the 
words,  etc.  The  position  :ind  work  of  John 
is  compared  with  the  description,  in  Isa.  40:  A, 
of  the  imaginary  herald  who  precedes,  and 
orders  the  road  prepared  for,  Jehovali  at  the 
head  of  his  people,  returning  joyfully  to 
Jerusalem  from  their  long  captivity  in  Baby- 
lon. Here  is  a  figure  drawn  from  the  custom 
of  Oriental  monarchs,  before  whom,  in  tiieir 
stately  procession,  the  most  extravagant  pains 
are  taken  to  clear  their  path  of  all  impedi- 
ments and  difficulties.  The  herald,  supposed 
thus  to  be  going  before  Jehovah  to  see  that 
the  march  was  made  easy  for  him  and  his 
ransomed  people,  is  seen  in  the  gospel  to  have 
been  a  type  of  John  the  Baptist  preceding  the 
Lord's  advent  as  Messiah,  and  preparing  for 
him  access  to  the  confidence  and  love  of  men. 
John's  appearance  is  the  only  actual  realiza- 
tion of  that  grand  and  beautiful  description 
of  a  herald,  as  the  advent  of  Jesus  alone 
fulfills  that  promise  of  deliverance  to  distressed 
and  despairing  men. 

5.  The  expressions  of  the  prophet,  every 
valley  shall  be  exalted,  etc.,  were  meta- 
phorical hyperboles,  literally'  applicable  only 
partially  even  to  the  preparations  made  for 
the  most  jiowerful  civil  or  military  potentate. 
We  cannot,  with  any  confidence,  apply  them 
severally  to  the  particular  moral  tasks  of 
John  as  forerunner.  Thej'  are  a  poetical  ex- 
pansion and  variation  of  the  thought,  that 
John,  by  promoting  sincere  repentance,  has 
to  make  ready  the  way  for  Jesus  to  the  hearts 
of  the  people  whom  he  comes  to  save. 

6.  In  the  old,  temporal  deliverance,  the 
manifestation  of  divine  power  and  faithfulness 
was  to  be  so  conspicuous,  that  ail  flesh  shall 
see  the  salvation  of  God— which,  in  John's 
case,  would  mean  that  eternal  life  should  be 
provided  for,  and  offered  to,  the  whole  world. 

6.  Then  said  he  (rather,  he  said,  therefore)^ 


64 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  Ill 


7  Then  said  be  to  the  multitude  that  came  forth  to  be 
baptized  of  hiui,  "O  generation  of  vipers,  who  halh 
warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come? 

s  Bring  forth  therefore  fruits  <•  worthy  of  repentance, 
and  begin  not  to  say  within  yourselves,  We  have  Abra- 
ham to  our  father;  for  1  say  unto  you,  That  God  is  able 
of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham. 

9  And  now  also  the  axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the 
trees:  "every  tree  therefore  which  bringeth  not  forth 
good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  lire. 


7  He  said  therefore  to  the  multitudes  that  went  out 
to  be  baptized  of  him.  Ye  offspring  of  vipers,  who 

8  warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come?  Bring 
forth  therefore  fruits  worthy  of  i  repentance,  and 
begin  not  to  say  within  yourselves,  We  have  Abra- 
ham to  our  father:  for  1  .say  unto  you,  that  God  is 
able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abra- 

9  ham.  And  even  now  the  axe  also  lieth  at  the  root 
of  the  trees:  every  tree  therefore  that  bringeth  not 
forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire. 


a  Mutt.  3  :  7 b  Or,  meet  for ...  .c  Mutt.  7:  19. 1  Or,  yowr  repentance. 


namely,  in  conformity  with  his  errand  to  pro- 
duce repentance,  by  convincing  of  sin.  To 
the  multitude  that  came  forth — strictly, 
were  coming  forth.  Tliey  had  to  leave  their 
homes  in  the  wide  circuit  of  towns  and  cities 
to  which  the  tidings  of  John's  preaching  had 
reached,  and  come  forth  into  the  wilderness. 
But  a  great  many  of  them,  not  merely  "of  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees"  (Matt.  3:7),  as  we 
should  conclude  from  Luke's  account,  came 
to  him  with  no  proper  sense  of  what  they 
were  doing.  It  was  as  if  a  fashion  had  soon 
set  in  to  go  and  be  baptized  by  the  hermit 
preacher.  Not  individually,  thoughtfully, 
each  in  the  seriousness  and  humility  of  con- 
scious guilt  and  craving  for  a  better  spiritual 
life;  they  went  in  holiday  crowds,  as  Mussel- 
man  hordes  now  go,  at  Easter,  to  dip  them- 
selves   in    the    Jordan. 

7.  O  generation  of  vipers — John  .says  to 
them  —  not  "children  of  Abraham"  as  ye 
imagine  yourselves;  but  people  of  malignant 
and  detestable  disposition,  not  in  the  least 
prepared  for  friendship  to  the  Christ,  but 
needing  to  be  transformed  before  ye  can  see 
him  in  peace. — Who  hath  warned  (sug- 
g-.sted  to)  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come  (or  coming  wrath)?  In  the  spirit  of 
the  closing  prophecy  of  the  Old  Testatnent, 
concerning  himself,  John  sees  first  the  "great 
and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord,"  connected  with 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  a  day  "which 
shall  burn  as  an  oven,"  a  day  of  wrath  to 
the  impenitent  and  ungodlj'.  He  was  so 
stirred  by  the  religious  declension  and  moral 
corruption  of  his  time,  that  the  penal  charac- 
ter of  "the  day  of  the  Lord,"  was  to  hitn, 
as  to  the  ancient  prophets,  very  prominent. 
In  this  view  the  Jews  also  shared,  though 
generally  they  referred  that  feature  of  the 
day  of  judgment  to  the  heathen.  But  in  the 
present  case,  John  seems  to  see  them  flocking 
to  him,  as  if  under  the  delusion  that  tliey 
could  avoid  the  penalties  and  secure  the 
blessings  of  the  Messiah's  advent,  by  merely 


sharing  in  the  outward  ceremony  of  his  im- 
mersion. His  question,  thus,  amounts  to  this: 
"  Who  suggested  to  you  that  you  could  escape 
from  the  just  consequences  of  your  sins  by  a 
mere  physical  act?  Was  it  the  great  adver- 
sary, whose  brood  ye  are?" 

8.  Bring  forth  therefore — since  the  mere 
sign  of  repentance  cannot  help  you,  without 
its  transforming  operation  in  your  lives  — 
fruits  worthy  of  repentance.  Such  fruits 
would  be  ifiward  exercises  of  the  soul — such 
as  hungering  after  true  righteousness,  com- 
passion, mercy  toward  the  erring  and  unfor- 
tunate, purity  of  heart,  a  humble  purpose  to 
wait  only  on  Jehovah  in  all  his  requirements 
and  ordinances,  a  desire  for  his  mercy,  and 
outward  conduct  consistent  with  such  a  state 
of  mind. — And  begin  not  to  say  within 
yourselves,  equivalent  to,  Do  not  start  with 
saying;  otherwise  real  repentance  will  be 
precluded  as  unnecessary. — We  have  Abra- 
ham to  {for  or  ns)  our  father,  and  are  of 
course  objects  of  God's  favor,  and  sure  of  a 
place  in  the  kingdotn  of  heaven. — God  is 
able  of  these  stones,  etc.  Sooner  than 
recognize  you,  in  your  hardness  of  heart  and 
impenitence,  as  heirs  of  his  promise  to  Abra- 
ham, God  will  prepare  for  that  blessing  other 
hearts  which  you  would  think  as  little  ca- 
pable of  sharing  it  as  the  stones  which  lie 
along  these  banks.  Nor  can  your  rejection 
be  long  delayed. 

9.  And  now  also  {enen  now),  while  ye  are 
so  lightly  pressing  toward  an  outward  hj'po- 
critical  righteousness,  the  axe  is  laid  unto 
the  root  of  the  trees.  The  trees  repre- 
sent the  proud,  self-righteous  members  of  the 
Jewish  nation.  The  axe  is  the  symbol  of 
divine  punishment.  Its  being  laid  unto  the 
root  signifies  that  the  "feller"  (isa.  i4:8)  is 
already  come  up  against  them,  and  holds  his 
instrument  directed  toward  the  trunk  of  one 
and  another,  ready  to  level  them  with  the 
ground. — Is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the 
fire.     The  action  is  future,  the  tense  is  pres- 


Ch.  III.] 


LUKE. 


65 


10  And  the  people  asked  hioi,  saying,  'What  shall  we 
do  then '! 

11  He  answereth  and  saith  unto  them,  'He  that  hath 
two  coals,  let  hiui  impart  to  hiiu  that  hath  none;  and 
he  that  hath  meat,  let  him  do  likewise. 

12  Then  "^canie  also  publicans  to  be  baptized,  and 
said  tinto  hlin,  Master,  what  shall  we  do? 

\'.i  Anil  he  said  unto  them, ■'Exact  no  more  than  that 
which  is  appointed  you. 

14  And  tile  soldiers  likewise  demanded  of  him,  say- 
ing, And  what  shall  we  do?  And  he  said  unto  them. 
Do  violence  to  no  man,  neither  accuse  wiy  falsely; 
and  be  content  with  your  wages. 


10  And  the  multitudes  asked  him,  saying,  What  then 

11  must  we  do?  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them. 
He  that  hath  two  coats,  let  him  impart  to  liini  that 
hath  none;   and  he  that  hath  food,  let  him  do  like- 

12  wise.  And  there  came  al.so  '  publicans  to  be  baptized, 
and  they  said  unto  him,  *  Master,  what  must  we  do? 

1.3  .\nd  he  .said  unto  them,  E.\ti)rt  no  more  than  tliat 
14  which  is  appointed  you.  And  ^soldiers  also  asked 
him,  saying.  And  we,  what  must  we  do?  And  he 
said  unto  them.  Extort  from  no  man  by  violence, 
neither  accu.se  any  one  wrongfully ;  and  be  content 
witii  your  wages. 


.6  ch.  II :  41  :  1  Cor.  8:  14:  James  2:  15,  16;  1  John  3:  17;  4:  "20 c  Matt.  21  :  32 ;  ch.  7:  29 doh.  19:  8.- 

luargiiial  uute  on  Mult.  v.  46.... 2  Or.  Teacher 3  Gr.  aoldiera  on  service. 


ent;  strictly,  "is  in  the  act  of  being  cut  down 
and  cast  Into  the  Jire."  Every  fruit  tree  will 
yield  fruit  of  some  kind,  and  every  man  will 
exhibit  some  charsicter;  unles.s  this  be  good 
in  God's  sight,  it  will  meet  only  rejection  and 
punishment. 

10-17.  Particular  Teachings  of  John. 
This  general  teaching,  so  well  suited  to 
awaken  compunction  and  alarm  in  hearts- 
of  any  susceptibility,  led  some  to  ask  for  more 
particular  instruction  concerning  the  fruits 
retiuired  of  them. 

10.  And  the  people  (multitudes,  Revision) 
asked  him,  saying,  What  shall  we  do 
then?  The  answer  is,  in  general,  that  they 
should  practice  love  and  beneficence  to  fel- 
low-men in  need. 

11.  Into  ver.  11  is  doubtless  condensed  the 
body  of  his  doctrine  applicable  to  all.  It  sup- 
presses selfisline.ss,  calls  out  self-den^nng  sj'm- 
pathy,  practical  love  of  tine's  neighbor. 

12-14.  Specimens  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  prophet  applied  the  general  principle  to 
particular  cases  of  inquiry.  Then  there 
came  also  publicans.  These  were  among 
the  first  inquirers  attracted  by  John,  and  most 
generally  prepared  to  welcome  the  Saviour  at 
his  coming.  The  office  of  the  publicans,  who 
appear  so  frequently  in  the  Gospel,  namely, 
that  of  tax  collectors  of  the  revenue  required 
by  tlie  Roman  Government,  was  in  itself  con- 
sistent with  personal  uprightne.ss,  and  intrinsic 
worth,  on  the  part  of  the  incumbent.  But 
while  it  is  not  really  agreeable  to  the  most 
contented  community,  in  the  best  govemec* 
state,  it  was  for  special  reasons  peculiarly 
odious,  abominable,  to  the  Jews  at  that  time. 
They  had  to  meet  the  cost  of  a  burdensome 
religious  system,  which  should,  in  Gods 
original  plan,  have  atlorded  them  also  civil 
security  and  order.  In  addition,  here  were 
the  grinding  taxes  levied  for  the  benefit  of  a 
foreign,  pagan  government,  a  galling  olTcnce 


to  their  independence — a  flagrant  scandal  to 
their  monotheistic  principle  of  religion.  The 
instruments  for  exacting  these  taxes  were 
Hebrews — more  shame  to  them  ! — who,  by  un- 
dertaking such  service,  made  themselves 
renegades,  more  despicable  even  than  the 
Romans,  whose  tools  they  were.  As  a  rule, 
men  of  good  character  would  not  put  them- 
selves in  such  a  position;  and  if  they  did,  so 
little  likely  are  men  to  hold  themselves  above 
what  they  generally  have  the  credit  of  being, 
they  would  be  in  great  danger  of  falling  to 
the  level  of  the  popular  estimation.  But  that 
their  occupation  was  not  essentially  immoral, 
is  indicated  by  John's  not  requiring  of  them 
unconditionally  to  quit  it.  Yet  in  answering 
their  question  he  did  point  out  the  very  peril 
in  which  they  stood. 

13.  Exact  no  more  than  that  which  is 
appointed  you.  The  Roman  dominion  was 
made  hateful  and  destructive  to  its  subject 
provinces,  n(;*.  merely  bj'  the  severity  of  its 
own  exaction  \  but  more  by  the  additional 
extortions  of  'he  rapacious  collectors  (publi- 
cans), who,  through  all  stages  of  the  process, 
from  the  bend  farmer  of  the  revenues  that 
undertook  to  raise  them  from  a  whole  pro- 
vince, down  to  the  petty  local  underling, 
sought  to  enrich  themselves.  The  people 
were,  to  a  great  extent,  at  the  mercy  of  these 
arbitrary  minicms  of  a  detestable  tyranny. 
The  case  of  a  Turkish  province,  sity  Arme- 
nia, at  the  present  day,  afl^ords  the  life-like 
parallel  to  the  condition  of  the  Jew.s,  in  refer- 
ence to  tax  gatherers.  John  faithfully  tells 
them  to  refrain  from  any  demands  beyond 
what  were  included  in  the  law  under  which 
thej'  served. 

14.  And  the  soldiers  likewise.  More 
exactly,  and  men  in  the  military  service  also. 
These  were  apparently  Jews  engaged  in  some 
campaiirn  of  which  we  have  no  certain  ac- 
count, but  not  in  the  Greek  called,  technically, 


66 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  III. 


15  And  as  the  people  were  in  expectation,  and  all 
men  mused  in  their  hearts  of  John,  whether  he  were 
the  Christ,  or  not; 

16  John  answered,  saying  unto  them  all,  »I  indeed 
baptize  you  with  water;  hut  one  mightier  than  I 
comelh,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to 
unloose;  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  fire : 


15  And  as  the  people  were  in  expectation,  and  all 
men    reasoned    in    their    hearts  concerning   John, 

16  whether  haply  he  were  the  Christ ;  John  answered, 
saying  unto  them  all,  1  indeed  baptize  you  with 
water;  but  there  couieth  he  that  is  mightier  than  I, 
the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am  not  i  worthy  to  un- 
loose :  he  shall  baptize  you  *  iu  the  Holy  Spirit  and 


a  Malt.  3  :  11. 1  Gr.  sufficient. . .  .2  Or,  with. 


"soldiers." — Do    violence    to     no     man. 

Perhaps  the  meaning  is  nearly  equivalent  to 
terrify  or  harrass  no  man,  in  order  to  wring 
from  him  what  is  his. — Neither  accuse  any 
falsely  {wrongfully),  that  is,  in  order  to 
extort  from  him  his  property. — And — as  the 
antithesis,  observe,  to  both  these  prohibitions 
. — be  content  with  your  wages.  In  these 
two  cases,  the  fruit  of  repentance  which  the 
Baptist  requires  is  no  more  than  common 
morality  enjoined  in  the  law  of  Moses;  but  it 
is  in  such  a  form,  as  to  each,  that  the  honest 
attempt  to  practice  it  would  evince  something 
of  self-denial,  charity,  and  the  general  dispo- 
sition to  do  right.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
difficulty  of  even  partial  obedience  to  those 
requirements,  and  the  impossibility  of  more  in 
one's  own  strength,  would,  promote  humility 
and  awaken  a  longing  for  that  righteousness 
which  could  be  found  only  in  "the  kingdom 
of  heaven." 

1.5,  16.  John's  Proclamation  Concern- 
ing THE  Messiah.  As  John  had  said  not  a 
word  hitherto,  in  Luke's  report,  about  the 
Messiah,  it  was  not  unnatural  that  questions 
should  arise  in  the  popular  mind  concerning 
his  relation  to  that  personage. 

15.  And  as  the  people  were  in  expecta- 
tion— not  merely  of  some  word  of  explana- 
tion from  John  about  himself,  but,  more 
generally,  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah — 
and  all  men  mused  {reasoned)  in  their 
hearts  .  .  .  whether  {ha-ply)  he  were  the 
Christ.  It  shows  how  vague  was  their  pre- 
conception of  the  Christ,  that  there  hovered 
a  universal  suspicion  {nil  men)  that  John 
himself  might  possibly  be  "'he  that  is  to 
come." 

16.  John  answered — their  unspoken 
question — I  indeed  baptize  {am  baptizing) 
you  with  water — and  in  requiring  this  as 
the  symbol  of  moral  purification,  and  the 
pledge  of  a  new  life,  ,you  might  think  me  to 
be  performing  Messianic  functions. — But  one 
mightier  than  I  cometh — a  potentate  so 
much    more  exalted  than    I,  that   I   am   not 


sufficient  to  perform  for  him  the  most  menial 
service.  —  The  latchet  of  whose  shoes 
{shoe-strings)  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose 

— not  fit  to  perform  the  task  of  a  domestic 
slave  with  a  rich  Roman. — He  (strongly  em- 
phatic, he  himself)  shall  baptize  you  with 
{in)  the  Holy  Ghost  {Spirit)  and  with  fire. 

Omit  the  latter  with.  This  will  be  the  work 
of  him  whom  you  are  expecting.  He  will 
be  the  Christ.  The  element  of  an  immer- 
sion is  naturally  preceded  by  in,  and  that 
the  Greek  expresses  with  the  Holy  Spirit. 
In  measure  so  ample  will  he  be  bestowed  on 
the  recipients  of  this  blessing,  that  they  are 
said  to  be  baptized — immersed — in  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  word  for  "in"  is  not  used  with 
the  word  "water"  in  the  first  clause  of  the 
verse,  according  to  the  certainly  correct  text, 
and,  although  the  American  Eevisers  judged 
that  it  should  be  expressed  in  English,  where- 
ever  baptism  "with"  water  is  spol<en  of,  it  is 
somewhat  doubtful  whether  it  should  so 
stand,  except  in  Acts  1:4.  In  Matt.  3:  5, 
also,  it  stands  "baptized  in  the  river  Jordan," 
and  that  is  the  normal  usage.  The  Greek 
view  could  equally  well  contemplate  the 
enveloping  element,  locally,  as  that  in 
which,  or,  instrumentally,  as  that  with 
which,  the  dipping  was  eft'ected.  And  while 
it  is  awkward  for  us  to  speak  of  immersing 
a  thing  with  water,  it  is  simply  a  matter  of 
familiarity,  of  idiom;  and  we  need  only  take 
a  synonomous  verb,  "to  whelm,"  and  it  is 
perfectly  natural  for  us  to  speak  of  "whelm- 
ing with  water."  And  fire  (without  "  in '' 
or  "with")  is  part  of  the  promise  to  the  same 
persons,  supposed  believers.  He  will  immerse 
you  in  the  Holy  Spirit  and  fire,  in  both. 
Fire  may  be  added  as  figuratively  .synono- 
mous with  Holy  Spirit,  in  one  of  his  func- 
tions, the  removal  of  all  that  is  carnal  and 
sinful  in  the  soul,  as,  in  another  view,  he 
supplies  all  renewing  and  sanctifying  grace. 
The  renewed  man  is  refined,  as  silver  tried  in 
the  fire.  The  Spirit  may  in  this  make  use  of 
trials  and  afflictions,  sometimes  called  a  fire; 


Cu.  III.] 


LUKE. 


67 


17  Whose  fan  ix  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thorougly 
purge  his  floor, and  "and  will  gather  the  wheat  into  his 
garner;  liut  the  chuif  he  will  burn  with  fire  un- 
quenchable. 

18  And  many  other  things  in  his  exhortation 
preached  he  unto  the  people. 


17  in  fire:  whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  thoroughly  to 
cleanse  his  threshing-floor,  and  to  gather  the  wheat 
into  his  garner;  but  the  chart'  he  will  burn  up  with 
unquenchable  fire. 

18  With  many  other  exhortations  therefore  preached 


iMic.  14:  4,  12;  Mate.  13:  30. 


but  to  think  of  these  as  directly  intended,  is 
less  congenial  witli  John's  standing-point. 
He  means,  rather,  the  self-denying  and  dis- 
ciplinary efficacy  of  the  Spirit  in  elucidating 
and  enforcing  the  truth  of  God  on  a  partially- 
sanctified  soul.  Those  who  refer  the  fire  to 
Gehenna — future  punishment — must  under- 
stand the  pronoun  you  as  equivalent  to 
"some  of  you,"  which  must  then  be  repeated 
in  thought,  and  that  would  require  the  repe- 
tition of  "with"  (in)  before  "fire."  He  will 
immerse  some  of  you  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
some  of  you  in  fire.  Meyer,  on  Matt.  3;  11, 
takes  this  view,  and  iidds:  "  Both  are  denoted 
as  a  baptizing  (jSaTrTi^eti/),  since  they  are  the 
two  opposite  sides  of  the  Messianic  lustration, 
by  which,  like  those  baptized,  one  part  are 
overflowed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  others  by 
hell-fire."  With  him  agree  a  long  series 
of  expositors  from  the  earliest  times.  An 
equal  number,  perhaps,  including  Calvin 
and  Godet,  support  substantially  the  view 
here  advocated.  This  supposes  that  John  has 
reserved  the  mention  of  bell-fire  to  the  next 
verse,  where  he  carefully  distinguishes  that 
fire  V)y  the  adjective  "unquenchable."  It  is 
quite  unlikely  that  there  is  any  direct  refer- 
ence to  the  tongues  "a.«  of  fire,"  in  Acts  2:  3. 
17.  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and 
he  will  thoroughly  purge  (thoroughly  to 
cleanse)  his  (threshing)  floor.  —  This  floor 
was  a  smooth  surface  of  rock  or  leveled, 
compacted  earth,  by  preference  on  an  eleva- 
tion, where  the  grain  was  trodden  out  of 
the  sheaves  by  cattle,  and,  after  raking  off 
the  straw,  the  grain  »vas  separated  from  the 
chaff,  by  repeatedly  throwing  it  up  into  the 
breezy  air.  The  fan,  by  which  this  toss- 
ing up  was  effected,  was  a  broad  and  light 
wooden  shovel.  The  process  is  an  expressive 
metaphor  of  that  judgment  for  which  the 
Christ  was  come  into  the  world  (John  9: 39), 
such  that  he  who  believed  in  him  would  not 
be  condemned  ;  but  be  who  believed  not  was 
condemned  already,  because  he  did  not  be- 
lieve (oh.  3:18).— And  will  gather  the  wheat 
into    his   garner.      The    wheat   is  the 


humble,  penitent,  believing  portion  of  the 
chosen  people,  the  Simeons  and  Annas,  and 
Marthas  and  Marys;  his  garner  is  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah,  with  its  duties  and  trials, 
as  well  as  privileges  and  blessings  here, 
and  its  unmixed  felicities  in  the  perfected 
state.  The  chaff'  indicates  the  worldly- 
minded,  self-complacent,  work-righteous 
Jews  who,  having  rejected  their  Messiah,  will 
be  rejected  by  him  "in  that  day,"  and  over- 
whelmed with  deserved  irremissible  punish- 
ment—Chorazin,  Bethsaida,  Capernaum,  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  all  Gentiles  like 
them.  Tiie  unquenchable  fire  is  probably 
the  "hell  fire"  (Gehenna  of  tire)  spoken  of 
by  our  Saviour  (Man.  5:22;  10 :  m).  Fire  had 
been  adopted  by  the  Old  Testament  prophets 
as  a  symbol  of  divine  punishment  for  sin  and 
transgression  (i«.33:  12-14.),  and  its  intermin- 
ableness  to  the  utterly  incorrigible  and  im- 
penitent was  signified  by  the  epithet  un- 
quenchable, or  everlasting  (i«.  66:24.  rer.).  "We, 
after  the  lapse  of  a  long  time,  postpone  the  ful- 
fillment of  the.se  declarations  to  a  still  future 
day.  It  is  probable  that  John  and  his  hearers 
interpreted  his  words  as  about  to  take  effect  at 
the  appearing  of  the  Messiah. 

18-20.  FciRTHEB  Work  and  Fate  of 
John. 

18.  And  many  other  things  in  his  ex- 
hortation preached  he  unto  the  people. 
Rather,  with  many  other  erhortntions.  there- 
fore; strictly,  with  many  and  other,  i.  e.,  dif- 
ferent, relating  to  different  subjects,  or  to 
different  aspects  of  the  same,  and  expressed 
in  different  terms.  The  preceding  statements 
are  regarded  as  a  selection  and  sample  of  the 
teachings  with  which  he  warned  and  stimu- 
lated the  people  to  true,  practical,  heart  piety. 
Preached  (or,  proclaimed  the  good  tidings) 
of  the  Messiah's  near  approach  to  those  who 
waited  for  him. 

How  long  the  active  ministry  of  John  con- 
tinued before  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  is  un- 
known. The  common  supposition  is,  that  it 
was  only  a  few  months— about  the  difference 
between   the   age   of  John   and  Jesus.      But 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  III. 


19  "But  Herod  the  tetrach,  being  reproved  by  him  for 
Herodias  his  brother  Philip's  wile,  and  lor  all  the  evils 
which  Herod  had  done, 

20  Added  yet  this  above  all,  that  he  shut  up  John  in 
prison. 

■z\  Now  when  all  the  people  were  baptized,  ^  it  came 
to  pass,  that  Jesus  also  being  baptized,  and  praying,  the 
heaven  was  opened, 


19  he  1  good  tidings  unto  the  people;  but  Herod  the 
tetrarch,  being  reproved  by  him  for  Herodias  his 
brother's  wife,  and   for   all   the  evil   things  which 

20  Herod  had  done,  added  this  also  to  them  all,  that  he 
shut  up  John  in  prison. 

21  Now  it  came  to  pass,  when  all  the  people  were 
baptized,  that,  Jesus  also  having  been  baptized,  and 


a  Matt.  U:  3:  Mnrk  6  :  17 b  Mutt.  3  :  13;  Juhu  1  :  62. 1  Or.  the  gospel. 


when  we  consider  what  he  was  to  do  (Luke  i:  is, 

17,  76-79;  Matt.  3:4-6),   what    he    had   doDC    (Miitt.  3  :  5,  6, 

p<»r-),  and  the  impression  that  he  had  made 
upon  all  Israel,  even  to  their  remote  settle- 
ments (Malt.  U  :  7  ff;  21:  25,  26;  Luke  7:  24  ff;  Acts  13;  24,  25), 

it  seems  quite  as  likely  that  his  ministry  lasted 
years  as  mouths. 

19.  But  Herod  the  tetrarch  being  re- 
proved by  him,  etc.  Luke  writing  to  The- 
ophilus  "in  order,"  having  now  finished  his 
account  of  the  public  work  of  John  with  the 
people,  gathers  up  what  he  knew  concerning 
his  subsequent  fortanes,  prior  to  his  death, 
and  tells  us  at  once  how  his  public  labors  ter- 
minated in  a  prison.  Herod  the  tetrarch, 
that  is,  Herod  Antipas  (ver.  i). — Herodias, 
his  brother  Philip's  wife.  Omit  Philip's 
and  read  brother' s.  See  an  account  of  the  affair 
in  Josephus  {Antiq.,  18:  5.4).  Herod  Anti- 
pas  had  taken  the  wife  of  his  brother,  Herod 
Philip  (ver.  1),  from  her  husband,  while  he  was 
Philip's  guest,  and  formed  a  pretended  mar- 
riage with  her,  on  condition  of  putting  away 
his  own  wife.  For  this  unhallowed  conduct 
he  had,  as  we  here  learn,  been  reproved  by 
John,  the  stern  preacher  of  righteousness,  as 
well  as  for  all  the  evils  (evil  things)  which 
Herod  had  done.  The  notices  of  him  in 
Jo.sephus  will  show  that,  worthily  of  his 
origin,  half  Edomite  and  half  Samaritan,  he 
had  done  enough,  both  in  contempt  of  He- 
brew law  and  customs,  and  in  the  promotion 
of  pagan  practices,  to  furnish  texts  for  many 
rebukes. 

20.  Added  yet  this  above  all — namely, 
of  his  evil  deeds;  nearly  equivalent  to  copped 
the  climax  with  jfAis.— That  he  shut  up  John 
in  prison.  Josephus  tells  us  (Anttq.,  is:  5.  ■->)  that 
this  treatment  of  John,  a  good  man,  by  Herod, 
was  popularly  believed  to  be  the  ground  of 
great  misfortunes  which  befell  the  latter;  and 
that  the  prison  was  the  Castle  of  Macha?rus, 


near  the  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea;  where,  in  a 
most  dismal  region,  the  ruins  of  such  struc- 
tures have  been  recently  found.  The  incar- 
ceration really  took  place,  not  till  a  consider- 
able time,  perhaps  some  months,  after  Christ's 
baptism.  (Comp.  John  2:  13;  8:  22,  23;  4:1). 
But  all  this  period  the  Synoptic  Gospels  leave 
out  of  their  account.  From  this  moment 
John  is  lost  to  view  in  the  Gospels,  except 
one  glimpse  (v;  i  ff),  and  then  a  reference  to  the 
violent  death  at  the  hands  of  Herod  (»:7-9), 
for  whom,  however,  the  stern  spirit  would 
not  down  at  his  bidding.  Some  general  notice 
of  his  character  and  influence  will  be  more 
appropriate  on  7  :  1  ff.  ^ 

21,  22.  Baptism  of  Jesus.  Having  thus 
carried  the  narrative  concerning  John  to  a 
natural  resting-place,  the  writer  comes  back 
to  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  in  connection  with 
which,  observe,  John  is  not  named.  Luke 
gives  some  interesting  details  not  mentioned 
by  the  other  evangelists,  while  he  omits  some 
of  theirs. 

21.  Now  when  all  the  people  were  bap- 
tized, it  came  to  pass,  etc.  It  will  be 
noticed  that  Luke  does  not,  in  form,  relate 
the  baptism;  but  assuming  that,  as  known  to 
the  reader,  he  particularly  mentions  as  follow- 
ing it,  the  descent  of  the  Spirit  upon  him, 
with  the  Bath  Col,  or  voice  from  heaven,  and, 
incidentally,  gives  two  circumstances  attend- 
ing the  baptism.  The  first'  of  these  vaguely 
defines  the  time  of  it.  It  was  when  all  the 
people  were  baptized.  The  Greek  does 
not  allow  us  to  think  of  this  as  equivalent  to 
"when  all  the  people  had  been  baptized," 
making  Jesus  the  last  to  whom  John  adminis- 
tered the  rite  (comp.  John  3:23),  nor,  as 
meaning  "when  all  the  people  were  being 
baptized."  (so  Meyer).  Tliis  would  require 
the  Greek  infinitive  to  be  in  the  present  tense, 
as  the  other  would  require  it  in  the  perfect, 


'We  would  here  call  attention  to  a  valuable  monograph  on  John,  in  the  Conpregational  Union  Lecture  for 
1874:  John  the.  linpdsi,  by  H.R.Reynolds,  D.  D.,  London,  1874.  In  this  large  volume  almost  every  aspect  o| 
John's  character  ami  work  is  learnedly  treated.  Interesting  and  instructive  on  this  subjec.  is  also  the  neglected 
work  of  C.  S.  Matthies,  Baptumalis  Exposilio  Biblica,  Hislorica,  Dogmalica,  Berlin,  1840,  pp.  44-71,  ed.  2. 


Ch.  III.] 


LUKE. 


69 


22  And  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bo  lily  shape 
like  a  dove  upon  him,  and  a  voice  came  from  heaven, 
which  said.  Thou  art  luy  beloved  tSou  ;  iu  thee  I  am 
well  pleased. 


22  prayins,  the  heaven  was  opened,  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
ueseeuued  in  a  bodily  form,  as  a  dove,  upon  him,  and 
a  voice  came  out  of  heaven.  Thou  art  my  beloved 
Sun ;  in  thee  1  am  well  pleased. 


while  the  indefinite  preterite  simply  places 
the  transaction  back  somewhere  in  that  time 
when  John  baptized  all  the  people  as  they 
came  to  him.  It  gives  no  hint  whether  any 
person  was  present  as  a  spectator.  As  one  of 
the  people,  Josus  was  baptized  among  all 
the  rest. — And  praying.  The  second  circum- 
stance clearly  brought  out  by  Luke  alone, 
was,  that  after  the  baptism,  and  evidently 
(comp.  Mark  1 :  10,  11)  while  the  Saviour  was 
coming  up  from  his  symbolic  burial,  he  was 
engaged  in  prayer.  This  appears  from  a 
literally  adequate  rendering  of  the  Greek: 
Jesus  also  hncing  been  baptized,  and  being  in 
the  act  of  prayer.  We  may  reverently  im- 
agine what  was  the  subject  of  his  requests  to 
his  Father.  From  the  fact  that  this  is  men- 
tioned as  immediately  preceding,  or  rather, 
simultaneous  with  the  opening  of  the  heavens, 
is  it  not  intimated  that  he  was  looking  for 
some  recognition  of  his  Messiahship  to  be 
given,  and  that  he  earnestly  besought  this 
now?  At  all  events  it  came. — The  heaven 
was  opened.  An  ineffable  fact  is  intimated 
to  us  in  an  expression  shaped  to  meet  human 
capacity  of  comprehension.  Jesus  saw  through 
the  blue  depths  of  ether,  into  the  very  home 
of  God. 

22.  And  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in 
a  bodily  .shape  (form)  like  a  dove  upon 
him.  This  was  symbolically  represented  to 
.Jesus  and  to  John,  the  impartation  to  the 
former  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  be  his  perma- 
nent and  distinguishing  possession,  in  some 
sense  additional  to  that  element  of  divinity 
which  pertained  to  him  as  the  Incarnate 
"Word,  sealing  and  qualif3Mng  him  for  all  the 
functions  and  experiences  of  the  office  of 
Messiah — Redeemer. — Shape  like  a  dove, 
probably  clear,  resplendent  white,  beautifully 
fit  to  signify  the  purity  and  soaring  energy 
of  that  power  which  was  to  be  his,  without 
measure,  in  the  new  economy  of  redemp- 
tion—the Dispen-sation  of  the  Spirit.  That 
this  bestowment  was  figured  as  a  dove,  a 
living  and  complete  creature,  and  that  it 
"abode  on  him"  (johoi:.i.i\  may  have  been 
designed  to  show  that  the  Third  Person  of  the 
Trinity  entire  was  associated  with  the  Son  of 
man  as  a  permanent  endowment,  for  his  per- 


sonal behalf,  and  for  the  salvation  of  all  the 
subjects  of  his  kingdom. — And  a  voice  came 
out  of  heaven.  It  came  to  Jesus  himself, 
evidently,  and  probably  to  John  also.  There 
is  no  intimation,  in  either  of  the  narratives, 
that  it  wils  audible  to  any  other  person.  The 
Jewish  theologians  designated  as  Bath  Kol 
(daughter  of  a  voice),  the  lowest  stage  of  reve- 
lation, after  the  cessation  of  prophecy  in 
Malachi,  coming  through  a  miraculous  voice 
from  heaven.  Some  have  (but  without  any 
tangible  proof)  reckoned  this  occurrence 
with  that  recorded  in  John  12:  18,  also  Luke 
9:  35,  as  belonging  to  that  category. — Thou 
art  my  beloved  Son.  This  was  probably 
the  testimony  which,  or  something  equiva- 
lent, Jesus  had  desired  in  his  pra^'er.  There 
had  already  grown  up  in  his  consciousness, 
when  he  was  twelve  years  of  age  (2: 49),  the 
recognition  of  God  as  his  Father  iii  a  special 
sense.  That  had  doubtless  become  clearer, 
with  his  increase  in  wisdom  respecting  all 
subjects  during  the  years  that  had  passed 
until  now.  But  now  there  is  given  to  him 
further  the  testimony,  which  assurod  him  of 
sonship  in  the  high  and  peculiar  sense  of  the 
.second  Psalm  :  "Thou  art  mj^  Son,  this  day 
have  I  begotten  thee."  It  came  to  him  now 
as  an  announcement,  also,  that  the  moment 
of  his  entrance  on  that  ofBce  which  had 
brought  him  hither  was  come,  and  the  full 
equipment  for  its  functions  had  been  bestowed. 
It  was  his  ordination  to  the  office  of  the  Christ 
of  Israel,  and  Saviour  of  the  world. — In  thee 
I  am  well  pleased,  rather,  ftras  well  pleased' 
The  verb  is  in  the  aorist,  or  indefinite  jireter- 
ite,  and  may  rarely  be  used  where  a  perfect 
ten.se  would  do  as  well,  but  not  (except  the 
so-called  gmmiic  use,  or  in  similes)  for  a  pres- 
ent. Yet  the  familiar  English  present  gives 
an  effect  so  suitable  that  we  are  ready  to 
think  no  other  could  have  been  intended,  and 
translators  have  from  the  beginning  dealt 
with  the  phrase  as  though  (with  reverence  be 
it  spoken)  the  All-wise  had  blundered;  and 
commentators  have  had  to  labor  to  show  why 
it  might  be  so.  Had  they  rendered  it  as  a 
perfect,  "I  have  been  well  pleased,"  it  might 
be  said,  in  its  favor,  that  the  state  of  mind  ex- 
pressed plainly  continues  to  the  time  of  speak- 


70 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  III. 


ing.  That  is  so  ;  it  is  not  shown,  however,  by 
the  tense  of  the  verb,  but  by  the  nature  (^f  the 
case,  and  would  be  shown  with  the  English 
preterite  just  as  it  is  in  the  Greek.  (See  Butt- 
man,  Gram,  of  New  Testament  Greek,  p.  198 ; 
and  compare  Dr.  Conant's  note  on  Matt. 
23:  1,  Version  of  American  Bible  Union, 
Quarto  Edition.)  It  may  be  said,  that  if  we 
allow  the  verb  to  refer  us  to  the  past,  we  do 
not  know  to  what  point  to  go  back ;  and  that 
may  well  incite  us  to  more  study  of  the  ques- 
tion, but  is  no  reason  why  we  should  preclude 
it.  Perhaps  the  divine  thought  is:  "In  the 
adoption  of  that  plan  of  human  redemption, 
of  which  thou  wast  to  be  the  Mediator  and 
Finisher,  I  was  well  pleased  with  thee."  Such 
references  of  the  aorist  tense  to  counsels  of 
eternity  are  common.  But  we  would  only 
suggest,  not  attempt  to  decide.  What  recog- 
nition and  consecration,  more  satisfactory, 
could  the  Son  of  man  have  desired,  or  possi- 
bly have  received? 

Note  on  thk  Significance  of  Christ's 
Baptism. — Since  Luke  calls  John's  baptism 
"a  baptism  of  repentance,"  thus  implying 
a  recognition  of  guilt  on  the  part  of  its  recip- 
ients, while  Matthew  and  Mark  tell  us  ex- 
pressly that  they  were  baptized  "confessing 
their  sins"  (Matt. 3:6;  Mark i:5),  qucstious  nat- 
urally arise  touching  the  baptism  of  the  sin- 
less Jesus.  Why  should  it  be  sought  by 
him?  How  could  it  be  allowed  by  John? 
Yet  neither  Mark  nor  Luke  speaks  of  any 
doubt  felt  by  the  parties  to  the  act,  or  inti- 
mates any  of  his  own.  Luke  might  seem  to 
intend  an  explanation  in  some  sense  by  con- 
necting this  baptism  with  that  of  all  the 
people,  as  though  he  felt  that  Jesus,  by  rea- 
son simply  of  his  being  of  the  people,  needed 
to  identify  himself  with  them  in  their  move- 
ment toward  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  He 
also  (like  Mark)  places  the  baptism  at  such  a 
point  in  the  history  of  Jesus  as  to  show  that 
the  act  was  regarded  as  denoting  the  transi- 
tion from  the  private  life  of  the  latter  to  his 
public  and  oflacial  function.  But  our  sur- 
prise remains  that  he  should  not  have  noticed 
the  difference,  in  respect  to  this  rite,  between 
him  who  "knew  no  sin"  and  the  sinful 
crowds. 

A  variety  of  dogmatic  answers  to  the  per- 
plexing question  have  been  offered  through 
centuries  past.  After  the  plan  of  redemption 
had  been  accomi)lish(;d,  and  the  full  light  of 


revelation  thrown  upon  it,  such  answers 
would  occur  to  one  and  another  thoughtful 
man,  and  be  carried  back  to  the  beginning  of 
"the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ"  (Micrki.i).  A 
number  of  these  have  been  equally  and  so 
diversely  plausible  as  largely  to  cancel  each 
other,  and  none  of  them  satisfies  inquiry,  as 
suggested  by  the  historical  record  of  the 
event.  Could  they  have  been  in  the  minds 
of  the  evangelists?  Yet  it  would  seem  as 
if  something  had  been  in  their  minds,  to 
account  for  their  reporting  the  baptism  of 
Jesus  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Must  we  not  suppose  that,  while  they  spoke 
of  John's  baptism  in  its  ordinary  application 
as  significant  of  a  sense  of  sin,  and  as  a 
pledge  to  repentance,  they  saw  also  that  it 
was  initiatory  to  the  new  religious  dispensa- 
tion which  was  dawning  on  the  world?  The 
repentance  professed  and  promised  in  this 
symbol  was,  if  sincere,  a  prelude  to  forgive- 
ness of  sin  at  the  hands  of  the  Messiah,  and 
to  eternal  life.  But  this  presupposed  mem- 
bership in  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  This 
kingdom  in  its  earthly  realization  involved  a 
social  system,  a  governmental  polity,  an  or- 
ganization. It  would  have  its  distinctive  forms 
and  peculiar  rule.  Into  this  baptism  would  in- 
troduce its  meiiibers.  Baptism,  in  other  words, 
was,  as  the  rite  guaranteeing  repentance,  a 
door  of  entrance  into  the  kingdom,  for  those 
whose  hearts  had  been  so  prepared.  It  was 
thus  both  and  equally  an  expression  and 
pledge  of  renewedness  of  mind  on  the  one 
hand,  and  on  the  other  of  adherence  to  the 
cause  and  company  of  the  Messiah.  It  was 
suflScient  for  John  to  present  the  former 
aspect  in  urging  it  on  the  wicked  and  self- 
righteous  multitudes;  the  latter  was  that  in 
which  it  would  be  equally  appropriate  to 
Jesus  also.  He  was  to  be  the  head  of  that 
very  kingdom,  and  it  was  fit  that  he  should 
honor  its  appointed  rites,  and  especially  honor 
this  rite  by  receiving  in  connection  with  it 
that  last  requisite  sign  and  bestowment,  the 
dove-like  form  and  the  measureless  fullness 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This,  while  unnecessary 
for  him,  perhaps,  in  his  individual  capacity, 
was  the  indispensable  anointing  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  (Acts  10: 38),  the  chrism,  by  which 
he  became  the  Christ,  and  so  duly  quali- 
fied for  the  unique  and  supremely  exigent 
office  of  Saviour  for  mankind. 

Is   not  this  answer  to  the. question  which 


Ch.  III.] 


LUKE. 


71 


23  And  Jesus  himself  began  to  be  "about  thirty  years 
of  age,  being  (as  was  supposed;  *the  son  of  Joseph, 
which  was  Ihe  .vort  of  Heli, 

24  Which  wxs  Ike  son  of  Matthat,  which  was  the,  son 
of  I^vi  which  was  lAe  son  of  Melchi,  which  was  the 
son  of  Jauna,  which  was  the  son  of  Joseph, 

25  Which  was  the  son  of  Mattathias,  which  was  Ihe 
son  of  Aiuos,  wliich  was  the  son  of  Nauiii,  wliich  was  the 
son  of  Esli,  which  was  the  son  of  Naggc, 

26  Which  was  the  son  of  Maath,  wliich  was  tfie  son  of 
Mattathias,  which  was  Ihe  son  of  ."^eiiiei,  which  was  the 
son  of  Joseph,  which  was  Ik/:  son  of  Juda, 


23  And  Jesus  himself,  when  he  began  to  teach,  was 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  being  the  son  (as  was  sup- 

24  posed)  of  Joseph,  the  son  of  Heli,  the  son  of  Matthat, 
the  so)i  of  Levi,  the  son  of  Melchi,  the  son  of  Jannai, 

25  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  son  of  Mattathias,  the  40/4  of 
Aiuos,  the  son  of  Nahum,  the  son  of  Esli,  the  son  of 

26  Naggai,  the  son  of  Maath,  the  son  of  Mattathias,  the 


aNum.  4:3,  35,  39,  43,  47.... t  Malt.  13:  55;  JobD6:4.(. 


we  are  following  out  (an  answer  latent  in 
Murk  and  Luke),  expressly  sanctioned  by 
our  Saviour  himself,  in  his  reply  to  John's 
statement  (»f  the  very  difficulty  which  raises 
our  question?  John  had  implied  tluit  it  was 
improper  for  him  to  baptize  one  whom  his 
moral  instinct,  as  we  might  say  (not  to  speak 
of  some  acquaintance  which  he  probably  had 
with  the  holy  life  that  Jesus  had  led),  showed 
him  to  be  exempt  from  those  sins  with  which 
all  other  men,  including  himself,  were  charge- 
able. Jesus  says,  in  effect:  "  Lay  aside  such 
scruples  in  this  matter  note.  It  is  not  un- 
becoming to  either  of  us — to  thee  as  implying 
arrogance,  to  me  as  acknowledging  inferiority 
— that  I  should  receive  baptism  at  thy  hands. 
It  is  altogether  fit.  I  am  yet  a  private  person. 
Thou  art.  in  closing  the  preparatory  economy, 
to  inaugurate  the  new,  and  it  is  incumbent 
on  me  formally  to  assume  my  official  head- 
ship of  the  latter  through  the  ordinance  by 
which  all  my  subjects  are  to  enter  in.  This 
is  directly  required  of  us  both  by  my  Father." 
Righteousness  is,  in  general,  conformity  with 
the  declared  will  of  God.  The  "righteous- 
ness" of  which  our  Lord  here  speaks  is  thus 
— and  what  else  can  it  be? — compliance  with 
God's  declared  will  in  the  matter  of  his  bap- 
tism, declared  to  John  as  he  tells  us  (Jnhni:3s), 
and  to  Jesus  in  whatever  indication  had 
moved  him  to  go  to  the  baptism,  and  to  pray 
as  he  did  in  coming  up  from  the  water.  It 
was  thus  on  both  sides  the  performance  of  an 
appointed  duty,  an  act  of  righteousness,  per- 
fectly consistent  with  Christ's  complete  holi- 
ness, if  not  even  assuming  it,  and  resulting 
in  the  full  discharge  of  "all"  obligation 
preliminary  to  his  public  recognition  as  the 
Son  of  God. 

The  becomingness,  amounting  to  a  solemn 
obligation  on  his  part  to  submit  to  this  ordi- 
nance, would  be  clear  to  our  Lord,  if  he  saw 
even  then  that  significance  of  it  to  every 
worthy  recipient,  which  the  apostles    after- 


wards discerned  as  lying  in  it,  namely,  a 
death  and  resurrection.  Paul  (Rom.6:«,  and 
repeatedly)  sees  baptism  to  be  a  symbol  of 
the  believer's  burial,  consequent  upon  a 
death  to  sin  and  a  resurrection  to  a  new 
and  holy  life.  To  Jesus  it  would  be  a  symbol 
of  tliat  actual  death  of  shame  and  agony,  a 
sacrificial  death,  to  which  in  entering  on  his 
Messianic  course  he  consciously  devoted  him- 
self. It  is  hard  to  believe  that  John  did  not 
himself  gain  this  conception  of  what  he  did, 
especially  in  connection  with  the  Father's 
testimony  to  the  Sonship  of  Jesus,  when  we 
hear  him  the  next  day  saying  of  him:  "Be- 
hold the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world." 

With  the  fuller  record  of  Matthew  and  of 
John  before  us,  there  thus  seems  plainly  a 
sufficient  explanation  afforded  how  Jesus 
could  consistently  be  baptized,  while  the 
rite  in  general  signified  a  sense  of  sin,  and 
of  the  need  of  a  new  birth  to  a  holy  life. 
Luke  and  Mark,  not  bringing  in  that  addi- 
tional information,  simply,  as  narrators, 
leave  the  facts  recorded  by  them  to  suggest 
the  explanation.  John's  baptism  was,  in  its 
general  aspect,  a  baptism  of  repentance. 
But  even  in  this,  their  readers  knew,  lay  the 
idea  of  a  baptism  of  self-consecration  to  the' 
kingdom  of  God,  and  in  so  far  it  was  appro- 
priate to  the  sinless  Jesus  as  Head  of  that 
kingdom.  Thej',  as  probably  did  their 
sources  of  information,  simply  leave  the 
facts  to  disclose  the  v)hole  significance  of 
the  rite. 

23-38.  Genealogy  of  orR  Lord.  Hav- 
ing reached  the  point  where  Jesus  steps  forth 
from  his  private  sphere,  fully  prepared  to 
enter  on  his  work  of  salvation  for  the  world, 
our  author,  mentioning  his  age,  goes  on  to 
give  his  lineage.  His  motive  in  doing  this 
was  not  the  same  as  that  of  Matthew,  who,  to 
prove  Je-sus  the  promised  seed  of  Abraham 
and    son   of    David,   the    Messiah,    King    of 


72 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  hi. 


27  Which  was  the  son  of  Joanna,  which  was  the  son  of 
Rhesa,  which  was  Ifie  son  of  Zorobabel,  which  was  the 
son  of  Salathiel,  which  was  th''  son.  of  Neri, 

28  Which  was  *  jon  of  Melchi,  which  was  the  son  of 
Addi,  which  was  the  son  of  Cosam,  which  was  the  son  of 
Elniodam,  which  was  the  son  of  Er, 

29  Which  was  Ihe  son  of  Jose,  which  was  the  son  of 
Eliezer,  which  was  the  son  of  Jorim,  which  was  the  so7i 
of  Matthat,  which  was  the  son  of  Levi, 

30  Which  was  the  son  of  Simeon,  which  was  the  son 
of  Juda,  which  was  the  son  of  Joseph,  which  was  the  son 
of  Jonan,  which  was  the  son  of  Eliakim, 

31  Which  was  Ihe  son  of  Melea,  whicli  was  the  son  of 
Menan,  which  was  the  son  of  Mattatha,  which  was  the 
son  of"  Nathan,  'which  was  the  son  of  David, 

32  'Which  was  the  son  of  Jesse,  which  was  the  son  of 
Obed,  which  was  the  son  of  Booz,  which  was  the  son  of 
Salmon,  which  was  the  son  of  Naasson, 


27  son  of  Semein,  the  son  of  Josech,  the  son  of  Joda,  the 
son  of  Joanan,  the  son  of  Hhesa,  the  son  of  Zerub- 

28  babel,  the  son  of  ^  Shealtiel,  the  son  of  Neri,  the  son  of 
Melchi,  the  son  of  Addi,  the  son  of  Cosam,  the  son  of 

29  Elmadam,  the  son  of  Er,  the  son  of  Jesus,  the  son  of 
Eliezer,  the  son  of  Jorim,  the  son  of  Matthat,  the  son 

30  of  Levi,  the  son  of  Symeon,  the  son  of  Judas,  the  son 

31  of  Joseph,  the  s07i  of  Jouani,  the  son  of  Eliakim,  the 
son  of  Melea,  the  son  of  Menna,  the  son  of  Mattatha, 

32  the  son  of  Nathan,  the  son  of  David,  the  son  of  Jesse, 
the  son  of  Obed,  the  son  of  Boaz,  the  son  of  ^Salmon, 


«Zech,  12:  12 b  2  Snm.  5:  14;  I  Chron.  3:5 c  Ruth  4:  18,  etc.;  1  Chron.  2:  10,  etc.- 

autborities  write,  Sola. 


-1  Gr.  Salathiel 2  Suiue  ancient 


Israel,  traces  his  descent,  the  first  thing,  from 
the  ancestor  of  the  nation  down,  through  its 
royal  line,  to  Joseph,  the  commonly  supposed 
father  of  Christ;  Luke,  from  the  desire 
rather  to  make  his  readers  acquainted  with 
the  human  derivation  of  Jesus  from  God, 
through  the  whole  line  of  that  humanity 
which  he  came  to  redeem,  cannot  allow  him 
to  pass  the  point  at  which  it  would  still  be 
natural  to  introduce  this  item,  without  carry- 
ing his  parentage  back  to  the  first  man,  and 
to  his  parentage,  namely,  to  God. 

23.  And  Jesus  himself  began  to  be 
about  thirty  years  of  age.  This  verse 
should  read :  And  Jesus  himself,  when  he  began 
to  teach,  was  about  thirty  years  of  age.  This 
is  now  very  generally  agreed  by  scholars  to 
be  the  meaning  of  the  Greek  sentence,  only 
some  might  prefer  to  supply,  instead  of  "to 
teach"  in  the  Kevision,  "his  ministry,"  or 
his  "work."  Luke  gives  us  the  age  as 
nearly  as  his  sources  of  information  would 
enable  him;  but  the  term  "about"  is  so 
elastic  in  its  qualifying  power,  as  to  frustrate 
all  attempts  to  fix  the  precise  age  of  Jesus  at 
his  baptism,  or  the  time  which  had  elapsed 
since  the  beginning  of  John's  ministry.  The 
age  of  thirty  was  reckoned  by  both  Jews  and 
Greeks  as  the  point  of  full  maturity  of  the 
powers  of  men,  both  physical  and  mental, 
for  both  sacred  and  civil  functions. — Being 
(as  was  supposed)  the  son  of  Joseph, 
which  was  the  son  of  Heli,  etc.  The 
order  of  the  Kevision,  the  son  (as  was  sup- 
posed), is  right.  Here  we  see  that  Luke 
begins  with  Jesus  and  goes  back  through  a 
series  of  progenitors,  the  natural  order  of  an 
inquirer  into  his  special  parentage :  while 
Matthew,   as   if  following  the  series  of   the 


public  records,  comes  down  from  a  known 
ancestor  to  Christ.  The  existence  of  tliis 
latter  kind  of  records  is  evident  from  the 
fixed  custom  of  resorting  for  enrollment  to 
each  man's  own  city,  (s:3).  That  the  means 
of  tracing  the  pedigree  of  a  particular  indi- 
vidual back  were  extant  also,  appears  from 
cases  such  as  that  of  Anna  (2:3fi),  and  Paul, 
(Phil.  3:5).  Other  diff'erences  between  the  two 
genealogies  are  obvious.  Matthew  makes, 
from  Abraham,  three  sections  of  fourteen 
(twice  seven)  names,  down  to  Christ;  while 
Luke  mentions  fifty-four  between  the  same 
limits,  no  pairs  of  which  are  identical  in  the 
two  lists,  after  David,  except  in  the  case  of. 
Shealtiel  and  Zerubabel.  What  was  the 
relation,  then,  between  the  two  series  of 
names?  That  there  was  no  irreconcilable 
diflference  may  be  assumed,  because  there  was 
no  such  allegation  made  in  the  early  age 
when  inaccuracy  and  contradiction,  if  ex- 
isting, could  easily  be  demonstrated.  The 
absence,  as  to  us,  of  all  sources  from  which 
the  two  evangelists  drew,  leaves  us  to  con- 
jecture only  how  they  stood  toward  each 
other.  Two  leading  hypotheses  have  been 
employed  to  effect  harmony,  neither  of  which 
is  free  from  serious  deficiency,  but  either  of 
which  may  help  to  show  that  there  is  no 
necessary  incompatibility  between  the  two 
accounts. 

I.  Both  give  an  account  of  the  lineage  of 
Joseph,  Christ's  father,  as  supposed  in  his 
day.  Of  this  supposition  there  are  two  varie- 
ties. (1)  Matthew  gives  the  royal  line  of 
David,  showing  the  reigning,  or  ruling  per- 
sonages, as  long  as  there  were  such,  and  theii» 
legal  heirs,  through  whom  the  blood  royal 
came  to  Joseph,  without  attempting  to  give 


Ch.  III.] 


LUKE. 


73 


33  Which  was  Ihe  son  of  Aniinadab,  which  was  the  son 
of  Aram,  which  was  the  son  of  Ksroiu,  which  was  the  son 
of  Phares,  whicli  was  the  son  of  Jiida, 

34  Which  was  Ihe  son  of  Jacob,  which  was  the  son  of 
Isaac,  which  was  the  son  of  Abraham,  "which  was  the 
son  of  Thara,  which  was  the  son  of  Nachor, 

35  Which  was  the  son  of  Saruch,  which  was  the.  son  of 
Raeau,  which  was  the  son  of  Phalec,  which  was  the  son 
of  Hebcr,  which  was  the  son  of  Sala, 

36  '  Which  was  the  son  of  Cainau,  which  was  the  son  of 
Arphaxail,  "  which  was  the  son  of  Seiii,  which  was  the 
son  of  Noe,  which  was  Ihe  son  of  Lauiech, 

37  Whidi  was  Ihe  son  of  Mathiisala,  which  was  the  son 
of  Enoch,  which  wiis  the  son  of  Jaredj  which  was  the 
son  of  Maleleel,  which  was  the  son  o(  Cainan, 

38  Wliich  was  the  son  of  Enos,  which  was  the  son  of 
Seth,  which  was  the  son  of  Adam,  ''whicli  was  l/u:  son  of 
God. 


33  the  son  of  Nahshon,  the  .son  of  Amminadab,  ^thc  son 
of '  Arni,  the  son  of  Hezron,  the  son  of  Perez,  the  son 

34  of  Judah,  the  son  of  Jacob,  the  son  of  Isaac,  the  .von 

35  of  Abraham,  the  son  of  Terah,  the  son  of  Nahor,  the 
son  of  SiTui;;,  the  son  of  Hen,  the  son  of  Peleg,  the  son 

36  of  El)er,  the  son  of  Shelah,  the  son  of  Cainan,  the  son 
of  Arphaxad,  the  son  of  Sheni,  the  son  of  Noah,  tlie 

37  .vo«  of  Lamech,  the  son  of  Methuselah,  the  son  of 
Enoch,  the  son  of  Jared,  the  son  of  Mahalalcel,  the 

38  son  of  Cainan,  the  son  of  Enos  the  so7i  of  beth,  the 
son  of  Adam,  the  son  of  God. 


a  Gen.  11 :  24,  26 6  See  Oen.  II  :  12 c  Gen   5:  f>,  etc.;  II :  10,  etc d  Gen.  5  ;  1,  2. 1  Manr  ancient  authorities  iusert,  the 

SOD  of  Admin:  MDd  one  writes,  Admin  for  Amminadob....'i  Some  uucieut  uutliurities  write,  Aram. 


the  actual  series  of  his  immediate  forefathers; 
while  Luke  gave  just  this,  the  true  paternal 
descent,  not  concerning  himself  with  the  offi- 
cial lineage.  This  is  the  view  advocated  labori- 
ously by  Lord  Hervey,  among  many,  (see 
Smith's  Diet  of  the  Bible,  Am.  Ed.,  p,  884,ff;. 
He  thinks  the  case  so  plain,  according  to  that 
view,  that  it  scarcely  needs  discussion.  "One 
has  only  to  read  them  [the  two  genealogies] 
to  be  satisfied  of  this."  "St.  Luke's  is  Jo- 
seph's private  genealogy."'  "This  is  capable 
of  being  almost  demonstrated."  Where  a 
conjecture  might  be  ventured,  he  says,  "it  is 
perfectly  certain,"  etc. 

(2.)  Vice  versa,  it  is  maintained  with  much 
force  that  Matthew's  word  "begat,"  repeated 
so  many  times,  implies  the  actual  generation 
of  the  several  descendants,  while  Luke's 
phrase  "son  of,"  is  freely  applicable  to  one 
legally  brought  (hy  adoption,  or  otherwise) 
into  the  family  of  David.  This  supposition  is 
maintained  with  much  fullness  of  discussion, 
learning,  and  confidcmce,  by  Dr.  J.  B.  Mc- 
Clellan,  in  a  note  to  his  Neio  Translation  of 
the  New  Testament,  (Vol.  I.,  p.  408,  ff.) 

II.  Luke  presents  the  family  record  of  Mary 
the  mother  of  Jesus,  with  the  design  rather 
of  exhibiting  our  Lord's  common  descent  with 
all  men,  according  to  the  flesh,  from  Adam, 
the  father  of  all.  In  doing  this  he  shows 
incidentally  that  Mary  too  was  truly  of  the 
offspring  of  David.  As  the  ancient  genealo- 
gies, Jewish  or  Roman,  would  not  start  from 
the  mother,  Luke  begins  with  Joseph  (as 
representing  Mary),  who  thus  becomes,  in  a 
loose  sense,  son  of  her  (assumed)  father,  Heli. 
Some  would  facilitate  this  hypothesis  by  ex- 
tending the  parenthesis  in  the  verse  before  us,  j 
so  as  to  make  it,  "  Being  the  son  (as  was  sup-  i 
posed  of  Joseph)  of  Heli."     Thus  the  sonship 


of  Jesus  would  be  directly  referred  (through 
Mary,  who  could  not  be  named  in  the  series) 
to  Heli,  supposed  to  be  her  father.  The  ab- 
sence, in  the  Greek,  of  the  article  before 
Joseph,  which  precedes  every  name  in  the 
series  after  that,  slightly  favors  that  view, 
grammatically.  The  explanation  afforded, 
however,  is  on  the  whole  not  satisfactory  ;  and 
if  the  alternative  view,  in  either  aspect  of  it. 
did  not  involve  a  number  of  vicjlent  a.<sump- 
tions,  this  would  meet  with  little  favor.  If  it 
be  accepted,  no  other  difficulties  are  suggested 
by  the  comparison  with  Matthew's  pedigree, 
except  that  the  two  lines  coincide  in  the  two 
names,  Shealtiel  and  Zorobabel,  about  which 
the  difficulty  is  much  the  same  on  either  sup- 
position. To  the  objection  that  the  Jews  and 
Romans  took  no  account  of  women  in  their 
family  records,  it  may  be  answered  that  the 
case  of  Anna  (2:36)  shows  that  a  woman's 
derivation  could  be  traced,  as  is  proved  by 
Paul's  case  also,  ("a  Hebrew  of  Hebrews"), 
and  that  Luke  cared  little  about  the  legal  or 
official  record;  but  much  about  the  connec- 
tion of  Jesus  with  all  that  was  highest  in  the 
Hebrew  line,  and  all  that  was  most  ancient  in 
the  ancestry  of  mankind.  There  might  seem 
a  special  rea.'^on  why  custom  should  be  de- 
parted from  in  this  ca.se,  because  the  Messiah 
was  to  be  born  of  a  virgin.  This  would  show, 
also,  how  the  prophecies  concerning  "the 
seed  of  Abraham"  were  fulfilled,  and  how 
"  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  "  "  was  made  of  the 
seed  of  David  according  to  the  flesh  "  (R.mi.  i:3)^ 
and  not  merely  by  legal  succession;  a  thing 
which,  as  the  companion  of  Paul,  Luke'might 
have  an  interest  in  maintaining.  This  view, 
in  the  main,  is  advocatetl  by  Godet,  preceded 
by  Knapp,  Bengel,  Spannheim,  and  others. 
If  we  must  adopt  either  of  the  harnionittic 


74 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


AND  <"  Jesus  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  returned 
from  Jordan,  and  '  was  led  by  the  Spirit  into  the 

2  Being  forty  davs  tempted  of  the  devil.  And  "in 
those  days  he  did  eat  nothing:  and  when  they  were 
ended,  he  afterward  hungered. 


1  And  Jesus,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  returned  from 
the  Jordan,  and  was  led  in  the  Spirit  ii^  the  wilder- 
ness during  forty  days,  being  tempted  of  the  devil. 

2  And  he  did  eat  nothing  in  those  days:  and  when 


a  Mitlt.  4:1:  Mark  1:  12.... 6  ver.  U;  ch.2:  27.... c  Ex.34:  28;  1  Kings  19:  8. 


methods  above  mentioned,  we  should  hesi- 
tatingly decide  for  the  latter,  notwithstanding 
the  absence  of  direct  mention  of  Mary,  which 
alone  hinders  it  from  being  unquestionably 
valid.  But  we  prefer  to  leave  the  final  de- 
cision in  abeyance,  while  resting  confidently 
in  the  accuracy  of  both  accounts,  as  drawn 
from  sources  of  evidence  open  to  the  writers, 
but  lost  to  us. 

Some  differences  in  the  forms  of  names  will 
be  noticed  in  comparing  the  Revised  with  the 
Common  Version.  These  result,  either  from 
following  more  ancient  and  better  copies  of 
the  Greek  text  in  the  former  version,  or  from 
the  plan  of  conforming  proper  names  of  an- 
cient personages  in  the  New  Testament  to 
those  with  which  we  are  familiar  in  the  Old. 


Ch.  4:  1-13.  The  Temptation. 

1.  Full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  {Spirit)  as  the 

result  of  that  singular  endowment  which  he 
had  just  received  at  the  baptism;  for  this  is 
to  be  understood,  in  Luke's  order,  as  following 
close  upon  that  event.  That  gift  becomes  the 
element,  support,  and  moving  power  of  his 
whole  life  henceforth  (see  ver.  13.)— Re- 
turned from  (the)  Jordan.  The  word  trans- 
lated returned,  was  a  favorite  with  Luke, 
who  used  it  thirty-two  times  out  of  the  thirty- 
five  in  which  it  occurs  in  all  the  New  Testa- 
ment. It  would,  here,  naturally  lead  us  to 
the  conclusion  that  Jesus  returned  to  Galilee, 
from  which  he  had  come ;  and  when  we  read 
instead,  that  he  was  led  by  the  Spirit  into 
{in)  the  wilderness,  we  are  left  in  doubt 
whether  this  is  related  as  an  incident  and  in- 
terruption of  the  journey  back,  the  account 
of  which  is  then  resumed  in  ver.  14,  with  a 
repetition  of  and  Jesus  returned,  etc.,  or 
whether  the  verb  is  here  used  in  a  diflTerent 
■  sense,  of  a  separate  movement  "toward  the 
wilderness,"  equivalent  to  "turned  away." 
The  former  is  much  more  probable,  (ionsider- 
ing  that  in  every  other  instance  the  verb  <vno(r- 
rpe^u)    is    distinctly   used    of   the    movement 


back  to  the  place  or  state  from  which  it  began. 
— He  was  led  by  the  Spirit — strictl^^, in  the 
Spirit.  This  shows,  as  in  the  parallel  passages 
of  Matthew  and  Mark,  that  his  movements 
were  animated,  directed,  impelled  by  the 
Spirit,  which  he  had  received  without  meas- 
ure.— Into  (literally,  in)  the  wilderness. 
That  he  is  here  said  to  have  been  "  led  in  the 
wilderness,"  shows  that  our  record  contem- 
plates a  later  stage  of  his  experience  than 
that  where  it  was  said  he  was  led  up"(MH[thew), 
and  that  the  Spirit  "driveth  him"  (Mark),  into 
the  wilderness.  Together  they  show  that  his 
entering  upon  this  trial,  and  his  continuance 
in  it,  and  through  it,  were  not  against,  but  in 
obedience  to,  the  influence  and  control  of  the 
divine  Power  which  had  sealed  and  conse- 
crated him  to  his  Messianic  office. 

3.  Forty  days.  This  connects  itself  pri- 
marily with  the  preceding  clause  (see  the 
Revision),  showing  that  the  impulse  of  the 
Spirit  was  upon  him  all  that  time.  He  was, 
as  it  would  seem,  caused  to  move  from  place 
to  place  in  his  solitude.  Who  can  tell  the 
thouglits  that  occupied  his  mind?  It  was 
equally  a  period  of  protracted  temptation; 
for  the  following  clause,  being  tempted  of 
the  devil,  is  also  connected  with  the  "forty 
days."  Mark  again  makes  the  temptation  run 
through  the  whole  time,  while  Matthew, 
overlooking  this,  fixes  attention  on  the  tliree 
grand  assaults  of  the  adversary,  which  all  the 
Synoptists  speak  of  as  closing  up  the  long 
season  of  trial. — And  in  those  days  he  did 
eat  nothing.  It  was  a  voluntary  fast,  con- 
sistent with  the  concentration  of  the  thoughts 
of  Jesus  upon  themes  connected  with  that 
work  which  was  now  formally  devolved  upon 
him.  His  case  was  comparable  to  that  of 
Moses  in  the  mount  (ex.  24:  is),  and  of  Elijah 
on  his  long  journey  through  the  wilderness 
to  Horeb  (i  Kings  19 :  s).  We  can  hardly  be  mis- 
taken in  imagining  that  there  pa.ssed  under 
his  .survey  a  variety  of  possible  methods  for 
the  conduct  of  his  work,  and  the  attainment 
of  its  divinely  appointed  end.     And  all,  we 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


75 


3  ADd  the  devil  said  unto  him,  If  thou  l)e  the  Son  of  I 
God,  coiuiuaud  this  stone  that  it  he  luaile  hread. 

4  And  Jesus  answered   him,  saying,  »  It  is  written,  | 


3  they  were  c()nij)leted,  he  hungered.    And  the  devil 
said  unto  him,  it  thuu  art  the  Son  of  (jod,  cnuimaud 

4  this    stone    that     it    become    i  bread.      And    Jesus 


a  Deut.  8 :  3 1  Or.  a  loaf. 


may  be  sure,  was  in  prayerful  coiuniuuiou 
with  his  Father  in  heaven.— And  when  they 
were  completed,  he  afterward  hungered. 

During  the  h)iig  mental  toil,  nut  vvitliuut  con- 
flict, he  might  be  comparatively  uncon.scious 
of  physical  needs.  But  when  the  limit  of 
endurance  was  reached,  there  would  nat- 
urally be  an  awful  craving  for  food. 

3.  And  the  devil  said  unto  him.  The 
same  personage  is  called  in  Mark,  Satan,  and 
in  Matthew,  the  Tempter.  Satan,  in  the 
Hebrew,  meant  "adversary,"  "accuser,"  and 
is  freely  applied  to  human  foes  as  well  as  to 
the  accuser  before  God  (Jobi:6).  The  corre- 
sponding Greek  word,  Dinbolos,  also  meant,  as 
an  adjective,  "accusing,"  "calumniating"; 
but  with  the  article  (6  fito/SoAo?),  "the  devil," 
alwa^'s  either  (1),  the  great  adversary  of  God 
and  man,  prince  of  the  powers  of  evil,  who 
tempts  man  to  sin,  opposes  God  in  his  work 
of  salvation,  and  leads  in  all  the  movements 
of  hostility  to  Christ;  the  head,  in  short,  of 
all  spirits  and  agencies  of  wickedness  and 
harm,  as  Christ  is  of  all  holy  and  helpful 
powers  and  influences;  or  ('2>,  any  man  re- 
garded as  possessed  of  the  spirit,  and  doing 
the  work,  of  the  devil  (John  6:  -o),  like  to  which, 
although  the  s^-nonomous  Satan  is  used,  are 
(MHti.  16:23;  M:irk 8 :  3.1).  For  the  purposc  of  being 
tempted  b^-  him  had  Jesus,  on  the  threshold 
of  his  ministry,  been  urged  out  into  the 
horrid  solitudes  of  the  desert,  with  wild 
bea.sts  for  company  (Mark  i :  13) ;  and  of  his  lures 
and  machinations,  had  he  been  more  or  less 
conscious,  during  the  meditations  and  pray- 
ers of  this  period.  And  the  idea  of  "tempta- 
tion" here  includes  every  element  that  ever, 
in  any  relation,  enters  into  it.  It  is  the  put- 
ting him  to  the  test  in  all  his  powers,  not  with 
that  trial  which  a  man  is  blessed  when  he 
falls  intf)  (J:<me.si:  2),  but  t.at  which  has  for  its 
malignant  aim  to  lead  into  sin  and  its  wretch- 
edness. It  was  as  though,  now  that  Jesus 
had  been  declared  the  Son  of  God,  he  was  to 
encounter  all  the  wiles  and  opposition  of  him 
whose  rule  over  the  souls  of  men  it  was  his 
errand  to  destroy,  and  thus  to  demonstrate 
his  personal,  intrinsic  capacity  for  the  Messi- 
anic work,  to  which,  by  his  baptism,  he  had 
been  officially  consecrated.     The  Sou  of  God 


encounters  the  prince  of  the  demons  in  a  deci- 
sive conflict. 

We  are  not  told  how  the  latter  came  into 
contact  with  Jesus — whether  there  was  any 
visible  form  such  that  a  man  present  would 
have  seen  him  at  all;  nor  need  we  speculate 
on  this  further  than  to  suppose  (which  we 
must,  to  vindicate  our  Saviour  from  the  sus- 
picion of  originating  the  temptations  to  him- 
self), that  he  was  distinctly  aware  of  the 
actual  presence  of  the  arch-enemy.  It  Wivs  a 
real  contest  between  the  Saviour  and  an 
external  Vjeing,  distinct  to  the  inward  eye,  at 
least,  not  his  own  thoughts  marshaled  against 
each  other. 

In  the  confidence  of  a  pride  warninted  by 
numberless  victories  over  the  piet^'  of  men, 
from  their  first  ancestor  down,  that  person 
<;ame  to  our  Lord  in  his  faintness,  and  un- 
speakable need  of  food. 

3.  And  the  devil  said  nnto  him.  If  thou 
be  {art)  the  Son  of  God.  The  indicative 
mood  (which  accords  with  the  correct  Greek 
reading)  assumes  that  the  Saviour  is  such. 
The  tempter  is  aware  of  the  testimony  which 
has  been  given  from  on  high  to  his  Sonshiji; 
and,  whether  believing  it  or  not,  whether 
understanding  fully  what  it  involves  or  not, 
speaks  as  if  he  did;  and  on  this  fact  bases 
the  insidious  proposition  which  he  makes: 
"Son  of  God,  act  worthily  of  thy  divine  dig- 
nity."— Command  this  stone  that  it  be 
made  bread.  Strictly,  Speak  to  this  stone, 
that  it  may  become  a  loaf.  This  stone  is 
more  vivid  than  "these  stones"  in  Matthew, 
singling  out  some  one  lying  near,  which,  in 
size  and  shrape,  may  have  resembled  one  of 
their  flat  loaves.  Farrar  {Life  of  Christ,  I., 
129),  supposes  it  may  have  been  one  of  a  kind 
of  "siliceous  accretions,  sometimes  known 
under  the  name  of  lapides  judnici,  which 
assujiie  the  exact  shape  of  little  loaves  of 
bread."  Compare  Stanley  {Sinai  and  Pales- 
tine, p.  153),  for  the  imitative  shapes  of  min- 
erals found  in  Palestine.  What  is  the  harm 
of  this  projiosal?  Wherein  is  it  a  temptation? 
The  sense  of  it  was:  "The  creative  power 
which  pertains  to  thee  as  God's  Son,  for  the 
purposes  of  his  kingdom,  emjiloy  thou  to 
relieve  thyself  from  personal  distress,  which 


76 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV 


That  man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every 
word  ol'  God. 

5  And  the  devil,  taking  him  up  into  an  high  moun- 
tain, shewed  unto  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
in  a  moment  of  time. 

6  And  the  devil  said  unto  him,  All  this  power  will  I 
give  thee,  and  the  glory  of  them :  for  'that  is  delivered 
unto  me ;  and  to  whomsoever  I  will  I  give  it. 


answered  unto  him.  It  is  written,  Man  shall  not  live 

5  by  bread  alone.  And  he  led  him  up,  and  shewed 
him  all  the  kingdoms  of  ithe  world  in  a  moment  of 

6  time.  And  the  devil  said  unto  him.  To  thee  will  I 
give  all  this  authority,  and  the  glory  of  them  :  for  it 
hath  been  delivered  iinto  me ;  and  to  whomsoever  I 


aJohnl'i:  13;  14:30;  Rev.  13:  2,7. IGr.  the  inhabited  earth. 


is  SO  incompatible  with  thy  comfort  and  thy 
honor."  But  Jesus  knew,  perhaps  Satan 
also,  that  this  was  the  very  thing  which  the 
Spirit  had  brought  him  there  to  bear,  and,  in 
bearing  the  dreadful  trial  of  his  own  natural 
appetite,  he  was  not  to  be  lured  by  the  arts  of 
the  tempter.  His  decision  in  this,  as  in  the 
following  tests,  was  significant  of  a  principle 
which  ruled  him  in  all  his  Messianic  life  on 
earth.  He  would  bring  fish  out  of  the  sea, 
and  multiply  the  loaves  indefinitely  to  meet 
the  wants  of  his  followers;  but  when  he  found 
no  figs  on  the  barren  tree,  he  went  on  with 
his  own  hunger  unappeased.  He  would  trust 
himself  to  his  Father's  care. 

4.  It  is  written.  Thus  early  does  he 
begin  to  indicate  his  intimacy  with  the  Old 
Testament,  his  constant  use  of  it,  and  sense  of 
its  value  as  the  storehouse  and  arsenal  for  the 
nourishment  and  defence  of  saints.— That 
man  shall  not  live  by  (rather,  on)  bread 
alone.  The  remainder  of  this  verse  in  the 
Common  Version  is  pretty  certainly  trans- 
ferred hither  from  Matt.  4:  4,  where  it  be- 
longs. In  making  this  quotation,  the  Saviour 
recognizes  his  own  perfect  humanity  (what  is 
true  of  man  in  general  (6  avepuinoi)  is  true  of 
him),  and  hence  his  liability  to  the  conditions, 
and  obligations  of  humanity.  Man's  true 
life  is  not  dependent  on  the  gratification  of  his 
appetite  for  food;  even  if  this  should  be  en- 
tirely withheld,  the  life  of  the  soul,  nourished 
by  God's  truth,  may  still  go  forward  and 
upward.  To  do  his  Father's  will  is  already 
the  meat  and  drink  of  Christ;  and  to  him  will 
he  leave  the  providing  for  his  wants. 

5.  And  the  devil,  taking  {leading)  him 
up.  Luke  does  not  give  the  designation 
whither  (see  the  Revision),  although  that  also 
in  the  received  text  has  been  added  from 
Matthew's  narrative. — Shewed  him  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world  in  a  moment  of 
time.  Here  we  may  almost  certainly  see 
that  it  is  not  intended  we  should  understand 
a  literal  standing  place,  whether  mountain  or 


tower;  or  an  act  of  physical  vision.  The 
readers  of  the  Gospels  knew  there  were  no 
mountains  in  that  part  of  the  world  so  high  as 
to  give  human  eyes  a  view  through  even  the 
clearest  air,  over  the  most  exceptionally  fa- 
vorable scene,  from  the  highest  peaks  to  the 
highest,  of  more  than  about  two  hundred 
miles  diameter.  It  was.  however,  to  the 
Saviour,  as  impressive  a  sight  of  all  kingdoms, 
as  if  he  could  have  been  placed  where  they 
would  lie  simultaneously  under  his  natural 
glance.  They  were  presented,  in  a  splendid 
phantasmagoria,  to  the  inward  vision  as  if 
present  to  the  outward  view.  The  unreal 
character  of  the  display,  "and  at  the  same  time 
its  miraculous  impressiveness,  is  indicated  by 
the  addition,  in  a  moment  of  time  (strictly, 
in  a  point).  The  appeal  to  our  Lord's  pure 
and  unselfish  ambition,  to  that  desire  for  in- 
tellectual and  social  superiority,  influence, 
rule,  which  is  called  in  fallen  men  "the  last 
infirmity  of  noble  minds,"  aspiring  in  his 
case  simply  after  the  widest  possible  field  of 
beneficence,  was  doubtless  as  strong  as  can  be 
conceived. 

6.  All  this  power  will  I  give  thee,  and 
the  glory  of  them.  The  Revision  presents 
the  right  order  and  rendering:  "7\>  tliee  will 
I  give.' ^  The  position  makes  it  emphatic: 
many  have  desired  even  a  small  part  of  such 
authority — kings  and  priests,  and  philoso- 
phers, and  have  wished  in  vain;  the  greatest 
potentates  have,  possessed  but  a  fragment  oi* 
it — "but  to  thee  will  I  give  it  all."  It  is  the 
offer  of  dominion,  combining  in  one  the 
authority  of  Solomon,  Sesostris,  Alexander, 
Cesar,  and  all  that  had  ever  been  famous  on 
earth.  The  glory  of  them,  is  the  glor^'  of 
all  those  kingdoms;  that  is,  the  power  of  their 
governments,  the  luxury  of  their  courts,  and 
the  splendor  of  their  armies;  the  magnifi- 
cence of  their  cities,  and  number  of  their 
towns,  palaces,  castles,  monuments,  pictures, 
statues,  libraries;  their  bustling  commerce, 
and  patient  agriculture,  the  source  of  all.    To 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


77 


7  If  thou  therefore  wilt  '  worship  me,  all  shall  be 
thine. 

8  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  hiiu,  Get  thee 
behind  uje,  Satan  :  for 'it  is  written,  Thou  shall  wor- 
ship the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  s^Vve. 


7  will  I  give  it.    If  thou  therefore  wilt  worship  me,  it 

8  shall  all  bethine.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him.  It  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 


a  Or, /all  down  be/ore  me. ...b  Deut.  6 :  13 ;  10 :  20. 


justify  SO  arrogant  a  proposal,  the  tempter 
proceeds  with  a  promise. — For  that  is  de- 
livered unto  me,  and  to  whomsoever  I 
will  I  give  it.  This  was  false,  but  well 
suited  to  beguile  one  who  did  not  bear  in 
mind  that  it  was  "the  father  of  lies"  who 
was  speaking.  There  was,  moreover,  then, 
as  there  ever  has  been,  a  sufficient  show  of  the 
authority  and  glory  of  the  world  being  be- 
stowed on  the  devotees  of  Satan,  to  move 
multitudes  of  the  ambitious  to  heed  his  lying 
proffers.  He  is  called  afterward  by  our  Lord, 
"the  prince  of  this  world,"  or  age;  but  that 
is  said  in  view  of  the  voluntary  self-subjection 
of  the  moral  world  to  him.  It  may  be  that 
he  can,  and  does,  so  instigate  and  direct 
wicked  men  that  they  prove  more  successful, 
temporarily,  in  the  attainment  of  worldly  ad- 
vantages. But  we  know  of  nothing  to  suj)- 
port  what  he  here  declares  to  our  Lord,  that 
the  power  and  glory  of  all  the  earth  have 
been  given  by  God  to  his  supreme  adversary 
to  dispose  of  for  the  pleasure  of  the  latter,  and 
for  his  ends.  Had  he  better  known,  or  been 
more  able  to  appreciate  the  holy  ambition  of 
Jesus  to  gain  imvoTd  influence  over  the  ! 
thoughts  and  aftVctions  of  men  in  all  the 
kingdoms,  to  rule  them  only  for  their  eternal 
advantage,  he  would  not  have  wasted  his  im- 
potent craft. 

The  Saviour  could  liardly  have  understood 
this  offer  of  the  prince  of  the  world,  us  per- 
sonal to  him,  in  such  a  sense  as  not  to  involve 
the  policy  of  his  cause,  the  administration  of 
his  kingdom.  That,  also,  should  flourish  and 
come  to  prevail  throughout  all  the  world,  so 
that  the  authority  of  the  kingdoms  and  the 
glory  of  them  should  belong  to  it,  through 
the  gift  of  that  "murderer  from  the  begin- 
ning." 

7.  If  thou  therefore  wilt  worship  (pay 
homage  to,  or  salnfnfions  of  respect  before) 
me,  ail  shall  be  thine.  Now  it  appears 
that  there  is  an  important  condition  to  the 
bestowment  of  that  gift  which  has  been 
ofl'ered  so  freely.  Thou  is  strongly  emphatic 
here  again,  as  if  the  devil  had  a  favor  toward 
Jesus,  so  that  \i  he  would  accept  it,  he  would 


take  it  from  those  now  in  possession  of  it^  and 
it — the  authority— all  shall  be  thine.  We 
can  easily  fancy  that  he  thought  he  had 
gained  the  consent  of  the  object  of  his  address. 
We  know  that  our  Lord  would  not  have 
taken  the  slightest  gift  at  his  hands,  however 
free,  or  valuable  in  itself;  and  we  have  a 
proof  of  it  in  the  fact  that  he  did  not  exchange 
one  word  with  him  in  regard  to  any  proffers, 
except  to  reject  them  abruptly,  each  by  a 
Scripture  text.  The  condition  of  reverence 
to  Satan  did  not  require  ostensible  religious 
worship,  or  avowed  subordination.  It  might 
apparently  have  been  satisfied  with  a  kind, 
and  degree  of  outward  respect  which  would 
avoid  open  hostility,  and  allow  mutual  inde- 
pendence. And  in  the  furtherance  of  the 
gospel  cause — in  other  words,  in  the  organiza- 
tion and  development  of  Christ's  Kingdom — 
we  can  imagine  it  being  so  understood  that  if 
the  kingdom  of  Satan  were  not  attacked  and 
warred  against,  he  would  engage  that  the 
whole  should  go  under  the  name  of  Christ's 
cause.  But  our  Lord  had  come  into  the 
world  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil,  so 
that  he  could  hear  of  no  homage;  and  his 
"kingdom  was  not  of  this  world,"  so  that  he 
was  not  concerned  to  win  the  authority  or 
glory  of  the  world.  No  sooner,  therefore, 
had  he  heard  what  the  tempter  had  to  pro- 
pose, than  he  was  ready  again  with  another 
Scripture. 

8.  It  is  written.  Thou  shalt  worship 
the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt 
thou  serve.  This  Scrii)ture  was  evidently 
cited,  not  only  as  a  defence  to  the  Saviour, 
but  a  condemnation  of  Satan.  It  may  be 
noticed  that  the  passage  is  quoted  freel^',  ac- 
cording to  its  sense  as  bearing  on  the  present 
case,  not  according  to  the  letter.  Both  the 
Hebrew,  and  the  Greek  Version  then  com- 
monly in  use,  have,  "Thou  shalt /effr  the 
Lord,"  etc.  Serve— at  the  end,  is,  in  the 
Greek,  the  verb  which  expresses  the  idea  of 
worship  ofl>;red  in  outward  prayers  and  vows, 
and  sacrifices.  The  aptness  and  promptness 
of  the  answer  should  be  remarked  by  every 
Christian.     The  form  of  adoration  must  not 


78 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


9  "And  he  brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  and  set  him  on 
.a  piiinacle  of  the  temple,  and  said  unto  him,  If  thou  be 
the  Son  of  (jod,  cast  thyself  down  from  hence: 

10  For  'it  is  written.  He  shall  give  his  angels  charge 
over  thee,  to  keep  thee : 


9  God,  and  him  only  shall  thou  serve.    And  he  led  him 

to  Jerusalem,  and  set  him  on  the 'pinnacle  of  the 

temple,  and    said  unto  hiui.  If  thou   art    the   Son 

10  of  God,   cast  thyself  down     from   hence:   for  it  is 

written. 

He  shall  give  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee, 
to  guard  thee : 


a  Matt.  4:  5.... 6  Ps.  91 :  11. 1  Or,  wing. 


be  offered  without  its  spirit,  and  neither,  ex- 
cept to  "the  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords." 

9.  A  third  test  was  to  be  applied  before  the 
devil  would  yield  to  his  defeat.  And  lie 
brought  {led)  him  to  Jerusalem.  Whether 
actually,  in  the  body  or  not,  is  to  be  answered 
according  to  the  view  which  one  takes  of  the 
whole  series  of  these  temptations.  If  we  re- 
gard the  preceding  as  of  the  nature  of  a  vision, 
this  will  naturally  be  so  judged.  And  the 
last  two  temptations  are  either  that,  or,  con- 
sidering the  tasks  involved,  and  the  ex- 
hausted condition  of  the  Saviour  when  they 
began,  they  are  pure  miracles,  which  forbid 
all  speculation  even,  as  to  the  manner  of  their 
performance.  And  set  him  on  a  {the)  pin- 
nacle of  the  temple.  The  pinnacle, 
equivalent  to  wing,  or  winglet,  is  translated 
by  some,  "the  parapet."  The  temple  is 
here,  as  in  the  great  majorjty  of  instances, 
the  temple  courts,  with  all  their  appurtenance 
of  costly  and  magnificent  buildings.  (See  on 
2:  27.)  At  what  part  of  it  the  pinnacle  or 
parapet  is  to  be  located,  is  not  certain.;  but 
the  nature  of  the  case  leads  us  strongly  to 
think  it  must  have  been  some  well  known 
prominence  on  the  cornice  of  the  outer  wall 
of  the  outer  porch,  near  the  southeastern 
angle.  This  was  called  the  Royal  Porch, 
which  crowned  the  foundation  wall  built  up 
from  the  depths  of  the  Kidron  valley.  Thus 
the  depth  in  this  part  from  the  summit  of  the 
porch  to  the  bottom  of  the  foundation  wall  is 
represented  by  Josephus  as  appalling.  (Ant., 
15,  11.  5.)  If  thou  be  {art)  the  Son  of 
God,  cast  thyself  down  from  hence. 
The  inducement  for  Christ  to  throw  himself 
down,  if  any  could  be  imagined,  would  be, 
probably,  on  the  supposition  that  he  should 
safelj'  accomplish  it,  that  he  might  gain  re- 
nown from  this  evidence  of  his  wonder-work- 
ing power.  The  other  tests  had  assailed  his 
natural  bodily  appetite,  and  his  ambition  for 
extensive  rule.  This  aims  at  his  Messianic 
pride.  It  challenges  him  again,  on  the 
ground  o{  his  being  the  Son  of  God,  to  do 


something  becoming  such  a  personage;  and, 
as  if  presuming  on  that  trust  in  his  Father 
which  Jesus  had  evinced,  it  also  brings  in 
Scripture  as  an  incitement  to  the  proposed  at- 
tempt. Note  how  truly  the  solicitation  cor- 
responds with  Satan's  suggestion  to  every 
tempted  soul:  "Cast  thyself  down."  He 
would  cast  his  desired  victim  down  if  he 
could,  but  can  only  invite  and  persuade  to 
what  may  be  yielded  or  refused.  Ullmann, 
in  his  classical  treatise  on  the  Sinlessjiess  of 
Jesus,  (pp.  168,  ff.  295  f.  T.  and  T.  Clark's 
Ed.),  holds  that  the  stress  of  the  seductive 
effort  of  the  tempter,  in  this  case,  was  to  in- 
duce Jesus  to  "run  willfully  into  manifest 
danger.  '  He  thinks  that  this  may  be  and  is 
really  a  peril  to  active  and  ambitious  minds, 
that,  full  of  the  importance  of  their  enter- 
prise, they  rush  toward  its  execution,  trusting 
that  the  divine  power  will  bring  them  safely 
through  the  difficulties  into  which  they  may 
plunge.  But  does  anything  in  all  Christ's 
course  suggest  the  propriety  of  testing  him  on 
that  point  ?  Ullmann  objects  to  the  view  that 
the  Saviour  was  tempted  to  perform  an  epi- 
deictic  miracle;  that  the  narrative  says  noth- 
ing of  beholders  of  his  deed  being  present. 
But  if  it  does  not  imply  this,  why  bring  him 
to  Jerusalem  and  to  the  temple  ?  Especially 
in  Luke,  where  he  has  already  been  "led  up" 
to  some  high  position.  The  Scripture  cited  is 
(against  Ullmann)  as  apposite  on  this  view  as 
on  the  other. 

10.  For  it  is  written.  The  devil  also 
knows  the  sound  of  Scripture,  but  cannot  be 
trusted  to  convej'  its  sense.  He  shall  give 
his  angels  charge  over  {concrrnixg)  thee, 
etc.  The  passage  cited  (Ps. 9i:ii)  was  origi- 
nally designed  to  set  forth  the  perfect  security 
of  the  ideally  perfect  saint  in  all  the  services 
and  experiences  to  which  God  calls  him.  It 
may  have  often  perplexed  the  reader  who 
compared  its  glowing  and  unqualified  as- 
surances of  the  safety  and  success  of  godly 
men,  considering  how  diflPerent  their  lot  in 
life  often  appears;  here  we  see  how,  on  the 
supposition  that  its  conditions  as  to  character 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


79 


11  And  in  their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee  up,  lest  at  i  11  and, 

any  time  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone.  On  their  hands  they  shall  bear  tliee  up, 

12  And  Jesus  ausweriiif,'  said  unto  hiiu,  «It  is  said.  Lest  haply  thou  dash  thy  loot  against  a  stone. 
Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  (jod.                                12  And  Je.sus  answering  said  unto  him,  It  is  said,  Thou 

I       shalt  not  try  the  Lord  thy  God. 

a  Deul.  6:  16. 


are  strictly  fulfilled,  all  becomes  literally 
true.  Some  think  that  Satan  intentionally 
left  out  the  clause  "in  all  thy  ways,"  after 
"shall  keep  thee,"  as  if  he  supposed  that 
would  suggest  to  Jesus  the  sophi-stry  of  his 
application.  Saint  Bernard  says,  in  reference 
to  what  the  devil  proposed,  "This  is  not  a 
way,  but  a  destruction :  or,  if  a  way,  it  is  not 
thine,  but  his  (Satan's)."  (See  Perowne  On  the 
Psalms,  at  this  place). 

12.  It  is  said — {has  been  said),  and  so  stands, 
equivalent  in  sense  to  "it  is  written,"  which 
perhaps  the  Saviour  would  not  repeat  after 
the  adversary  had  profaned  it.  The  expres- 
sion was  appropriate,  considering  that  the 
revelation  through  Moses  was  first  given  to 
the  people  orally  (comp.  Mait.  5:  21,27). — Thou 
shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God.  The 
reference  is  to  Dcut.  6:  16.  To  tempt  God,  in 
the  sense  here  intended,  is  to  put  oneself  in  a 
situation  such  as  to  test  the  power  or  disposi- 
ti(m  of  God  to  relieve  him  of  difficulties,  or 
rescue  him  from  destruction.  This  idea  is  a 
legitimate  modification  of  the  original  one, 
which  was  to  murmur  and  hesitate  in  the 
way  appointed  by  God;  through  lack  of 
faith  in  his  ability  to  sustain  one  in  it.  In 
turning  the  sentence  from  the  plural  into  the 
singular  of  the  person  addressed,  Jesus  ma}' 
have  designed  to  make  it  apply  to  the  tempter 
in  relation  to  himself,  as  well  as  to  him- 
self in  relation  to  God.  The  answer  settles  it 
that  our  Lord  personally  will  not  use  his 
power  for  securing  his  own  fame,  nor  in  his 
Me.ssianic  office  will  he  countenance  the 
desire  for  signs  "from  heaven,"  by  which 
possibly  worldly  favor  might  be  won,  apart 
from  faith  and  hearty  obedience. 

12.  And  when  the  devil  had  ended  all 
the  {ever;/)  temptation —("  Had  spent  his 
last  dart  '  —  Bcngcl)— he  departed  from 
him.  He  had  brought  to  bear  for  the  ruin 
of  our  Lord,  every  mode  and  degree  of  trial 
to  such  a  person  which  the  resources  of  hell 
would  afford.  These  three  typical  tests,  and 
every  one,  not  specially  mentioned,  involved 
in  the  six  weeks'  experience,  had  proved 
futile.     He  was  baffled  and  condemned  afresh 


out  of  the  word  of  God.  Still  he  did  not 
absolutely  relinquish  his  undertaking. — For 
a  season — ratlier,  until  a  Jit  opportunity. 
Entirely  frustrated  for  the  time,  he  would 
await  another  more  favorable,  in  sjjeaking  of 
which  Luke  ))robably  had  in  mind  the  great 
crisis  of  Gethsemane.  and  the  cross,  of  which 
our  Lord  could  say  to  his  enemies,  "This  is 
your  hour  and  the  power  of  darkness"  (Luke 

22:  53;  John  12:  31;  14:  30;   18:  11.    Comp.  Hcb.  4  :  15).      "We 

need  not,  however,  exclude  the  thought  of 
other  trying  emergencies  in  the  life  of  the 
Saviour,  where  he  is  reported  to  have  waited 
with  special  solicitude  on  God  in  prayer. 

Matthew  gives  the  .second  and  third  tempta- 
tions in  an  order  the  reverse  of  Luke'.s.  Sub- 
jective reasons  are  given  by  different  authors 
for  preferring  one  or  the  other.  These  can 
hardly  settle  anything.  Matthew's  narrative 
seems  to  mark  designedly  the  actual  succes- 
sion by  his  "then,"  ver.  5,  and  "again," 
ver.  8.  'This  evidence  is  suflicient,  at  lea.st,  to 
determine  our  conclusion  in  favor  of  his 
order,  in  the  absence  of  arguments  to  the 
contrary  more  decisive  than  we  have  seen. 
Luke  probably-  gives  the  facts  in  the  arrange- 
ment presented  in  his  documents. 

NoTK  ON  THE  Tkmptation.— The  doubt, 
not  unfrequently  expressed,  "whether  the 
Son  of  God  was  really  capable  of  being 
tempted  to  evil,"  is  sufliciently  answered  by 
reference  to  Heb.  4:  15— "but  was  in  all 
points  tempted  like  as  we  are."  The  fact  is 
beyond  question.  If  the  inquiry  be.  ''how 
could  this  bo  true?"  we  have  to  admit  there 
is  a  mystery  about  every  experience  of  that 
Person  which  no  mere  man  can  reasonably 
pretend  to  fully  explain.  But  any  special 
difficulty  in  the  thought  of  his  liability  to 
temptation  seems  to  be  obviated  by  the  con- 
sideration that,  whatever  he  was  more,  he 
was  truly  and  completely  a  man.  As  such, 
he  was  perfect  in  all  the  powers,  capacities, 
and  susceptibilities  essential  to  our  nature. 
Among  these,  as  appears  from  the  case  of  our 
first  parents,  is  the  power  of  choice  between 
good  and  evil  conduct.  Jesus  had  also  the 
power  to  perceive  the  tendency  of  one  act  or 


80 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


13  And  when  the  devil  had  ended  all  the  temptation,  I  13     And  when  the  devil  had  completed  every  tempt» 
he  departed  from  him  a  for  a  season.  1       tion,  he  departed  Irom  him  i  lor  a  season. 

a  John  14  :  30  ;  Heb.  4 :  15. 1  Or,  until. 

more  may  well  have  existed  in  the  divine 
mind.  But  if  there  were  good  reasons  for 
any  exposure  of  Jesus  to  the  adversary,  it 
might  be  needful  that  he  should  have  to  en- 
dure all  which  hell  could  adventure.  Thus 
it  was  not  for  him  to  preclude,  but  to  endure 
abominable  propositions. 

"We  may  notice  again  that  the  result  of 
Christ's  triumphant  steadfastness  against  the 
adversary  was  not  merely  the  assurance  of 
his  superiority  to  all  subsequent  possible 
temptations.  It  was  that,  indeed,  first  of  all. 
It  secured  that,  although  the  tempter  had 
left  him  only  until  a  fit  season ;  yet  never 
would  Jesus  be  moved  from  his  position. 
Never  would  he  employ  his  Messianic  power 
to  relieve  himself  of  privation  or  any  physi- 
cal distress  involved  in  the  accomplishment 
of  all  his  Heavenly  Father's  will.  Nor 
would  he  call  down  legions  of  angels  to  fur- 
ther his  Messianic  ends,  when  his  Father  had 
appointed  that  they  should  be  reached  by 
suflTering  and  self-sacrifice.  No  possibility  of 
power  over  men  through  earthly  dominion 
and  glory  should  ever  swerve  him  one  hair's 
breadth  from  the  purpose  to  gain  influence 
over  them  by  equity,  truth  and  kindness,  or 
not  at  all.  We  might  be  perfectly  sure  that 
he  would  never  accept  any  show  of  advan- 
tage to  his  cause,  however  specious,  from  the 
ruler  of  this  world,  or  through  connivance 
with  him.  But  there  lay  also  in  Christ's  per- 
sonal victory,  as  Messiah,  over  Satan,  a  per- 
petual law  for  his  kingdom  in  its  exposure  to 
the  antagonism  of  the  world.  It  should 
never  think  it  hard  that,  while  distributing 
heavenly  treasures,  it  must  often,  in  fidelity 
to  God,  suflTer  worldly  poverty,  and  bear 
worldly  pity  or  contempt.  It  can  never, 
without  forfeiting  connection  with  Jesus,  at- 
tempt to  spread  itself  more  rapidly  among 
men,  at  the  cost  of  compromise  with  the  spirit 
of  the  world,  or  by  the  assimilation  of  its 
forms  to  those  which  distinguish  "this 
world."  Nor  may  it,  in  the  prosecution  of 
its  ends,  venture  on  measures  not  truly  war- 
ranted by  the  word  of  God,  presuming  that 
he  will  deviate  from  his  appointed  plan  to 
obviate  the  consequences  of  its  rashness; 
especially  may  it  not  se*k,  by  pandering  to 


course  of  action  to  afford  present  gratification 
to  desires  and  propensities  innocent  in  them- 
selves, and  of  the  alternative  action  to  bring 
much  hardship,  cheered  only  by  the  smile  of 
God  and  the  consciousness  of  right.  He 
would,  we  must  suppose,  be  perfectly  sensi- 
tive to  all  the  present  painfulness  of  the  latter 
course,  and  the  agreeableness  of  the  former. 
He  might  say  to  himself,  "I  will  take  the 
former";  for  Adam  said  it,  and  then  the 
awful  transformation  from  innocence  to  guilt, 
from  holiness  to  criminality,  would  have 
taken  place.  We  do  not  thus,  of  course, 
loose  the  knot  presented  in  the  act  of  a  soul, 
perfectly  blessed  in  the  favor  of  God  and  in 
the  practice  of  the  right;  yet  rejecting  the 
difficult  good,  and  choosing  the  pleasant  evil. 
We  have  simply  enumerated  the  steps  by 
which  one  such  soul  appears  to  have  reached 
that  baneful  choice.  It  may  seem  infinitely 
more  improbable  that  Jesus  should  take  that 
final  step  than  Adam.  But  having  traced 
him  in  imagination  to  the  verge  of  it,  with 
holiness  untouched,  we  can  no  more  see  why 
he  too  might  not,  as  Adam  did,  have  allowed 
the  prospect  of  ease  and  minor  gratification 
to  preponderate,  and  have  said,  "Yes,  I  will 
take  that  step  too."  Then  first  would  he 
have  been  tempted  like  as  we  are,  not  without 
sin.  Shuddering,  we  recoil  from  the  awful 
possibility,  and  bless  God  that  he  resisted  the 
seducer,  not  merely  for  himself,  but  so  that 
in  union  with  him  we  also  may  be  safe. 

God's  foreknowledge  that  he  would  so  tri- 
umph, in  no  way  interferes  with  the  question 
of  his  ability  to  succumb. 

Another  difficulty  arises  from  the  account 
of  the  Temptation,  in  that  Jesus  should 
parley  with  the  tempter  at  all.  In  regard  to 
this,  we  may,  perhaps,  not  adequately  appre- 
ciate what  the  apostle  says  (2001-.  u:  u),  as  if  in 
allusion  to  this  very  occasion,  "for  Satan 
even  fashioneth  himself  into  an  angel  of 
light"  (Kevision).  But  the  important  con- 
sideration is  that  the  precise  end  for  which 
the  Spirit  of  God  urged  him  into  the  desert, 
was  that  he  might  be  subjected  to  the  full 
force  of  Satan's  wiles  and  assaults.  Some 
reasons  for  this  we  may  ourselves  discern, 
especially  in  view   of  the   result,  and   many 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


81 


1-1  "And  Jesus  returned  *in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  I  14  And  Jesus  returned  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  into 
into  <^lialilee:  and  there  went  out  a  fame  of  him  Galilee:andafame  went  out  concerning  him  through 
through  all  the  region  round  about.  I 


a  Mall.  4:  12  :  John  4:  43 byer.  1 c  Acts  10  :  37. 


the  curiosity,  or  dazzling  the  imagination,  or 
astounding  the  intelligence,  of  men,  to  ac- 
complish those  effects  which  can  follow  only 
from  compunction  of  conscience  and  the  re- 
sulting desire  of  salvation. 

At  this  point,  we  reach  the  close  of  what 
Dur  evangelist  seems  to  have  regarded  the 
more  private  and  preparatory  period  of  the 
life  of  Christ.  The  Messiah  is  manifested, 
tlie  favor  of  the  Father  is  proved  and  assured, 
tile  machinations  of  his  great  adversary  are 
brought  to  nought. 

P.VRT  II.  The  Ministry  in  Galilee. 
Ch.  4:  14—9:  50. 

It  had  for  its  object  to  persuade  the  people 
of  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  in  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  more  evangelical  prophecies,  and 
to  win  them  to  trust  in  him  as  their  Teacher, 
their  Redeemer  from  the  ills  which  sin  had 
caused  to  soul  and  body,  for  time  and  eter- 
nity; their  Saviour,  in  short,  and  their  King. 
It  resulted  in  the  manifestation  of  great  curi- 
osity concerning  him  on  the  part  of  the 
masses;  in  an  extensive  confidence  in  his 
power  and  willingness  to  bestow  temporal 
blessings;  in  wide  rumors  that  he  was  a 
prophet,  possibly  even  the  risen  Elijah ;  in 
waves  of  popular  conviction  that  he  was  the 
expected  Son  of  David,  come  to  establish  a 
national  and  earthly  kingdom;  and  with 
some  humble  hearts,  in  a  clear  and  loving 
recognition  of  him  as  having  the  words  of 
eternal  life.  It  abundantly  demonstrated  the 
spiritual  nature,  the  freshness  and  blessedness 
of  membership  in  his  .kingdom,  and  resulted 
in  the  rejection  of  it  by  the  great  mass  of 
those  whom  he  would  fain  have  saved. 

This  ministry  lasted,  probably,  near  two 
years  and  six  months.  It  should  be  carefully 
noticed,  however,  that  estimates  of  the  length 
of  Christ's  ministry  vary  between  one  and 
three,  or  even  more  years,  with  a  fraction  of 
another.  That  which  presupposes  three  pass- 
overs  during  its  continuance,  previous  to  the 
last,  is  much  more  generally  adopted,  and  is 
that  upon  which  the  .statement  of  time  for  the  ^ 
Galilean  ministry  was  just  made.  This  makes  I 
its  continuance  run  three  years,  and  as  much 
more  as  the  baptism  preceded  the  first  pass- 


over.  How  far  from  demonstration  all  con- 
clusions must  stop,  is  well  shown  by  compari- 
son of  two,  among  the  quite  recent  discussions 
of  the  subject.  C.  E.  Caspari,  in  his  Chrono- 
logical and  Geographical  Introduction  to  the 
Life  of  Christ,  pp.  107-254,  (T.  &  S.  Clark's 
Edition,  1875),  confidently  limits  the  ministry 
to  two  years;  Dr.  J.  B.  McClellan,  in  his 
New  Translation  of  the  Xeiv  Testament,  (Vol. 
I.,  pp.  539-(321,  London,  1875),  maintains  the 
three  years'  view.  Each  is  perfectly  confi- 
dent that  he  sees  the  exact  truth  in  almost 
every  particular,  and  is  ready  to  determine 
not  only  the  year,  but  the  day,  and  often  the 
hour  of  the  day  of  occurrences — a  great  part 
of  which  they  must,  of  course,  determine 
differently. 
14,  15.   Return   into  Galilee,   and  general 

SUMMARY   ACCOUNT   OF   THE   OPENING  WORK 
THERE. 

14.  Jesus  returned.  The  narrative  begun 
in  ver.  1  is  resumed.  The  verb  (comp.  ver.  i)  is 
here  used  in  its  proper  sense,  with  reference  to 
his  having  gone  from  Galilee  to  the  Jordan,  to 
be  baptized.  "We  have  already  seen  (ch.  s:  19, 20) 
that,  chronologically,  the  mention  of  John's 
imprisonment  should  have  followed  the  ac- 
count of  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  with  a  consid- 
erable interval.  A  careful  consideration  of 
John's  Gospel  (i:2»— 4:  3),  will  render  it  proba- 
ble that,  on  the  supposition  of  Christ's  tempt- 
ation following  close  ujwn  the  baptism,  he 
must  have  returned  after  that  to  the  Jordan, 
where  John  was;  that  he  there  attracted  to 
him  four  scholars  (Andrew,  John,  Peter, 
Nathanael),  with  whom  he  went  soon  into 
Galilee,  where  he  made  the  water  wine;  that 
he  visited  Capernaum,  and  went  to  a  passover 
at  Jerusalem — purifying  the  temj)le,  instruct- 
ing Nicodemus,  bajUizing  in  .Judea;  and  that 
then,  learning  how  the  Pharisees  were  com- 
paring him  with  John,  he  left  Judea,  and 
went  away  again  into  Galilee.  It  is  very 
likely  that  the  mention  of  John  the  Baptist 
in  John  4:  3,  implies  that  he  had  been  lately 
apprehended,  with  the  approval,  if  not  the 
aid,  of  the  Pharisees ;  and  that  Jesus  went 
into  Galilee  to  escape  a  similar,  premature 
fate.     With  that  return,  thfe  in  Luke  must 


82 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


15  And  he  taught  in  their  synagogues, being  glorified  1  15  all  the  region  round  about.    And  he  taught  in  their 


of  all. 

16  And  he  came  to  "Nazareth,  where  he  had  been 
brought  up;  and,  as  his  custom  was,  ''he  went  into  the 
synagogue  on  the  sabbath  day,  and  stood  up  lor  to  read. 


yiiagogues,  being  glorified  of  all. 

16     And   he  came  to   Nazareth,  where   he   had  been 

brought  up ;  and  he  entered,  as  his  custom  was,  into 

the  synagogue  on  tlie  sabbath  day,  and  stood  up  to 


a  Matt.  '2  :  23  ;  1»  :  54 ;  Mark  6  :  1. . .  .6  Acts  13  :  14  ;  17  :  2. 


coincide;  and  in  the  course  of  it  occurred  the 
very  interesting  scene  of  Jacob's  well.  If  the 
baptism  took  place  in  mid-winter,  this  worlv 
in  Galilee  might  have  begun  in  early  sum- 
mer;— In  the  power  of  the  Spirit— mighty, 
that  is,  in  word  and  deed,  through  the  pos- 
session of  that  Spirit  of  God,  who  was,  since 
the  baptism,  the  director  and  sustainer  of  all 
his  activity.  —  Into  Galilee:  and  there 
went  out  a  fame  (i-u.mor,  or  report)  of  (con- 
cerning)  him  through  all  the  region  round 
about.  Immediately,  as  it  would  seem,  the 
popular  mind  began  to  be  exercised  about  his 
teachings  and  acts,  probably  also  by  tidings 
of  the  testimony  of  John  the  Baptist  to  him 
as  the  "one  greater  than  he", who  was  to 
come  after  him  (Joim  i:  34).  The  miracles,  also, 
which  he  performed  in  the  neighborhood 
(joim2:  i£f. ;  4:4etr.^,  and  his  extraordinary  con- 
duct at  Jerusalem  (John  2:  15.  23),  would  be 
talked  about. 

15.  And  he  {he  himself)  taught  in  their 
synagogues.  The  synagogues,  which  arose 
among  the  Jews  in  answer  to  religious  wants 
deeply  felt,  after  the  return  from  the  exile, 
corresponded  in  many  points  to  the  churches 
of  Christian  times.  The  word  was  indeed 
ambiguous,  like  "church,"  denoting  pri- 
marily the  religious  as.sembly,  for  whose  use 
the  house  existed.  They  were,  primarily,  as 
afterward  the  churches,  assemblies,  meetings, 
of  those  of  common  faith  and  sentiment,  for 
the  promotion  of  religious  ends.  The  edifice 
would  seem,  from  some  accounts,  tf)  have 
been  built  strictly  after  a  certain  pattern,  on 
an  elevated  site,  with  a  prescribed  orientation, 
and  in  a  uniform  style  of  architecture.  From 
the  nature  of  the  case,  however,  we  may  be 
sure  that  the  size  would  vary  according  to 
the  estimated  number  of  the  congregation, 
and  the  materials  and  style  would  be  such  as 
they  could  afford.  Recent  examination  of 
the  ruins  of  ancient  synagogues  in  Palestine, 
made  by  the  Exploration  Fund  Expedition, 
shows  that  they  stood  both  on  high  ground 
and  low,  outside  of  the  towns  and  in  their 
most  crowded  quarters,  with  the  entrance 
from    various    points    of    the    compass.      Of 


course,  only  the  more  substantial  have  left 
any  remains  to  our  day.  They  were  gener- 
ally rectangular  parallelograms  in  plan,  with 
some  remembrance  of  the  form  of  the  taber- 
nacle. Toward  their  farther  end,  within,  was 
a  chest  or  ark,  containing  the  sacred  rolls  of 
the  Old  Testament  books.  This  might  be 
screened  from  the  main  apartment  by  a  cur- 
tain. Forward  of  this  were  seats,  facing  the 
entrance,  for  the  president  and  elders  of  the 
synagogue. 

Still  further  in  front  was  a  platform,  on 
which  the  reader  of  the  Scriptures  stood,  be- 
tween which  and  the  entrance  were  seats,  on 
one  side  for  the  men,  and  on  the  other,  with 
a  lattice  between,  for  the  women,  who  must 
be  closely  vailed.  The  place  was  used,  not 
only  for  religious  exercises  of  the  congrega- 
tion, but  for  meetings  of  a  judicial  character, 
in  which  persons  were  tried  for  religious  of- 
fences, and,  if  convicted,  punished. 

As  a  pious  Jew,  our  Saviour  regularly 
attended  the  sj'nagogue  meetings,  which 
afforded  him,  as  we  shall  soon  see,  an  excel- 
lent opportunity  to  deliver  his  message;  and 
as  they  were  met  with  wherever  Hebrews 
were  scattered,  they  were  the  convenient 
scene  of  almost  all  the  earliest  apostolical 
preaching. — Taught — or  ivas  wont  to  teach, 
as  a  custom — expresses  in  one  word  what 
Mark  expands  into  "preaching  the  gospel  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,"  etc.  (en.  1 :  u,  15).  Com- 
pare Matthew,  who  adds  that  he  said,  "Re- 
pent." (ch.4:i7).  Instruction  and  persuasion 
regarding  the  relations  into  which  men  are 
brought  toward  God,  by  the  coming  of 
Chris^,  with  the  consequent  privileges  and 
obligations— this  was,  and  is,  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  Luke  says  nothing  of  miracles 
wrought,  as  yet;  but  from  John  4:  64,  we 
may  conclude  that  the  healing  of  the  centu- 
rion's son  took  place  before  his  first  visit  to 
Nazareth. 

16-30.  His  Visit  to  Nazareth,  and 
Prkaching  Thkre. 

16.  And  he  came  to  Nazareth,  where 
he  had  been  brought  up.  What  memories 
on  his  part  are  implied  in  that  last  statement! 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


8'c 


17  And  there  was  delivered  unto  him  the  Iwok  of  the 
prophet  Ksaias.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  book, 
lie  loiind  tlie  place  where  it  was  written, 

lH"The  Spirit  of  tlie  lyord  is  upon  lue,  because  he 
bath  anointed  me  to  preacli  the  );o.s|>el  to  the  poor;  he 
bath  sent  me  to  heal  tlie  brokenhearted,  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to 
the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  arc  bruised, 


17  reail.  And  there  was  delivered  unto  him  'the  book 
of  the  prophet  Isaiah.  And  he  opened  the  '-book, 
and  found  the  place  where  it  was  written, 

18  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 
^Because  he  anointed  me  to  preach  ■•good  tidings 

to  the  poor: 
He  hath  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to  the  cap- 
tives. 
And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind, 
To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 


;  laa.  «1  :  1. 1  Or,  o  roU 2  Or,  roll 3  Or,  u>here/or» i  Or,  the  gospel. 


He  had  avoided  going  directly  to  his  former 
home,  the  residence  of  his  parents  still,  per- 
haps from  the  feelings  expresed  (Joha4:«). 
But  his  heart  must  have  yearned  toward  the 
companions  of  his  early  life;  and  after  he 
found  that  his  proclamation  was  awakening  a 
lively  interest  elsewhere,  he  would  not  be 
content  until  they  too  hud  received  the  "glad 
news." — And,  as  his  custom  was,  he  went 
into  the  synagogue  on  the  sabbath-day. 
This  custom  could  not  have  been  based  on 
any  special  divine  command,  but  on  the  rea- 
sonableness of  it  and,  d(<ubtless,  the  felt  ad- 
vantage of  mingling  with  his  countrymen  in 
their  devotions,  and  in  the  reading  of  the 
Scriptures.  This,  as  well  us  the  occasions 
thus  afforded  for  the  accomplishment  of  his 
mission,  would  account  for  and  justify  his 
constant  practice.  The  worship  in  those 
places  was  formal  and  liturgical,  a  great  part 
of  it,  doubtless,  barren  of  spirituality;  but 
there  would  be  individuals  of  a  different 
style,  and,  on  the  whole,  it  was  such  as  the 
time  allowed.  Many  a  disciple  of  his  has 
found  spiritual  refreshment,  and  strength  for 
the  tasks  of  life,  from  communion  with  fel- 
low-disciples in  acts  of  worship  ;  not  merely 
when  increase  of  religious  knowledge  was  to 
be  gained,  but  even  where  little  of  instruc- 
tion was  to  be  looked  for. — And  stood  up  for 
to  read  (omit  for).  The  standing  posture 
was  common  in  reading  the  Scripture,  as  ex- 
pressive of  respect.  As  Jesus  rose,  he  proba- 
bly stepped  to  the  platform,  or  bema,  on  one 
side  of  the  room  (see  ver.  15).  The  presi- 
dent of  the  synagogue  would  ordinarily  select 
the  reader  from  among  the  j'oungcr  men  ;  but 
when  Jesus  rose,  signifying  a  desire  to  perform 
that  service,  it  was  readily  granted  to  him. 

17.  And  there  was  delivered  unto  him 
the  book  of  the  prophet  Esaias  (I.taiak). 
This  was  in  the  form  of  a  roll,  like  a  wall-map 
with  us,  but  of  a  narrow  strip  of  prepared 
leather,  long  enough  to  allow  the  whole  work 
to  be  written  on  it  in  columns  of  convenient 


width,  running  across  the  long  strip,  and 
following  each  other  —  with  suitable  spaces 
between— from  right  to  left.  The  left-hand 
end  was  attached  to  a  roller,  like  that  of  a 
map;  but,  unlike  the  law,  which  had  two, 
the  other  rolls  had  but  that  one.  Such  a 
book  would  be  opened  and  closed  by  unroll- 
ing and  rolling  up  again.  Thus  the  Saviour 
now,  holding  the  roll  in  his  left  hand,  pulled 
along  the  writing  with  the  other,  until  he 
found  the  place  where  it  was  written. 
Such  being  the  inanner  of  reading,  the  verb 
found  could  hardly  mean  "chanced  upon," 
as  some  (Meyer  among  them)  have  supposed, 
and  as  the  verb  might  in  itself  indicate.  We 
understand  rather  that  he  unrolled  until  he 
came  to  the  passage  he  wanted  (isn. ei:  1.2). 
Doubtle-ss,  he  .selected  it  with  reference  to  the 
use  he  intended  to  make  of  it  as  a  text;  other- 
wise it  is  not  obvious  why  he  might  not  leave 
it  for  Providence  to  select,  through  any  ap- 
pointed reader.  "Whether  the  prophets  were 
divided  into  sections  at  that  time,  to  be  read 
in  a  prescribed  order  on  successive  Sabbaths, 
as  the  law  was,  cannot  be  affirmed  with  cer- 
tainty', still  less  that  this  passage  was  the 
prophetic  lesson  {haphtara)  for  that  Sabbath. 
The  Pentateuch  was  divided  into  fiftj--two,  or, 
as  the  length  of  the  year  might  require,  fifty- 
four  paragraphs  or  sections  (pnmsc'.as),  by 
reading  one  of  which  each  Sabbath  the  whole 
would  be  gone  over  everj'  year.  Such  is  the 
cominon  account,  although  high  Hebrew  au- 
thority insists  that  this  course  covered  two 
years  and  a  half.  (Zunz,  Gottesdienstliche 
Vortriige,  S.  3  ff.)  The  reading  of  the  Pen- 
tateuch lesson  had  either  ended  when  Jesus 
entered,  or,  more  probably,  his  mind  being 
on  this  prophecy,  he  remained  quiet  through 
what  preceded.  On  the  kinds  and  order  of 
exercise  in  the  synagogue  meetings,  see 
Smith's  Diet,  of  Bible,  and  Geikie,  Life  of 
Christ,  Vol.  I.,  p.  180  ff. ;  or  (more  brief), 
Farrar,  Life  of  Christ,  Vol.  I.,  220  ff. 
18.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  nie» 


84 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


19  To  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 


I  19       To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 


etc.  This  language,  in  the  mouth  of  the 
prophet,  was  intended  directly  to  comfort  the 
people  of  Israel  in  their  long  captivity  in 
Babylon,  and  afterward,  through  the  promise 
of  deliverance,  restoration  to  prosperity,  and 
the  abundant  favor  of  their  God.  The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is  upon  the  prophet  to  qualify 
him  for  this  message  of  blessing.  The  pre- 
dictions had  never  yet  been  fulfilled  in  the 
history  of  Israel,  and  Christ  takes  up  the  lan- 
guage anew  as  having  really  referred  to  him- 
self, whatever  primary  and  lower  application 
had  been  intended  by  Isaiah. — Because  he 
hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel 
(good  tidings)  to  the  poor.  This  is  assigned 
as  the  cause  of  the  possession  of  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord.  It  refers  to  the  descent  of  the 
Spirit  upon  him  at  his  baptism  (Acts  lo:  38). — 
Anointed  me.  The  Greek  name  Christ — 
"the  anointed,"  Heb.,  "Messiah" — is  from 
the  verb  "to  anoint,"  here  used;  and  the 
passage  is  thus  equivalent  to  has  made  me 
Messiah.  The  verb  is  properly  in  the  pre- 
terit, anointed,  as  the  action  is  regarded  as 
prior  to  the  sending  in  the  next  clause. — The 
gospel  [the  good  tidings),  means  the  news  that 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  come,  into  which  all 
may  enter  who  are  prepared  for  it,  especially 
the  poor.  We  may  correctly  interpret  this 
as  implying  "in  spirit"  as  its  complement, 
yet  we  shall  see  that  Luke,  in  several  in- 
stances, fails  to  make  that  addition,  as  though 
he  thought  it  would  necessarily  be  understood 
that  poverty  tended  to  prepare  the  heart  for 
the  heavenly  riches  (see  6:  20).  More  impor- 
tant is  it  to  notice  that  the  language  is  origin- 
ally Isaiah's,  and  that  in  the  prophets  and  in 
the  Psalms,  it  is  familiar  that  the  blessings  of 
God's  grace  are  needed,  craved,  and  enjoyed 
by  the  poor  more  than  by  those  who  abound 
in  worldly  good.  Still,  inere  poverty  is 
nowhere  represented  as  sufficient  to  secure 
God's  grace. — He  hath  sent  me — in  conse- 
quence of  that  anointing — to  preach  deliv- 
erance (release)  to  the  captives.  The 
actual  captivity  of  the  people  in  Babylon  was 
a  type  of  the  spiritual  bondage  of  men  under 

sin  and  Satan  (.lolmS:  34;   Rom. 6:  16,  20  ff. ;  2  Pet.  2 :  19). 

To  announce  release  from  this,  full  and  free, 
with  all  the  consequent  peace  and  joy,  and 
eternal  hope,  Christ  came  (Comp.  Hcb.  ■->:  u,  is). — 
And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind.     It 


should  be  noticed  that  Luke  omits  the  clause 
to  heal  the  broken  hearted,  the  second 
clause  in  Isaiah's  series.  It  was  afterward  in- 
serted, to  complete  the  quotation,  and  became 
current  in  the  later  text — whereas  the  one 
before  us  is  brought  in  for  substance  from 
i  Isaiah  42:  7,  in  place  of  "the  opening  of  the 
prison  to  them  that  are  bound,"  in  61;  1. 
The  spiritually  blind,  to  whom  Christ  pro- 
claims sight,  are  those  who  realize  their 
ignorance  of  the  most  important  truths,  and 
so  are  ready  to  welcome  the  truth  (johu9;39), 
"that  they  which  see  not  might  see." — To 
set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised. 
These  words  are  cited  from  the  Septuagint  of 
Isaiah  58:  6.  Another  beautiful  figure  for 
relief  from  the  wounds  and  bruises  caused  by 
sin. 

19.  To  preach  the  acceptable  year  of 
the  Liord.  The  blessings  promised  to  the 
Israelites  of  old  were  all  summed  up  in  a 
figure  drawn  from  the  Year  of  Jubilee.  As  in 
that  year  liberty  was  proclaimed  to  slaves, 
release  to  debtors  from  their  penalties,  and 
the  restoration  of  their  family  estates  to  dis- 
possessed owners,  so  joyful  a  season  would  be 
that  state  of  blessedness  which  should  follow 
upon  the  exile.  In  Christ's  application,  the 
year  of  jubilee  typifies  the  Messianic  era,  the 
period  of  the  bestowment  of  a  finished  and 
free  salvation.  The  acceptable  year  of 
the  Lord  is,  in  the  Hebrew,  "  the  year  of  the 
pleasure  of  Jehovah^' — that  is,  the  time  in 
which  he  delights  to  bless  his  people.  There 
is  evidently  nothing  in  this  use  of  the  phrase, 
"year  of  the  Lord,"  to  warrant  the  supposi- 
tion very  common  among  the  early  Fathers, 
that  Christ's  public  work  lasted  but  one  year. 
Notice  how  the  quotation  stops  when  it 
comes  to  the  fearful  sentence,  "and  the  day 
'of  vengeance  of  our  God."  John  the  Bap- 
tist would  hardly  have  left  it  out. 

The  section  ordinarily  read  would  be  much 
longer  than  that  here  quoted.  Either  the 
narrative  is  intended  to  show  merely  where 
the  passage  is  found  and  how  it  begins,  of 
which  Jesus  then  read  as  much  as  he  pleased, 
or  (and  this  is  the  common  view)  that  he 
stopped  here  of  his  own  authority,  having 
read  as  much  as  was  necessary.  It  is  not  at 
all  unlikel.y  that,  in  the  course  of  his  reading, 
or  the  following  remarks,  Jesus  referred  to 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


85 


20  And  he  closed  the  book,  and  he  gave  it  again  to 
the  minister,  and  sat  down.  And  the  eyes  of  all  them 
that  were  in  the  synagogue  were  fastened  on  him. 

21  And  he  began  to  .say  unto  them.  This  day  is  this 
scripture  fiiltilled  in  your  ears. 

22  And  all  bear  him  witness,  and  <•  wondered  at  the 
gracious  words  which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth. 
And  tliey  said,  *  Is  not  this  Joseph's  .son? 

2;f  And  he  said  unto  them,  'ie  will  surely  say  unto 
me  this  proverb,  I'liysician,  heal  thyself:  whatsoever 
we  liave  heard  done'  in  '  Capcruauu:,  do  also  here  in 
''thy  country. 


20  And  he  clo.sed  the  ibook,  and  gave  it  back  to  the 
attendant,  and  sat  down  :  and  the  eyes  of  all  in  the 

21  synagogue  were  fastened  on  him.  And  he  U^gan  to 
say  unto  them,  To-day  hath  this  scripture  been  tul- 

22  tilled  in  your  ears.  And  all  bare  him  witness,  and 
wondered  at  the  words  of  grace  which  proceeded  out 
of  his  mouth:  and  they  said.  Is  not  this  Joseph's  son? 

23  And  hesaidunto  them,  Doubtless  ye  will  say  untomc 
this  parable,  Physician,  heal  thyself:  whatsoever  we 
have  heard  done  at  Capernaum,  do  also  here  in  thine 


aP:<.  45:2;  Uutt.  1.1:64;  Marc  6:2;  eb.  2  :  4;....&  Jnliu  6:  42.. ..e  Matt.  4: 13;  11: 


.  .d  Matt.  13 :  }4 ;  Mark  6 : 1. 1  Or.  roU. 


other  |i;is.<iig('s  of  Isaiah  which,  in  the  report, 
became  blended  witli  the  one  first  read,  as  we 
have  .seen. 

20.  And  he  closed  (rolled  up)  the  book, 
and  he  gave  it  again  to  the  minister 
{attendant}.  Minister  is  in  itself  a  perfectly 
proper  rendering,  meaning  a  "servant," 
above  the  bound  and  menial  grade;  but  the 
present  familiar  use  of  that  word  makes  it 
ambiguous  in  this  connection.  He  was  a 
kind  of  clerk  of  the  meeting,  who  had  charge 
of  the  sacred  books,  brought  them  forth  at 
the  order  of  the  presiding  officer  (as  in  ver. 
17),  and  again  returned  them  to  their  ark- 
like case.  See  the  Saviour  deliberately, 
thoughtfully,  roiling  up  the  long  sheet  before 
h(!  handed  it  back.  And  sat  down.  This 
was  the  usual  posture  of  the  speaker — Rabbi, 
priest,  Levite,  or,  exceptionally,  some  other 
person  —  who  commented  on  the  Scripture 
lesson,  when  any  such  person  chose  to  speak. 
Usually,  we  may  i>resume,  he  was  called  on 
by  the  head  of  the  meeting  (■>-  aou  t3:i5).  This 
was  not,  hosvever,  an  essential  part  of  the 
services. — And  the  eyes  of  all  in  the  syna- 
;;ognc  were  fastened  on  him.  A  little 
delay  appears  to  have  followed,  after  Jesus 
had  resumed  his  seat,  probably  now  sitting 
down  on  the  elders'  bench,  fronting  the  con- 
gregjition.  What  the  people  had  already 
seen  and  heard,  what  they  had  learned  from 
other  places,  and,  most  of  all,  the  passage 
which  he  had  just  read,  and  the  manner  of 
his  doing  it,  would  all  combine  to  awaken 
earnest  curiosity  as  to  what  might  now  follow. 

21.  And  he  began  to  say  (began  by  say- 
ing) unto  them.  Ilow  he  continued,  the 
narrative  does  not  inform  us.  Luke  gives 
the  theme  and  the  key-note  of  his  discourse, 
and  leaves  it  t(»  our  sympathy  with  the 
speaker  to  fill  it  out. —  This  day  is  this 
scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears.  The 
verb  is  in  the  {H-rfect  tense.  That  acceptable 
year  has  come.     To-day  the  significance  of 


that  proi»hetic  language  is  fully  manifested  in 
the  offer  which  I  make  to  every  waiting  soul, 
of  salvation,  including  deliverance  from  all  the 
evils  caused  by  sin,  and  the  perfect  reposses- 
sion of  God's  lost  favor,  for  time  and  eternity. 
22.  And  all  bare  him  witness.  Their 
meetings  were  not  bound  to  silence  on  the 
part  of  the  congregation,  as  are  ours.  They, 
with  one  consent,  gave,  in  their  comments 
to  each  other,  honorable .  testimony  to  the 
excellence  of  his  discourse.  This  implies  and 
almost  proves  that  he  sjioke  at  some  length. — 
And  wondered  at  the  gracious  words» 
etc.  Gracious  words,  or  words  of  grace.. 
"Grace"  is  here  beauty,  rhetorical  and  moral 
pleasantness,  perhaps  including  also  the  idea 
of  graciousncss,  in  the  freedom  and  fullness 
of  his  offer.  This,  with  the  expressions, "The 
common  people  heard  him  gladly,"  and  the 
report  of  the  officers,  "never  man  spake  as 
this  man,"  fully  warrant  the  belief  that  our 
Saviour,  without  any  meretricious  arts  of 
speech,  had  an  eloquence  of  truth,  sincerity, 
simplicity,  and  affection,  which  commended 
his  matter  to  men's  conscience  and  taste. 
Nothing  is  said,  however,  of  faith,  or  any 
trulj'  religious  exercises  of  their  hearts.  On 
the  contrary,  they  manifested  unbelief. — 
And  (not  hut)  they  said,  as  if  it  were  per- 
fectly consistent  with  what  bad  preceded,  is 
not  this  Joseph's  son?  In  their  mouths, 
this  meant:  "  How  is  it  possible  for  a  man  of 
his  birth  and  education  to  speak  in  this  way, 
and  to  urge  such  claims  for  himself?"  There 
was  not  merely  wonder  in  their  question,  but  a 
shade  of  unbelief  and  refusal.  What  inference 
may  we  draw  from  their  admiring  surprise, 
in  regard  to  the  change  which  Jesus  had 
undergone  through  his  baptism,  the  reception 
of  the  Spirit  thereupon,  and  the  discipline  of 
the  temptation?  It  is  almost  certain  that  he 
had  often  taken  part  in  their  synagogue  ser- 
vices before. 
23.  And   he   said   unto   them,  Ye  will 


86 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


24  And  he  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  No  "prophet  is 
accepted  in  his  own  country. 

25  Hut  I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  'many  widows  were  in 
Israel  in  the  days  of  Elias,  when  the  heaven  was  shut 
up  three  years  aud  six  mouths,  when  great  famine  was 
throughout  all  the  laud; 

26  But  unto  noue  of  them  was  Elias  sent,  save  unto 
Sarepta,  a  city  of  Sidon,  unto  a  woman  thai  was  a 
widow. 

27  ''And  many  lepers  were  in  Israel  in  the  time  of 
Eliseus  the  prophet;  aud  none  of  them  was  cleansed, 
saving  Naaman  the  Syrian. 

28  And  all  they  in  the  synagogue,  when  they  heard 
these  things,  were  filled  with  wrath, 


24  own   country.     And  he  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 

25  No  prophet  is  acceptable  in  his  own  country.  But  of 
a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  There  were  many  widows  in 
Israeliu  the  days  of  Elijah,  when  the  heaven  was  shut 
up  three  years  and  six  months,  when  tliere  came  a 

26  great  famine  over  all  the  land;  and  unto  none  of  them 
was  Elijah  sent,  hut  only  to  ^Zarephath,  in  the  land 

27  of  Sidon,  unto  a  woman  that  was  a  widow.  And 
there  were  many  lepersin  Israel  in  the  timeof  Elisha 
the  prophet;   and  none  of  them  was  cleansed,  but 

28  only  Naaman  the  Syrian.  And  they  were  all  filled 
with  wrath  in  the  synagogue,  as  they  heard  these 


a  Mate.  13:  57;  Murk  6:  4;  Joba  4:  44 &  1  KiDgj  17:3;  18: 1;  James  5:  17 c2  Kings  5:  14. 1  Gr.  Sarepta. 


surely  say  (doubtless  ye  vrill  say)  unto  me 
this    proverb,   Physician,    heal    thyself. 

Seeing  their  moral  blindness,  which  desires 
not  the  opening  of  its  eyes,  Jesus  anticipates 
the  objection  they  are  ready  to  urge.  This 
proverb — or  parallel,  illustrative  saying — 
(Greek  wapa/SoATj,  jiarable),  seems  intended  to 
express  the  popular  view  that  one  who  sets 
himself  up  to  heal  others,  should  keep  him- 
self in  good  health.  Loosely  applied  here,  it 
might  mean,  "Thou  who  demandest  confi- 
dence as  the  Messiah,  show  thyself  worthy  of 
confidence,  by  doing  such  miracles  as  the 
Messiah  is  to  perform." — Whatsoever  we 
have  heard  done  at  Capernaum,  do,  etc. 
It  is  the  first  demand,  so  often  repeated,  for 
"  signs  from  heaven,"  for  show-miracles,  such 
as  the  devil  had  proposed:  "Cast  thyself 
down  hence."  But  in  answering  him,  Jesus 
had  answered  all.  He  saw  clearly  that  there 
was  no  feeling  of  the  need  of  a  Healer  in 
their  unspoken  suggestion,  and  there  was  no 
tendency  in  miracles  as  such,  mere  prodi- 
gies, to  awaken  that  heart  faith  which  alone 
could  accept  him.  Where  such  faith  existed, 
miracles  of  loving  kindness  could  be  wrought, 
and  only  there  (Mntt.i3;58;  Mmkers).  That  prin- 
ciple in  man  which  makes  it  hard  to  see  supe- 
riority in  one  with  whom  we  have  grown  up, 
here  confirms  the  obstinacy  of  impenitence. 

24.  And  he  said.  Verily  I  say  unto  you. 
No  prophet,  etc.  He  sadly  recognizes  the 
fact  that,  in  spite  of  his  desire  to  do  them 
good,  and  of  the  unspeakable  solemnity  of 
the  crisis,  it  happens  to  him,  as  before  to 
other  messengers  of  God.  They  reject  him 
as  God's  representative,  because  they  have 
known  him  as  a  man.  Still  they  cannot 
frustrate  God's  plan.  As  prophets  before 
have,  under  God,  rendered  aid  to  some  and 
passed  by  others,  as  God  might  please ;  so 
will  he  exercise  mercy  with   discrimination, 


and  not  pander  to  capricious  and  selfish  de- 
sires. 

25-27.  But  I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  many 
widows  were  in  Israel,  etc.  (See  1  Kings 
17:  8-24;  2  Kings  5:  1-15.)  The  purport  of 
his  reference  to  these  historic  facts  is:  My 
doing  some  things  in  Capernaum  which  I  do 
not  here,  is  quite  of  a  piece  with  the  action  of 
other  prophets  whom  you  profess  to  respect. 
In  my  case,  as  in  theirs,  it  is  God's  pleasure 
that  decides.  In  naming  as  favored  cases  pre- 
viously two  Gentiles,  he  does  not  so  much  wish 
to  put  the  inhabitants  of  Nazareth  on  a  level 
with  heathen  (although  they  may  have  taken 
it  so),  as  to  intimate  in  his  very  first  discourse 
the  equal  destination  of  his  gospel  to  all 
needy  souls.  That  they  mu.st  be  needy  souls 
lies  in  the  fact  that  one  of  those  favored  ones 
was  a  widow,  helpless  and  famishing;  and  the 
other,  one  who  had  proved  that  earthly  emi- 
nence and  power  could  not  relieve  him  of  an 
afflictive  and  loathsome  malady,  and  who  sub- 
mitted to  profound  humiliation,  that  Jehovah 
might  remove  it. — Three  years  and  six 
months.  A  comparison  of  1  Kings  17:  1  AT., 
and  18:  1  fF.,  seems  to  show  that  the  lack  of 
rain  was  confined  to  a  period  of  les.'>  than  three 
full  years;  but  from  James  5:  1,  we  learn 
that  the  view  here  taken  was  the  one  settled 
upon  in  the  time  of  Christ.  The  Old  Testa- 
ment passages  are  not  distinctly  incompatible 
with  it. 

28.  And  all  they  in  the  synagogue, 
when  they  heard  these  things,  were  filled 
with  wrath,  etc.  The  order  of  words  in  the 
Revision  is  better.  Little  of  the  Sidonian 
widow's  trustful  poverty,  or  of  the  Sj-rian 
leper's  desire  for  cure,  in  these  breasts.  They 
were  enraged  because  their  townsman  judged 
for  himself  when  and  where  his  miracles 
should  be  performed,  claiming  thus  an  equal- 
ity  with   the  ancient    prophets. — All    they. 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


87 


29  And  rose  up,  and  thrust  hiui  out  of  the  city,  and 
led  him  unto  the  "  hrow  of  the  hill  whereon  their  city 
was  built,  that  they  niinht  cast  him  down  headlong. 

30  Hut  he,  'passing  through  the  midst  of  Ihem,  went 
his  wav, 

31  And  <^came  down  to  rapcrnauni,  a  city  of  Galilee, 
and  taught  theni  on  the  sabbath  days. 


29  things;  and  they  rose  up,  and  cast  him  forth  out 
of  the  city,  and  led  him  unto  the  brow  of  the  bill 
whereon  their  city  was  built,  that  they  might  throw 

30  him  down  headlong.  But  he  passing  through  the 
midst  of  them  went  bis  way. 

31  And  he  came  down  to  Capernaum,  a  city  of  Galilee. 


a  Or,  edge 6  JoboS:  59:  10:  39 e  Matt.  4:  13;  Mark  1 :  21. 


We  might  certainly  have  supposed  that  some 
would  have  exhibited  a  better  mind.  We 
are  not,  perhaps,  obliged  to  understand  it  as 
without  any  qualification.  Could  possibly 
any  of  the  family  of  .Jesus — parents,  brothers, 
sisters — have  been  in  that  congregation?  It 
is  remarkable  how  little  we  see  of  any  of 
them  afterward,  in  plainly  friendly  relations, 
till  Calvary  (J"h"  i9:  m;  his  mother),  and  the  i)rayer- 
meeting    after    his     resurrection    (Acts  i :  w ;  uti 

uiolher  .luii  br  ihcrs). 

20.  And  rose  up,  and  thrust  him  out  of 
their  city,  and  led  (more  exactly,  wi-re  for 
leading)  him  to  the  brow  of  the  hill,  etc. 
The  second  verb  is  in  a  tense  which  expresses 
an  incomplete  action,  and  does  not  say  that 
they  reached  the  brow  of  the  hill,  but  set  out 
for  it.  A  steep  cliff  of  some  forty  feet  in 
height,  on  a  slope  of  the  hill,  above  the  town, 
is  spoken  of  by  travelers,  and  visible  in  the 
views  of  the  plabe  which  are  given  us.  This 
(diff  may  have  been  much  higher  then,  and 
would  easily  suffice  to  cause  the  death  of 
their  intended  victim.  Their  attempt  at  the 
destruction  of  Jesus  was  not  after  any  form  of 
penalty  prescribed  in  their  law,  even  if  any 
crime  had  been  formally  charged  ;  but  it  was 
the  result  of  a  reckless  outbreak  of  popular 
wrath. 

30.  But  he,  passing  throui^h  the  midst 
of  them,  Avent  his  way.  AVhen  the  first 
blaze  of  their  fury  subsided,  his  moral  dignity 
abashed  their  rage  for  injustice  and  murder. 

31-41.  A  Sauuath  Day  in  Caper- 
naum. 

31.  And  (Ar)  came  down  to  Capernaum, 
a  city  of  Galilee.  The  last  statement 
would  evidently  be  superfluous  for  those  fa- 
miliar with  Palestine,  and  is  an  explanation, 
like  the  same  concerning  Nazareth  (J:2«).  for 
the  benefit  of  readers  strange  to  the  holy  land. 
— Capernaum  (in  some  of  the  best  ancient 
copies  written  Capharnaum,  meaning  Village 
of  Nahum),  was  then  an  active  town  on  the 
western  shore  of  Lake  Gennesaret.  Like 
Nazareth, it  is  unmcntioned  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, but  it  had  already  been  the  scene  of  a 


great  miracle  of  the  Saviour  (Jo'm  4:46  ff.);  and 
from  this  time  onward  it  is  familiar  to  us  as 
"his  own  city"  (Mutt.  9:  i;  Mark  2;  i).  Here,  if 
any  where,  he  may  be  said  to  have  had  a 
residence  the  next  two  years  or  more ;  at 
least,  to  have  made  it  his  head-quarters,  lodg- 
ing when  there  not  improbably  in  the  hou.se 
of  Simon  {buke4;38),  wliich  seems,  therefore, 
to  be  sometimes  referred  to  simply  as  the 
house.  Hence,  perhajis,  he  was  thought  sub- 
ject to  taxation  at  this  place  (Matt.  17:V4, 26). 
This  city  was  thus  excej)tionally  favored 
with  the  presence,  the  teaching,  and  the  be- 
neficent works  of  Jesus;  but  instead  of  profit- 
ing accordingly  from  this  privilege,  it  gained 
therefrom  only  a  deserved  celebrity  of  woe 
(10:15).  So  truly  indeed  was  the  place 
"brought  down  to  hades,"  early  in  the 
Christian  era,  that,  even  after  the  extremely 
careful  explorations  of  recent  years,  we  are 
still  left  dubious  which  of  the  fields  of  ruin 
scattered  along  the  lake  shore  once  supported 
the  proud  and  guilty  city.  Two  spots  es- 
pecially dispute  the  melancholy  distinction. 
Tell  Hum,  a  considerable  expanse  of  the 
fragments  of  ancient  edifices,  including  the 
remains  of  a  spacious  synagogue,  which  may 
have  been  that  built  by  the  Koman  centurion, 
lies  overgrown  with  weeds,  about  two  miles 
west  of  the  mouth  of  the  Upper  .Jordan. 
K/inn  Minych  is  two  miles,  or  two  and  a-half, 
further  south,  and  shows  some  traces  of  the 
existence  there  of  a  former  city.  Almost  all 
investigators  agree  that  one  or  the  other  is 
the  remnant  of  Cajiernaum.  But  which? 
The  grounds  of  judgment  are  scanty  and  in- 
decisive. They  aire  the  supposed,  but  dis- 
putable, significance  of  the  two  names;  a 
couple  of  ambiguous  allusions  in  .Josephiis, 
(Life,  72.  Wnr.s,  3,  10,  8^;  the  references  in 
the  Gospels,  which  are  about  equally  com- 
patible with  either  claim ;  and  the  two  cur- 
rents of  later  .Jewish  and  Christian  tradition. 
Of  these,  it  is  said  that  the  .Jewish  makes  for 
Khan  Minyeh  ;  the  Christian,  for  Tell  Hum. 
Dr.  Edward  Robinson,  and  Lieut.  Conder,  of 
the  Palestine  Exploration  Fund,  with  others, 


88 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


hold  that,  in  regard  to  localities  there,  the 
Jewish  opinion  is,  where  different,  much  the 
more  trustworthy.  On  these  premises,  recent 
authorities,  of  course,  are  divided  in  judg- 
ment. In  favor  of  Tell  Hum  are  Winer 
(Realwvrt('rbuck\;  Kltter  (Greo^'.  of  Palestine); 
Van  de  Velde  {Narrative) ;  Thomson  {Land 
and  Book);  Capt.  Wilson  {Recovery  of  Jeru- 
salem); Farrar  {Com.  on  Luke,  p.  200).  In 
favor  of  Khan  Minyeh  are  F oriav  {Ha?id-book 
of  Syria  and  Palestine);  Dr.  Rohinson  {Bibli- 
cal Researches) ;  Tristram  {Land  of  Israel); 
'M-a.cgregoT  {Rob  Roy  on  the  Jordan);  Lieut. 
Conder  {Tent  Work  in  Palestine).      Schultz 


saret,  which  is  682.5  feet  lower.  Capernaum 
lay  not  far  heyond  the  northern  limit  of  the 
comparatively  smooth  tract  of  country  stretch- 
ing along,  and  away  from,  the  coast  known 
as  the  Plain  of  Gennessaret,  from  which  the 
lake  took  one  of  its  names.  Josephus  cele- 
hrates  the  fertility,  and  describes  the  pro- 
ductions of  this  section,  in  his  account  of 
the  "destruction  of  the  city  Tarichea,  and  the 
dreadful  slaughter  of  its  occupants,  in  the 
War  of  Titus  and  Vespasian.  {Jeivish  Wars, 
3 ;  10,  7,  8). 

And  taught  {he  was  teaching)  them  on  the 
sabbath  days  {on  the  Sabbath).      The  word 


^iSSn^ 


TELL   HUM. 


(Herzog  und  Plitt,  Theol.  Real-Encyclopadie, 
2d  Ed.,  Art.  Capernaum),  leaves  the  question 
undecided.  So  also  in  Zocker's  Handbuchd. 
Theol.  Wissen.,  1883, 1.,  214.  Edersheim,  Life 
of  Jesus,  the  Messiah,  I.,  365,  n.  1,  doubtfully 
decides  in  favor  of  Tell  Hum;  but  is  he  war- 
ranted in  saying  that  most  modern  writers 
agree  in  fixing  the  site  at  this  place?  On  either 
hypothesis,  the  place  was  not  far  from  twenty 
miles,  in  a  direct  line,  northeast  from  Naza- 
reth ;  and  as  the  latter  was  on  elevated  ground, 
the  statement  that  he  came  down,  is  strik- 
ingly exact.  He  must  descend,  not  only  to 
the  level  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  1,200  feet 
or  more,  but  to  that  of  the  Lake  of  Gennes- 


translated  Sabbath  is  very  irregular,  being 
u^ed  freely  in  the  plural  as  well  as  the  singular, 
for  a  single  daj',  although  it  might  in  other 
places  have  a  plural  signification  also.  Here 
it  is  defined  as  one  day  (see  the  Revision)  by 
the  fact  that  all  which  follows  to  ver.  43,  be- 
longs to  one  day,  and  that  ver.  43  declares  the 
necessity  for  him  to  leave  Capernaum  and  go 
through  the  country,  preaching.  The  imper- 
fect tense  of  the  verbs  in  this  verse  and  the 
next  shows  that  it  was  in  connection  with  his 
teaching  that  the  incident  of  the  demoniac 
occurred.  After  this  he  went  out  of  the  syna- 
gogue into  Peter's  house,  where  he  remained 
until  evening  (ver.  33,38,40). 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


89 


32  And  they  were  astonished  at  his  doctrine:  "fur 
his  word  was  with  power. 

*!  'And  in  the  synagogue  there  was  a  man,  wliieh 
liad  a  spirit  of  an  unclean  devil,  and  cried  out  with  a 
loud  voice. 


32  And  he  was  teacliing  them  on  the  sabbath  day:  and 
they  were  astonished  at  his  teaching;  lor  his  word  wiis 

3;j  with  authority.  And  in  the  synagogue  there  was  a 
man,  that  had  a  spirit  ol'au  unclean  demon  ;  and  be 


a  Matt.  7  :  28.  29 :  Tiiua  2  :  13. . .  .i  Uark  1 :  23. 


32.  And  they  were  astonished  at  his 
doctrine  (rather,  teaching).  It  was  not  doc- 
trine in  our  modern  .sense,  but  his  teaching 
a.«  to  it.s  manner  and  spirit,  as  well  as  its  mat- 
ter. What  surprised  them  was  that  his  word 
was  with  power  (rather,  in  authority). 
(Conip.  Matt.  7:  28,  29).  They  were  used  to 
hearing  professedly  religious  truth  given  out 
with  a  careful  and  ever-repeated  reference  to 
the  i)revious  Kabhis  as  the  authority'.  It  is 
hard  for  us  to  form  an  idea  of  the  tyrannical 
rigor  with  which  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees 
issued  their  edicts  of  instruction,  received,  of 
course,  with  a  correspontling  servility  of  men- 
tal submission  by  their  hearers.  But  now 
they  listened  to  a  man  who  uttered  the  truth 
as  of  his  own  judgment,  and  with  such  rea- 
sonableness, and  consistency  with  the  simple 
words  of  Scripture  and  with  the  testimony  of 
their  own  consciences,  that  they  were  amazed. 

33.  A  man  which  had  a  spirit  of  an 
unc-lran  devil  (rather,  demon).  The  word 
devil  is  so  strictly  singular  in  the  original  of 
the  New  Testament — invariably  re]iresenting 
the  one  arch-enem^'  of  God  and  man,  Satan, 
the  tempter,  prince  of  the  demons — or  some 
man  who,  as  acting  like  and  for  him.  is 
called  by  his  name,  that  the  use  of  it,  in  this 
connection,  is  altogether  misleading.  It  is 
to  be  wished,  certainly,  that  we  had  a  more 
satisfactory  word  to  designate  the  beings  so 
named  ;  but  it  seems  strange  that  the  English 
section  of  the  recent  revisers  should  have  left 
in  the  translation  an  apparent  consent  to  so 
great  an  error.  Their  marginal  reading 
might  well  have  taken  the  first  place,  as  it 
does  in  various  American  editions,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  preference  of  the  American 
section  of  the  revisers.  (See  Revision  above.) 
^' Demon"  is  nearly  one  of  the  two  Greek 
names,  written  in  English  letters,  and  does 
not  necessarily,  in  classic  Greek,  imply  de- 
j)ravity,  as  the  epithet  unclean  here  shows. 
Rut  no  epithet  is  elsewhere  used  in  the  New 
Testament — the  name  itself  standing  for  a 
supernatural  spirit,  subservient  to  the  devil, 
and  acting  in  his  cause  to  corrupt  and  harm, 
and  eternally  destroy  men.  Their  origin,  and 
more   particular   relation    to   Satan,    are   not  ' 


explained.      Their   number    is    indefinitely 
great.     These  beings,  often  called  "unclean," 
or  evil  "spirits,"  are  .said  to  enter  into  men, 
who  then    'have"  evil  spirits,  and  are  s|)oken 
of  in  the  Common  Version  as  "possessed"  by 
them — (the   Greek   is,    a?-e  demonized,.     The 
person  so  afflicted  (for  it  everywhere  appears 
as  a  dreadful  affliction)  has  his  own  faculties 
of  thought,  emotion,  and  will,  so  usurped  by 
the   intruding   power,  that   he   speaks  as  the 
demon.      Again,    the    consciousness    is    con- 
fused, distracted  ;  and  .sometimes  the  human, 
sometimes    the    demoniac    person,    i)revails. 
Violent  contortions  and  spasms  of  the  body, 
accompanied   with  excruciating  pafn.s,   were 
occasional   features  of  the  horrid   state.     As 
the  phenomena  of  epilepsy  and  insanity  pre- 
sent many  resemblances  to  the  cases  of  po.«- 
session  reported  in  the  New  Testament,  some 
have    hazarded   the    supposition    that    these 
were  all    instances  of   such    merely   natural 
maladies,  and  that  Jesus  only  accommodated 
his  way  of  speaking  about,  and  dealing  with 
them,  to  the  i)opular  idea  that  such  maladies 
were  the   work   of  demons.     It  may  not  be 
possible   to  clear  the  subject  of  perplexing 
mystery,  but  it  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that 
the  Jewi.«h  conception  of  this  matter  (origina- 
ting  from    their    a.<sociations   with    Oriental 
pagans  during  the  exile,  and  matured  after- 
wards) regarded  the  disturbing  spirits  as  the 
ghosts   of  wicked   men   deceased,    while  the 
New    Testament    views    them    distinctly    as 
suj)ernatural  beings,    not   of  human    nature, 
sent  hither  by  the  devil,   whose  extra-mun- 
dane place  is  "the  aby.ss."     Whatever  might 
be  said  on  another  theory  of  several   occur- 
ences concerning  them  in  the  New  Testament, 
some,  like  that  of  the  Gadarene  demoniac,  can- 
not be  fully  explained  on  any  hypothesis  but 
that  Jesus  saw  in  them,  and  intended  his  dis- 
ciples to  see,  the  agents  of  the  devil— his  angels 
of  evil  and  harm  to  men.      He   accordingly 
taught  that  his  work  was  to  contend  ngainst 
and  expel  them,  that  his  disciples  should  do 
the  same,  and  that  both  he  and  they  might 
recognize  the  succe.«s   of  his  mission   in  the 
subjection  of  the  demons  to  them. 

To  the  diflBculty  that  we  do  not  see  evidence 


90 


LUKE. 


[Cii.  IV. 


34  Saying,  "Let  us  alone;  what  have  we  to  do  with 
thee,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ?  art  thou  come  to  destroy 
us?  'I  know  thee  who  thou  art;  <^the  Holy  One  of 
Uod. 

3o  And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  saying,  Hold  thy  peace, 
and  come  out  of  him.  And  when  the  devil  had  thrown 
him  in  the  midst,  he  came  out  of  him,  and  hurt  him  not. 
'36  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  spake  among 
themselves,  saying.  What  a  word  i.i  this!  for  with 
authority  and  power  he  commandeth  the  unclean 
spirits,  and  they  come  out. 


34  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  i  Ah  !  what  have  we  to  do 
with  thee,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth?  art  thou  come 
to  destroy  us?     I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy 

35  One  of  God.  And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  saying,  Hold 
thy  peace,  and  come  out  of  him.  And  when  the 
demon  had  thrown  him  down  in  the  midst,  he  came 

36  out  of  him,  having  done  him  no  hurt.  And  amaze- 
ment came  upon  all,  and  they  spake  together,  one 
with  another,  saying.  What  -\:i  this  word?  for  with 
authority  and  power   he  commandeth  the  unclean 


a  Or,  Away b  ver.  41 c  Ps.  16:  10;  Dao.  9:  H;  ch.  1 :  35. 1  Or,  Let  alone 2  Or,  this  word,  that  with  authority  .  . 


of  .such  possession  in  other  times,  especially  in 
our  own,  it  has  been  common  to  reply  that  the 
Satanic  agency  was  then  allowed  more  freely, 
in  order  that  the  Saviour's  triumph  f»ver  it 
might  be  signally  displayed.  That  is  not  an 
unreasonable  answer ;  but  may  it  not  be  true, 
also,  that  to  the  all-discerning  eye  a  certain 
proportion  of  the  cases  which  we  ascribe  to 
merely  physical  disorders  of  the  nervous  sys- 
tem, appear  as  instances  of  Satanic  perversion 
through  evil  spirits?  The  pcssessive  case  in 
"spirit  of  an  unclean  demon,"  is  the  posses- 
sive of  apposition,  or  definition,  equivalent  to 
"a  spirit  which  was  an  unclean  demon." 

And  (Ae,  the  demonized  man),  cried  out 
with  a  loud  voice,  significant  of  the  awe  and 
fury  with  which  the  sight  of  Jesus  filled  him. 

34.  Sayiug,  Let  us  alone.  This  should 
be  changed  to  an  interjection  of  fear  and  di.«- 
pleasure— ^/i.'— What  have  we  to  do  with 
thee,  etc.  ?  The  plural  number  of  the  pro- 
noun may  indicate  that  the  man  speaks  for 
him.self  and  the  demon ;  or  that  the  demon 
associates  himself  with  his  class,  as  being  all 
threatened  by  the  advent  of  Christ.  He 
means:  AVhy  shouldest  thou  interfere  with 
us?— Art  thou  come  to  destroy  us? 
Christ's  presence  forebodes  harm  to  the  infer- 
nal spirits.  I — the  demon  speaks  through  the 
man — knoAV  thee,  etc.  Whence  this  prompt 
and  constant  recognition  by  the  demons  of 
the  divine  character  of  our  Lord?  Was  it 
that  they  had  learned  it  from  their  ruler;  or 
that  pure  and  perfect  goodness  revealed  itself 
Instantly  and  infallibly  to  unmixed  evil,  as  a 
hostile  and  punitive  power?— The  Holy  One 
of  God.  In  what  sense,  precisely,  the  wicked 
spirit  employed  this  title,  is  questionable;  pro- 
bably as  equivalent  to  Messiah. 

35.  And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  saying. 
Hold  thy  peace,  etc.  The  unhallowed  salu- 
tation would  aggravate  the  Saviour's  abhor- 
rence. He  did  not  desire  lip-homage  to  his 
office;  least  of  all  would  it  be  welcome  from 
such  a  source.     Hence  the  injunction.  Hold 


thy  peace.  Strictly,  Be  thou  muzzled! 
"Speak  not  of  knowledge  of  me!"  As  to  the 
afllicted  man,  that  the  Lord  deals  not  at  all 
with  him  shows  that  he  is  not  thought  of  as 
criminal  in  entertaining  the  unclean  spirit; 
but.  as  in  most  such  cases,  the  victim  of  dia- 
bolical malignity.  The  man  who  was  dispos- 
sessed would  be  left  as  before  the  evil  power 
overcame  him. — And  when  the  devil — {de- 
7non) — had  thrown  him  down  in  the  midst, 
etc.  The  departure  of  the  invading  spirit  was 
apt  to  be  accompanied  with  terrible  pains. 
On  this  occasion  he  appears  to  have  caused  an 
agonizing  wrench  of  the  man's  whole  frame 
(comp.  Mark  1 :  26),  by  which  he  was  thrown 
down  in  the  open  space  in  the  middle  of  the 
synagogue.  They  probably  expected  to  find 
him  dead  ;  but  found  him  so  free  from  perma- 
nent harm  when  the  deliverance  had  been 
etfected,  that  they  could  say  he  had  hurt  him 
not. 

36.  And  they  were  all  amazed — that  is, 
amazement  came  upon  all.  Tlie  cure  of  de- 
moniacs was  sometimes  attempted  by  Jewish 
exorcists,  and,  as  would  appear,  with  a  kind 

of  success  (Miiii.  12 :  27  ,  and  wmp.  Jos.  Ant..  8.  2,  5).  Prob- 
ably, however,  few  people  had  seen  even 
pretended  successes  of  this  kind;  and,  if  they 
had,  there  were  features  of  this  case — the 
entire  absence  of  every  shade  of  jugglery,  the 
intense  earnestness,  the  religious  solemnity, 
and  the  single  efficacy  of  the  Saviour's  simple 
word  of  command — for  which  they  were  not 
prepared. — What  a  word  is  this!  The 
Common  Version  gives  the  main  sense,  but 
not  the  form,  of  the  thought.  (See  lievision). 
The  word  is  that  command  so  imperative  and 
efficacious,  which  had  just  been  uttered. — 
For  with  authority — as  a  personal  endow- 
ment (as  in  ver.  82)  — and  power  —  in  the 
practical  exercise  of  that  authority — he  com- 
mandeth the  unclean  spirits — the  people 
see  that  what  he  has  done  in  this  case  he  can 
and  will  do  in  other  cases— and  they  come 
out. 


Ch.  IV.] 


LUKE. 


91 


;W  And  the  fame  of  him  went  out  into  every  place  of 
the  country  round  about 

;W  "And  he  arose  out  of  the  synagogue,  and  entered 
into  Simon's  house.  And  Simon's  wife's  niotlier  was 
taken  with  a  great  fever;  and  they  besouglit  him  for 
her. 

39  And  he  stood  over  her,  and  rebuked  the  fever; 
and  it  left  her :  and  immediately  she  arose  and  minis- 
tered unto  them. 

40  '  Now  when  the  .sun  was  setting,  all  they  that  had 
any  sick  with  divers  diseases  brought  tlieni  unto  hiui 
and  he  laid  his  hands  on  every  one  of  them,  and  healed 
them. 


37  spirits,  and  they  came  out.  And  there  went  forth 
a  rumour  eoneerning  liim  into  every  place  of  the 
region  round  about. 

3.S  And  he  rose  up  from  the  synagogue,  and  entered 
into  the  house  of  Simon.  Aiul  Simon's  wile's  mother 
was   huldeii  with  a  great  fever:  and  they  besought 

39  him  for  her.  And  lie  stood  over  her,  and  rebuked 
the  fever;  and  it  left  her:  and  immediately  she  ruse 
up  and  ministered  unto  tliem. 

U)  And  when  the  sun  was  setting,  all  they  that  had 
any  sick  with  divers  diseases  brought  them  unto 
him ;  and  he  laid  bis  hands  on  every  one  of  them, 


>  Unit.  8:14;  M>rl(  1 : 


.Uatt.  8:  16:  Mark  1 :  32. 


37.  And  the  fame  of  him  went  out — {i.e., 
"a  noise,"  or  rumor,  concerning  him)  into 
every  place  of  the  country  round  about. 

It  was  not  clear  and  intelligent  intorniatioii, 
but  a  varying  and  mixed  popular  talk,  sueh 
as  is  apt  to  follow  so  strange  occurrences,  and 
well  suited  to  draw  general  attention  to 
Christ.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  first 
miracle  reported  by  Luke  is  the  expulsion  of 
a  demon.  The  victory  over  Satan,  which  he 
had  achieved  in  the  wilderness,  is  repeated  in 
the  case  of  Satan's  emissaries  and  his  works. 

38,  39.  Healing  of  Peteh's  AVife's 
Mother. 

38,  And  he  arose  out  of  the  synagrogue, 
and  entered  into  Simon's  house.  From 
Mark  1:  '2*,>.  we  see  that  Andrew  lived  with 
his  brother  Simon,  in  Capernaum.  That  the 
house  is  called  Simon's,  does  not  prove,  in- 
deed, that  he  owned  it,  but  renders  this  ex- 
tremely ])r<)b:ible.  It  was  doubtless  a  lowly 
abode,  as  that  of  a  plain  fisherman.  Luke 
has  not  iiiimed  him  before;  but  he  either  in- 
tentionally leaves  to  his  readers  to  supply 
that  this  was  the  well-known  apostle,  Simon 
Peter,  or,  unconsciously,  as  in  other  cases, 
alludes  to  facts  which  he  does  not  relate. 
Peter  was,  as  we  see,  a  married  man ;  nor  is 
there  the  slightest  reason  to  suppose  that  his 
wife  was  dead  at  this  time,  as  some  Romanists 
have  urged.  We  have  reason,  rather,  to 
conclude  from  1  Cor.  9:  5,  that  she  subse- 
quently accompanied  him  on  his  missionary 
tours. — Simon's  wife's  mother  was  taken 
(holden)  with  a  great  fever — confined  to  her 
bed,  as  appears  from  Matt.  8:  14,  and  Mark  1: 
30.  It  is  thought  that  Luke's  medical  dis- 
crimination is  seen  in  referring  this  disease,  as 
specially  violent,  to  one  of  the  two  classes 
into  which  fevers  were  divided,  "the  great" 
and  "the  small."  Galen,  on  "The  Different 
Fevers,"  in  "Wetstein  on  this  passage. — And 
they  besought  him  for  her — rather,  ques- 


tioned him  about  her.  The  Greek  verb  shows 
that  they  did  not  have  to  repeat  the  question, 
or  wait  an  answer.  They  might  well  hope 
that,  after  what  they  had  just  seen  of  his 
superhuman  power,  and  what  he  had  pre- 
viously done  in  their  city  (»«■•.  a),  he  would,  if 
his  attention  were  called  to  her  case,  heal  her 
also.  And  he  did.  Whtit  he  would  not  do 
at  Nazareth,  or  elsewhere,  merely  to  display 
power,  and  gratify  curiosity,  he  could  not 
help  doing  in  answer  to  the  even  faintly 
trustful  faith  of  needy  hearts. 

39.  He  stood  over  her*— as  a  i)hy.~i(ian 
kindly  examining  her  case— and  rebuked  the 
fever — recognizinga  personal  principle  of  evil 
in  the  diseases  affliotingmen,— And  it  left  her. 
She  was  instantly  restored  to  health.  And 
immediately  she  arose.  Thus  proving  the 
reality  and  miraculous  suddenness  of  thecure. 
—And  ministered  unto  them — probably  by 
preparing  the  Sabbath  evening  meal  for  Jesus, 
Peter,  and  tlieir  companions;  thus  proving 
that  she  c<)n>e('rated  her  restored  strength  to 
the  faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  incident  to 
her  position. 

40,  41.  Ax  Evenino  and  Nioht  (?) 
Filled  with  Healino  Acts  of  MEurv. 

40.  Now  {and)  when  the  sun  was  set- 
ting— the  earliest  moment  When  it  would  be 
thought  allowable  on  ther  Sabbath  ;  they  did 
not  wait  until  the  sun  was  entirely  down. — 
All  they  that  had  any  sick  with  divers 
diseases  brought  them  unto  him.  What 
a  scene  presented  itself  to  the  Saviour's  com- 
passiontite  glance!  What  a  number  and  va- 
riety of  the  physical  "  ills  which  flesh  is  heir 
to,"  when  a  whole  community  gathered  their 
sick,  and  maimed,  and  crippled,  and  blind, 
and  dumb,  before  the  Great  Physician,  each 
one  most  anxious  to  attrsict  his  merciful  look  ! 
It  was  one  of  those  opjiortunities,  fortunate 
even  in  the  time  of  Christ's  earthly  mission, 
when   the  streams  of  healing  mercy   Mowed 


92 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IV. 


41  "And  devils  also  came  out  of  many,  crying  out, 
and  saying.  Thou  art  Christ  the  Son  of  God.  And  'he 
rebuking  «Ae/«  suffered  them  not  =to  speak:  for  they 
knew  that  he  was  Christ. 

42  i^And  when  it  was  day,  he  departed  and  went  into 
a  desert  place:  and  the  people  sought  him,  and  came 
unto  him,  and  stayed  him,  that  he  should  not  depart 
from  them. 

43  And  he  said  unto  them,  I  must  preach  the  king- 
dom of  God  to  other  cities  also :  for  therefore  am  I  sent. 


41  and  healed  them.  And  demons  also  came  out  from 
many,  crying  out,  and  saying.  Thou  art  the  Son  of 
God.  And  rebuking  theui,  he  sutlered  them  not  to 
speak,  becau.se  they  knew  'hat  he  was  the  Christ. 

42  And  when  it  was  day,  he  came  out  and  went  Into 
a  desert  place :  and  the  multitudes  sought  after  him, 
and  came  unto   him,  and  would   have  stayed   him, 

43  that  he  should  not  go  from  them.  But  he  said  unto 
them,  I  must  preach  the  igood  tidings  of  the  king- 
dom of  God  to  the  other  cities  also :  for  therefore 
was  I  sent. 


a  Mark  1 :  34;  3:  11....  ft  M;irk  1 :  25,  34;  ver  34,  35.... c  Or,  to  say  that  they  knew  him  to  be  Christ d  Mark  1 :  .S3. — -I  Or,  gospel. 


freely  from  the  fountain,  and  when  those  who 
needed  it  appreciated  their  privilege.  Faith 
in  his  ability  to  heal  disease,  at  least,  was 
solidly  established,  and  many  might  be  ready 
to  gain  this  blessing,  who  refused  his  more 
precious  otters  to  tlieir  souls. — And  he  laid 
his  hands  on  every  one  of  them — as  he  had 
done  also  on  the  mother-in-law  (ver.  39),  from 
what  we  read  in  Matthew  and  Mark.  This 
was  not  a  necessity  in  order  that  he  might 
effect  the  cure,  but  it  was  well  suited  to  bring 
the  beneficiaries  into  a  personal  relation  with 
him,  when  they  were  brought  forward,  every 
one  separately,  and  to  certify  to  rude  minds 
that  the  benefit  really  came  from  him. — And 
healed  them.  So  that  we  are  permitted  to 
imagine  a  considerable  town  (allowing  due 
latitude  to  the  phrase  "aW  they  that  had") 
cleared,  for  one  happy  hour,  of  all  sickness  and 
bodily  plagues. 

41.  And  devils  —  (demons)  —  also  came 
out  of  many.  A  repetition  of  the  scene  in  the 
synagogue.  This  is  mentioned  separately,  as 
a  crowning  exercise  of  power  and  mercy,  but 
ns  closely  connected  with  the  general  work  of 
bodily  cure.  The  possessed,  like  the  sick,  ap- 
peal to  compassion. —And  he,  rebuking 
them,  suflTered  them  not  to  speak.  The 
extorted  confessions  of  his  Messiahship  are 
again  sternly  silenced,  and  now  distinctly  for 
the  reason  that  they  knew  that  he  was  the 
Christ,  and  were  forward  to  declare  it. — For 
is  distinctly  equivalent  to  because.  Had  he 
desired  that  fact  concerning  himself  to  be 
bruited  abroad,  he  would  not  desire  to  have  it 
rest  on  the  testimony  of  "unclean  demons"  ; 
but  we  see  many  evidences  that  he  did  not 
wish  it  to  be  talked  about,  in  the  existing  tem- 
per of  the  populace  ;  but  rather  that  it  should 
be  revealed  quietly  to  the  reflection  and  faith 
of  prepared  souls. 

42,  43.  Prkparation  for  a  Prkachinq 
Tour  through  Galilkk. 

42.  And  when   it  was  day — that   is,  the 


morning  of  that  day  which  had  begun  at  sun- 
set on  the  Sabbath  evening  (ver.  40).  It  was 
very  early  in  the  morning  (Mark  i:  35). — He  de- 
parted and  went  into  a  desert  place. 
Mark  also  teaches  what  we  might  infer  from 
the  account  here,  that  he  we7it  out  and  de- 
parted into  a  solitary  place,  to  pray  (Mark  i:35), 
and  also  that  he  was  engaged  in  prayer  there 
when  the  people  [multitudes)  sought  him, 
etc.  The  multitudes  were  prompted  and 
guided,  as  would  appear  (Marki:36)  by  Simon 
and  those  with  him,  who  might  have  learned 
the  intention  of  Jesus  to  leave  that  neighbor- 
hood— And  came  unto  him — implies  in  the 
Greek  that  there  was  some  pains  required  to 
reach  him,  and  they  did  not  stop  until  they 
found  him;  or,  possibly,  that  they  found  him 
in  prayer,  and  should  have  remained  aloof,  but 
in  their  urgency  came  quite  up  to  him.  And 
stayed  (ivould  have  stayed)  him — the  tenta- 
tive imperfect, — that  he  should  not  depart 
from  them.  He  had  proved  himself  so  use- 
ful to  them,  that  they  would  fain  have  kept 
him  with  them  permanently.  "What  amount 
of  interest  in  his  higher  mission  there  may 
have  been  among  them  for  the  moment,  no 
one  can  tell ;  but  we  may  suppose  that  if  a  year 
later  there  had  been  in  the  town  as  many 
righteous  men  as  would  have  saved  Sodom  for 
Abraham, they  would  have  averted  that  awful 
denunciation  (io:i5)  which  singled  out  this 
city,  as  pre-eminent  in  unbelief,  for  signal 
ruin. 

43.  And  (but)  he  said — seeing  clearly  the 
greatness  of  his  work  and  the  shor.ness  of  his 
opportunity— I  must  preach  the  kingdom 
of  God  to  other  cities  also.  It  was  the 
necessity'  laid  upon  him  by  the  very  nature  of 
his  mission,  which  constituted  the  I  must. — 
Preach.  The  word  ((C7)piio-<7<o),  properly  ren- 
dered "preach,"  in  the  next  verse,  is  not  used 
here,  but  a  more  specific  term  (evayyeXi^oiiai), 
to  announce  as  good  neins.  For  the  definition 
of  the  kingdom  of  God — the  theme  of  this 


Ch.  v.] 


LUKE. 


93 


44  "J  And  he  preached  in  the  synagogues  of  Galilee.      I  44     And  he  was  preaching  in  the  synagogues  of  >Gal- 

I      ilee. 

CHAPTEK    V. 

AND  '  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as  the  people  pressed  upon  |    1      Now  it  came  to  pass,  while  the  multitude  pressed 
him  to  lieur  the  word  of  God,  he  stood  by  the  lake  upon  him  and  heard  the  word  of  God,  that  he  was 

of  Geuuesaret,  I 

a  Mark  1 :  39 6  Matt.  4:  18;  Mark  1 :  16.^ — 1  Very  man;  aocient  authoriliea  read,  Judaa. 


joyful  announcement,  see  on  6:  20.  The 
designation  of  it  in  Luke  is  uniformly  as 
here;  so  in  Mark,  while  Matthew  much 
more  commonly  calls  it  "the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  Other  cities — should  be  ''the 
other  cities,^'  marking  the  gracious  design  of 
Jesus  to  leave  none  without  instruction  and 
invitation. — For  therefore  am  I  sent;  or, 
becniis:  for  this  ivas  I  sent.  This  announce- 
ment of  the  good  news  of  salvation  to  all 
whom  he  could  reach,  was  a  jiart  of  the 
object  for  which  his  Father  had  sent  him 
from  his  own  bosom,  and  on  which  he  cheer- 
fuU^'  came  forth  out  of  heaven  (Marki:  38). 

4:  44—7:  50.  The  Missionary  Excur- 
sion Through  thk  Provinck  of  Galilee. 
From  the  point  which  we  have  now  reached, 
we  nuiy  recognize  a  topographical  distribu- 
tion of  the  ministry  of  our  Lord  in  Galilee, 
running  on  to  9:  51,  when  he  finally  takes  up 
his  slow  movement  toward  Jerusalem.  It  is 
divided  into  two  preaching  circuits — the  first 
narrower,  not  extending  apparently  to  places 
more  than  about  a  day's  walk  from  the  west- 
ern shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  while  the 
second  aimed  to  reach  all  the  more  distant 
localities,  even  those  east  of  the  lake,  and  far 
north  toward  Cesarea  Philippi.  Tl)us  here 
an  announcement  is  made  of  a  season  of 
preaching  in  the  synagogues,  in  the  course  of 
which  no  localities  are  mentioned  until  7:  1, 
when  he  enters  again  into  Capernaum,  from 
which  he  may  have  been  not  far  at  any  point. 
He  does  not  tarry  there  at  that  time,  but  is 
presently'  at  Nain ;  and  in  8:  1,  he  sets  out  on 
a  new  excursion,  to  visit  every  city  and  vil- 
lage with  his  joyful  proclamation.  By  the 
aid  of  the  other  evangelists,  we  are  able  to  fix 
the  place  and  the  chronological  order  of  some 
of  the  events  recorded,  more  definitely  than 
the  documentary  or  oral  authoritj' acces-^ible 
to  Luke  enabled  him  to  do.  The  exhiliition 
of  Christ's  teaching  and  work  was  his  leading 
aim,  subordinately  to  which  we  see  him 
grouping  the  facts,  in  topographical  circles  of 
labor,  according  to  a  distinct  concejition,  and 
not  inconsistently   with    the   other   accounts. 


One  prominent  result  of  the  first  circuit  is  the 
selection  of  the  twelve  apostles. 

4:  44.  And  he  preached  {vms preaching) 
in  the  synagogues  of  Galilee.  This  is  a 
general  description  of  the  nature  of  his  work, 
and  of  the  usual  seats  of  it,  during  the  period, 
of  indefinite  duration,  occujjied  by  chapters 
5-7.  Some  might  not  unreasonably  prefer  to 
connect  it  with  the  two  preceding  verses,  as 
denoting,  in  a  summary  and  prt)visional  way, 
the  issue  of  that  preparation,  which  these 
chapters  go  on  to  describe  in  detail.  Preach- 
ing was,  in  this  stage  of  the  gospel,  the  public 
announcement  of  the  truth  concerning  the 
advent  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  with  men's 
privilege  and  duty  in  regard  to  it;  and  the 
sj'nagogues  oflTered  everywhere  the  most  con- 
venient and  appropriate  place,  as  at  Nazareth 
and  Capernaum,  for  the  proclamation. 


Ch.  5.  1-11.  Call  to  Disctpleship  ok 
Peter  (Andrew  also.— Matt.  4:  18),  James 
AND  John. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as  the 
people  (■yntiltitude)  pressed  upon  him. 
This  narrative  is  best  to  be  thought  of  as  the 
first  of  the  incidents  of  that  period  of  evan- 
gelizing labors  summarily  described  in  4:  44. 
From  a  comparison  of  Mark  1 :  20,  21,  it  is  ex- 
tremely probable  that  what  here  follows 
actually  took  place  more  immediately  after 
our  Lord's  coming  down  from  Nazareth, 
before  the  Sabbath  whose  history  we  have 
just  considered.  Luke  mu.<t,  we  think,  have 
placed  it  at  Capernaum,  since  the  boat  into 
which  he  entered  (ver. 3)  was  Simon's.  So  we 
see  that,  after  having  spoken  of  his  continuous 
missionary  work  as  about  to  begin,  he  pauses 
to  describe  the  special  call  of  certain 
disciples,  as  explaining  their  subsequent 
companionship.  For  it  is  to  be  noted  that 
hitherto,  so  far  as  appears  from  Luke,  and 
from  other  Synoptics,  out^Saviour  has  moved 
about  and  taught,  alr)ne.  We  hear  of  no 
associate  with  him  at  Nazareth,  and  Peter  is 
named  in  4:  38,  as  a  stranger.  To  hear  (and 
heard  =  were    hearing)   the  word    of  God. 


94 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  V. 


What  Jesus  spoke  concerning  himself  and 
the  kingdom,  was  God's  word,  because  God 
gave  it  to  him  to  speak,  and  because  it  was  a 
constant  revelation  of  God's  h(tly  and  merci- 
ful name.  He  .stood  by  the  lake  of  Gen- 
nesaret.  This  lake,  on  the  surface  and 
borders  of  which  so  many  incidents  of  our 
Saviour's  public  ministry  took  place,  is  men- 
tioned in  the  Old  Testament  as  the  Sea  of 
Chinnereth,  and  Chinneroth;  and  in  the  New 
Testament  as  the  Sea  of  Galilee — in  Matthew, 
Mark  and  John  ;  and  Sea  of  Tiberias,  in  John 
21 :  1 ;  but  in  Luke,  only,  as  the  Lake  of 
Gennesaret.       It    is    an    expansion    of    the 


smooth  sand,  or,  in  part,  of  coarse  pebbles 
and  shingles  of  rock,  surrounds  the  entire 
lake,  reaching  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 
On  this  space  grows  luxuriantly  a  tropical 
vegetation,  including  fine  palm  trees,  near 
the  ancient  Tiberias,  while  the  mountain 
slopes  are  bare  of  verdure,  furrowed  with 
deep  ravines,  canyons,  or  Wadys,  and  deso- 
late, except  as  brightened  by  patches  of  grass 
for  a  season  in  spring.  The  climate,  as 
might  be  expected  in  such  a  hollow,  is  op- 
pressively hot  and  unhealthy  in  summer;  at 
other  seasons,  pleasant  and  even  delightful. 
In  our  Saviour's  time,  the  neighborhood  of 


LAKE  OP   GENNESARET. 


Jordan,  filling  a  portion  of  its  bed  lying  in 
that  wonderful  chasm  through  which,  as 
described  on  3:3,  the  river  runs  its  entire 
length.  The  sheet  of  water  is  thirteen  miles 
long  and  six  broad;  its  depth  reaches,  in 
places,  165  feet.  The  water  is  clear,  compara- 
tivelj'  cool,  and  excellent  for  drinking.  It  is 
still,  as  in  ancient  times,  teeming  with  fish. 
The  mountains  which  border  the  Jordan 
below,  to  the  Dead  Sea,  enclose  this  lake  also, 
rising  steeply  to  the  height  of  perhaps  a 
thousand  feet  on  tfie  eastern  side.  On  the 
west,  the  ascent  is  more  gradual  and  not  so 
high,  even  at  the  southern  end  ;  while  toward 
the  north  it  sinks,  as  we  have  seen,  into  the 
Plain  of  Gennesaret.     A  narrow  beach   of 


this  lake  was  the  most  thickly  peopled,  and 
most  prosperous  part  of  Palestine.  Large 
towns  almost  crowded  each  other  along  the 
western  shore,  and  the  water  itself  was  alive 
with  hundreds  of  boats  for  fishing,  for  freight, 
for  pleasure,  and  sometimes  for  war.  The 
productiveness  of  the  fisheries;  the  fertility 
of  the  plain  before  mentioned,  and  of  other 
parts  in  the  neighborhood;  and  the  traffic  of 
caravans  and  cargoes  passing  between  the 
Mediterranean  and  Damascus,  or  the  farther 
ea<;t  — gave  employment  to  multitudes  of 
people,  among  whom  chieflj'  our  Saviour 
taught  and  labored  thnnigh  his  public  life. 
The  lake  is  now  lonely— its  shores  almost  void 
of  inhabitant.     A  single  boat  has  for  many 


Ch.  v.] 


LUKE. 


95 


2  And  saw  two  ships  standing  by  the  lake:  but  the 
fi»beriuen  were  gone  out  of  tbeiu,  and  were  washing 
tlieir  nets. 

3  And  he  entered  into  one  of  the  siiips,  whicli  was 
Simon's,  and  prayed  him  that  he  would  thrust  out  a 
little  from  the  land.  And  he  sat  down,  and  taught  the 
people  out  of  the  ship. 

4  Now  when  he  had  left  speaking,  he  said  unto 
Simon,  «  Launch  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your 
nets  for  a  draught. 

7-1  And  Simon  answering  said  unto  him,  Master,  we 
have  toiled  all  the  night,  and  have  taken  nothing: 
nevertheless  at  thy  word  I  will  let  down  the  net. 

6  And  when  they  ha<l  this  done, they  inelosed  a  great 
multitude  of  fishes:   and  their  net  brake. 

7  And  they  beckoned  unto  tluir  partners,  which 
were  in  the  other  ship,  that  they  should  come  and  help 


2  standing  by  the  lake  of  Cennesaret;  and  he  saw 
two  boats  standing  by  the  lake;  but  the  tishernien 
had  gone  out  of  them,  and  were  wa>hing  their  nets. 

3  And  he  entered  into  one  of  the  lioals,  which  was 
.Simon's,  and  asked  liiui  to  put  out  a  little  from  the 
land.     And   he  sat  down  and  taught  the  multitudes 

4  out  of  the  boat.  And  when  he  had  left  speaking,  he 
said  unto  Simon,  I'ut  out  into  the  deeji,  and  let  down 

5  your  nets  for  a  draught.     Ami  SI n  answered  and 

said,  Master,  we  toiled  all  night,  ami  took  nothing: 

6  but  at  thy  word  I  will  let  down  the  nets.  And  when 
they  had  this  done,  they  inelosed  a  great  multitude 

7of  tishes;  and  their  nets  were  i)reaking;  and  they 
beckoned  unto  their  partners  in  the  other  bout,  tluit 
they  should  come  and  help  lliem.  And  they  came, 
and  tilled  both  the  boats,  so  that  they  began  to  sink. 


years  represented  the  lively  throng  th5\t 
crcxssed  and  circled  under  the  Saviour's  ej^e, 
while  .scanty  ruins  cumber  the  sites  of  the 
busy  cities  of  old,  and  weigh  down  the  dust  of 
their  inhabitants.  Travelers  dispute  whether 
the  scene  can  now  be  called  beautiful  or 
pleasant;  but  curiosity  will  always  be  piqued 
by  such  a  bodj'  of  water,  lying  so  deep,  in 
such  a  basin  of  rock  whose  lofty  summits  rise 
but  little  above  the  level  of  the  "great  sea"  ; 
and  even  undevout  hearts  are  tenderlj'  stirred 
by  memories  of  the  walks  and  works  and 
prayers  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which  the  scene 
naturally  evokes. 

'Z.  Two  ships  (boats)  standing  by  the 
lake — drawn  out  on  the  shore.  The  size  of 
this  lake  would  scarcely  allow  what  we  call 
ships,  for  any  use;  and  these  were  fishers' 
boats,  with  a  sail,  but  without  deck,  unless  at 
the  ends,  and  mainly  propelled  by  oars. 
Josephus  says  there  were,  at  that  time,  four 
thousand  vessels  on  the  lake. — But  the  fish- 
ermen were  gone  out  of  them,  and  were 
Avashing  (perhaps,  rather,  had  noshed)  their 
nets.  The  true  text  is  uncertain.  The 
preterit  tense  of  the  second  verb  would  itn- 
ply  that  the  wa.«hing  was  ended;  the  imper- 
fect that  it  was  going  on. 

3.  And  he  entered  into  one  .  .  .  and 
prayed  him  (.Simon)  that  he  Avould  thrust 
out,  etc.  The  reason  for  this  lay  in  the 
statement  that  the  people  pressed  upon 
him  (ver.  1),  and  that  he  himself  was  standing 
on  the  shore.  That  was  a  very  inconvenient 
position  for  addressing  the  great  throng 
whom  the  reports  concerning  hiin  had  drawn 
together.  And  he  sat  down  and  taught 
the  people  (multitudes)  out  of  the  ship. 
The  sitting  posture  was  usual  for  the  relig- 
ious teacher,  as  we  have  seen  (♦:20);  but 
probably  here  the   unstable   position  of  the 


boat  may  have  been  a  chief  retison.  Having 
wrought  miracles  the  night  before,  he  now 
gave  the  people  the  message  which  those 
were  suited  to  prepare  for  and  to  confirm. 

4.  Now  ((tnd)  when  he  had  left  speak- 
ing, he  said  unto  Simon,  Launch  out  into 
the  deep —verb  in  the  singular,  addressed 
to  Peter  as  captain  —  and  let  down  your 
nets — plural,  of  the  crew  —  for  a  draught. 
The  nets,  from  their  Greek  name,  were 
cast-nets — one  of  which  might  be  tiirown  out 
by  each  hand  on  the  boat,  witii  the  aim  to 
surround  as  many  fish  as  possible. 

5.  Master,  we  have  toiled  all  the  night, 
and  have  taken  nothing.  The  word  Mas- 
ter («>ri<rTaTJ)s),  is  properly,  superintendent, 
commander,  not  rnbbi  or  teacher  («i5do/caAos), 
which  would  be  familiar  to  Jews,  but  not  to 
Greeks.  This  designates  Jesus  with  reference 
to  his  authority,  which  would  better  suit 
Peter's  present  view.  Luke  uses  it  several 
times,  and  he  alone  in  the  New  Testament. 
Peter's  answer  delicately  hints  that  there  can- 
not be  much  use  in  trying  again  by  daylight, 
when  the  more  favorable  night-time  has 
brought  no  luck.  —  Nevertheless  {hut)  at 
thy  word  I  will.  Jesus  had  said,  Let  down 
your  nets.  Peter,  who  was  in  comtiiand,  says, 
I  will  let  down  the  neHnetK).  Theophylast 
.says,  "  Before  believing,  Peter  exercises  faith 
in  Christ." — Meyer. 

6.  Their  net  (nets)  brake  (niere  brrak' 
n«/7,  ready  to  break).  This  result  can  hardly 
be  called,  in  the  strictest  sense,  a  miracle,  ex- 
cept as  being  "a  miracle  of  knowledge." — 
Godet.  It  was  a  wonder  of  that  class  where  a 
remarkable,  but  not  supernatural,  event  was 
divinely  effected  at  such  a  time  and  place,  in 
the  history  of  revelation,  as  unmistakably  to 
indicate  the  interposition  of  God. 
7.  Their  partners  which  were    in  the 


96 


LUKE 


[Ch.  V. 


them.    And  they  came,  and  filled  both  the  ships,  so 
that  they  began  to  sink. 

8  When  Simon  Peter  saw  it,  he  fell  down  at  Jesus' 
knees,  saying,  "Depart  from  me;  for  I  am  a  sinful 
man,  O  Lord. 

9  For  he  was  astonished,  and  all  that  were  with  him, 
at  the  draught  of  the  fishes  which  they  had  taken : 

10  And  so  was  also  James,  and  John,  the  sons  of 
Zebedee,  which  were  partners  with  Simon.  And  Jesus 
said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not;  'from  henceforth  thou 
shalt  catch  men. 


8  But  Simon  Peter,  when  he  saw  it,  fell  down  at  Jesus' 
knees,  saying,  Depart  from  me;   for  1  am  a  sinful 

9  man,  O  Lord.  For  he  was  amazed,  and  all  that  were 
with  him,  at  the  draught  of  the  fishes  which  they 

10  had  taken;  and  so  were  also  James  and  John,  sons 
of  Zebedee,  who  were  partners  with  Simon.  And 
Jesus  said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not;  from  henceforth 


o2Siiiu.  6:9:1  Kings  17:  18.... 5  Matt.  4:  49;  Mark  1:  17. 


other  ship — the  other  of  the  two,  namely, 
mentioned  in  ver.  2.  Tne  partners  were 
James  and  John,  the  sons  of  Zebedee  (ver. lo; 

comp.  MKtt.  4:21;  Mark  1:19)  .       Filled    both     the 

ships— (boats)— etc.  That  the  catch  of  their 
several  nets  should  have  been  sufficient  for 
this,  without  supposing  any  miracle  of  the  mul- 
tiplication of  the  fish,  will  not  seem  at  all  in- 
credible to  one  who  reads  the  account  of  Jose- 
phus. — Jew.  Wa7's,  vol.  iii.  10,  7;  Kobinson, 
Fhys.  Geog.,  p,  204,  5;  Tristram,  Land  of  Is- 
rael., p.  426;  Thomson,  Land  and  Book,  p.  79- 
81;  Hitter,  Geog.  of  Pal.,  yo\.  ii.  250;  McGre- 
gor, Rob  Roy  on  the  Jordan,  ch.  xx.  ;  Porter, 
Handbook,  vol.  ii.  40'J;  and  the  authorities 
cited  in  Winer,  Real-wdrterbuch,  under  word 
Fisclie. 

8.  When  Simon  Peter,  etc. — rather,  Ayid 
Simon  Peter,  wli.en  he  saw  it,  fell  down,  etc. 
It  was  a  natural  expression  of  that  solemn 
awe,  and  sense  of  unworthinoss,  which  at  all 
times  attended  the  extraordinary  manifesta- 
tion of  God's  presence  to  mortals  (Judges  i.i:  22,2:$; 

2  Siim.  6:  9  ;  1  Kings  17  :  18),   and  whicll  We  Still  fccl  at 

those  moments  when  we  are  suddenly  made 
sensible  of  the  near  exercise  of  his  holy,  though 
gracious  power.  Meyer  finds  Luke  inconsist- 
ent with  himself  in  showing  Peter  thus  af- 
fected after  the  exhibitions  he  had  had,  the 
day  before,  of  Christ's  divine  authority.  But, 
while  a  more  full  acquaintance  with  all  the 
circumstances  is  to  be  desired,  we  may  note 
that  it  is  not  said  Peter  was  present  on  that 
afternoon,  even  at  his  own  house.  And  if  he 
certainly  were,  who  can  prescribe  when,  to 
the  varying  mood^  of  a  man's  mind,  and  in 
the  diverse  circumstances  surrounding  him, 
he  must  most  properly  experience  those  agi- 
tations of  his  profoundest  being  which  mark 
the  turning  points  of  life,  and  determine 
eternal  destiny?  This  revelation  of  divinity, 
in  his  own  sphere  of  duty,  and  after  we  know 
not  what  cogitations,  came  home  to  him.  His 
first  feeling  was  that  of  his  personal  sinfulness, 
which  made  a  manifest  inconsistency  with  the 


holiness  of  the  Lord,  so  that  he  prostrated 
himself  with  the  confession— I  am  a  sinful 
man.  It  is  eminently  congruous  with  that 
sense  which  Peter  afterward  felt  of  Christ's 
redeeming  grace,  that  he  should  have  been  a 
particularly  wicked  man  in  his  unregenerate 
days,  and  not  above  the  proverbially  low 
level  of  morality  where  the  followers  of  his 
craft  used  to  be  found.  His  prayer  was,  in 
form,  that  of  the  Gadarenes  after  the  healing 
of  their  demoniac  (8:37);  but  who  does  not  feel 
that  Peter  would  have  been  inconsolably 
afflicted  if  Jesus  had  taken  him  at  his  word? 
[Is  it  not  possible  that  Peter's  mind  reverted 
to  his  distrust  of  Christ's  knowledge  or  power 
when  told  to  launch  out  and  cast  in  the  net? 
Though  he  obeyed  the  Master,  he  did  it  with 
very  little  faith  ;  and  now  his  sinful  lack  of 
trust  overwhelmed  him  with  shame.  He  felt 
himself  to  be  exceedingly  unworthy  before 
his  holy  and  heart-reading  Lord. — A.  H.] 

9,10.  For  he  was  astonished,  etc.  More 
exactly,  Amazement  held  him,  and  all  that 
were  with  him — and  so  was  atso  James  and 
John.  The  feeling  of  each  would  be  deeper, 
being  common  with  that  of  the  rest.  And 
Jesus  said  unto  Simon.  The  others  do  not 
appear  in  this  call  as  given  by  Luke,  yet  it  is 
evident  from  the  partially  parallel  and  briefer 
narratives  of  Matthew  and  Mark,  that  Jesus, 
at  some  point  in  the  scene,  gave  the  call  to  the 
whole  four.  Had  we  all  the  facts  implied  in 
the  three  accounts,  in  their  order,  we  might  be 
able  to  see  that  they  cover  proceedings  of 
parts  of  two  days;  that  the  call  to  the  four 
was  given  the  day  before  the  Sabbath  in  Ca- 
pernaum, while  the  washing  of  the  nets  took 
place  on  the  morning  of  the  day  after  the  Sab- 
bath, with  the  Saviour's  discourse  to  the 
people,  the  miraculous  draught,  and  the  ad- 
dress to  Peter,  separately  reminding  him  that 
he  was  henceforth  to  follow  a  new  life.  Fear 
not — that  very  sense  of  sinfulness  which  pros- 
trated him,  being  accompanied  with  penitence 
and  a  desire  of  a  better  life,  was  a  reason  why 


Ch.  v.] 


LUKE. 


97 


11  And  when  they  had  brought  their  ships  to  land, 
'they  forsook  all,  and  Collowed  him. 

12  "And  it  taiiii;  to  pass,  wlieu   he  was  in  a  certain 
city,  behold  a  man   full  of  leprosy:   who  seeing  Jesus 


11  thou  shalt  1  catch  men.    And  when  tliey  had  brought 
their  boats  to  hiiid,  they  left  all,  and  followed  him. 

12  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  was  in  one  of  the 
cities,  behold,  a  man  full  of  leprosy  :   and  when  he 


allntt.  4:20;  19:27;  Mark  1:18;  eh.  18:28 (Ua»:8:2;  Hnrk  1:40. 1  Gr. (ate  alive. 


he  nei'd  not  droiul  tlio  presence  of  God.  From 
henceforth  thou  shalt  catch — (Gr.  take 
alive) — men.  The  Greek  represents  it  as 
Peter's  permanent  work:  "shalt  be  taking 
men."  Thcchangeof  Peter's  sentiment  and 
purpose,  wrought  through  the  view  of  his 
past  life,  was  suited  to  tit  him  all  the  better  for 
that  different  work,  and  constituted  in  God's 
gracious  providence  the  turning  point  of  his 
career.     "So  far  thus,  but  henceforth." 

This  great  draught  of  fishes,  in  connection 
with  the  call  of  the  first  four  disciples,  pre- 
supposes some  previous  acquaintance  with 
the  men,  although  they  have  not  before 
appeared  in  the  83-noptical  Gospels.  The 
Gospel  of  John  supplies  the  lacking  informa- 
tion. From  that,  we  learn  that  of  the  number 
who  had  become  attached  to  John  the  Bap- 
tist, at  the  Jordan,  in  such  relation  as  to  be 
called  his  disci})les,  or  scholars,  before  our 
Lord's  return  to  the  Jordan  after  the  tempt- 
ation, were  three  of  these  four  men.  First, 
two  (•loiiii  I :  .t6«),  Andrew  and  John,  moved 
by  the  Baptist's  testimony,  make  themselves 
acquainted  with  Jesus  where  he  was  then  ' 
lodging,  and  become  convinced  that  they 
have  found  the  promised  Messisih ;  and  so 
persuade  Simon  of  this  that  he,  too,  attaches 
himself  to  the  Lord. 

Afterward,  Philip  and  Nathanael  enter 
into  the  like  relation  of  provisional  disciple- 
ship;  and,  returning  with  the  Teacher  to  j 
Galilee,  they,  some  or  nil — some  "disciples" 
at  least — were  present  with  him  at  the  wed- 
ding in  Cana  (John  2:  2),  in  a  short  sojourn  at  : 
Capernaum  (ver.  12),  on  his  journey  to  Jerusa- 
lem at  the  i'assover  (ver.  n),  and  on  the  way  I 
back  through  Samaria  (*;  "it).  After  this,  it 
would  appear  that  they  separated  to  their 
several  places  and  occupations.  It  may 
bring  us  nearer  to  the  reality  if  we  assume 
that  these  disciples,  at  least  that  Peter  did 
not  accompany  Jesus  to  that  first  passover. 
We  then  have  a  natural  explanation  why 
Mark,  who  was  Peter's  interpreter,  did  not 
mention  occurrences  of  that  journey,  with 
which  the  apostle  was  personally  unac- 
quainted. Matthew  could  say  nothing  of 
them  of  his  own  knowledge,  and  Luke  would. 


for  such  reasons,  find  nothing  about  that  time 
in  his  Galilean  sources.  John,  from  his  ac- 
quaintance with  the  high-priest  (John  13:  is), 
aj)pears  to  have  been  more  at  home,  on  some 
account,  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  this  may  be  why 
he  dwells  on  facts  pertaining  to  Judea,  where 
the  others  were  strangers,  while  they  give  the 
Galilean  narrative.  Nothing  is  reported 
intimating  that  their  scholarship  to  Jesus 
involved  the  necessity  of  constant  attendance. 
It  was  not  till  the  morning  of  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  that  he  appointed  them,  "that 
they  might  be  with  him."  But  now  his  cause 
has  reached  that  stage  where,  as  we  may  sup- 
pose, he  saw  the  need  of  companionship  and 
help;  the  necessity  for  putting  in  training, 
also,  men  who,  with  further  instruction  and 
apprenticeship,  might  become  qualified  to 
assume  larger  responsibilities,  and  take  charge 
of  his  interests  when  he  should  be  taken 
away.  Such  was  the  significance  of  the  call 
of  the  fishermen  on  the  lake.  They  are  not 
yet  apostles;  only  scholars,  selected  out  of  a 
number,  now  constantly-  increasing,  who,  in 
some  sense  and  to  some  extent,  recognized  in 
Jesus  a  "Teacher  sent  from  God,"  perhaps 
even  a  Messiah ;  but  with  great  diversity  of 
intellectual  and  spiritual  appreciation.  The 
promise  to  these  men,  that  they  should  be 
"fishers  of  men" — catchers  of  souls  unto 
eternal  life  — might  afterward  find  in  their 
thoughts  tj'pical  illustration,  and  perpetual 
confirmation  from  the  success  of  that  haul  U 
which  their  Master  .sent  them,  under  circum- 
stances so  unpromising.  They  accei>t  his 
call — and  what  a  difference  resulted  in  the 
subsequent  cour.se  of  their  lives,  in  their  ex- 
periences on  earth,  in  their  memory  among 
men,  and  in  their  eternal  destiny  ! 

11.  They  forsook  (or,  left)  all,  and  fol- 
lowed him.  Boats,  nets,  all  worldly  goods, 
and  busine-ss  cares,  ceased  from  the  moment 
to  engage  their  thoughts.  Not  necessarily 
that  they  left  things  in  disorder,  or  without 
properly  arranging  the  affairs  of  their  fami- 
lies; but  that  everything  now  was  turned  to 
the  one  purpose  of  discipleship  to  Christ. 

12-10.  Cure  of  a  Leper. 

12.  Mhcn  he  was  in  a  certain  city  {one 


98 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  V. 


fell  on  his  face,  aiKl  besought  him,  saying,  Lord,  if  thou 
wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean. 

13  And  he  put  forth  Ai.s-  hand,  and  touched  him,  say- 
ing, I  will :  be  thou  clean.  And  immediately  the 
leprosy  departed  from   him. 


saw  Jesus,  he  fell  on  his  face,  and  besought  him, 

saying,  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean. 

13  And  he  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  touched  him, 

saying  I  will;  be  thou  clean.    And  straightway  the 


of  the  cities) — namely,  of  those  contemplated 
in  4:  44.  Luke,  who,  from  his  purpose  to 
write  "in  order,"  would  fain  have  given 
definite  places  and  dates,  was  often  obliged, 
nevertheless,  from  the  lack  of  particular 
information,  to  content  himself  with  a  gene- 
ral indication  of  the  scene  and  the  time. — A 
man  full  of  leprosy.  Leprosy,  of  which, 
as  of  other  diseases,  there  were  various 
species,  was  particularly  prevalent  in  Egypt, 
Syria,  and  different  parts  of  the  Levant. 
The  symptoms  of  it,  as  afflicting  the  Israel- 
ites, after  their  long  and  degraded  servitude 
in  Egypt,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  was  to 
he  treated,  are  minutely  laid  down  in  Leviti- 
cus 13  and  14.  It  appeared  on  the  surface,  as 
a  disorder  of  the  skin,  in  whitish  spots,  or 
patches,  which  naturally  spread  by  slow 
degrees,  and  became  confluent,  covering,  at 
last,  the  entire  body.  Meantime,  it  wrought 
inwardly  also,  until  the  whole  physical  sys- 
tem was  corrupted,  even  to  the  marrow  of 
the  bones.  The  disease  was  hereditary,  and 
was  regarded  as  incurable  by  medicines;  yet 
the  provisions  of  the  law  seem  to  suppose  the 
possibilitj'  of  spontaneous  cure  in  cases  where 
leprosy  had  been  declared  present.  During 
its  continuance,  it  had  the  effect:  (1)  Person- 
ally, of  rendering  its  subject  extremely  mis- 
erable. When  it  was  fully  developed,  he 
was  a  living  mass  of  corruption,  an  offence  to 
himself  as  well  as  others,  troubled  with  inces- 
sant pains  by  day,  and  sleep-scaring  dreams 
by  night,  and  with  no  hope  of  recovery  to 
health.  (2)  Socially,  it  cut  him  off  from  in- 
tercourse with  others,  except  such  as  were 
similarly  afflicted.  This  was,  apparently, 
more  from  fear  of  ceremonial  pollution  than 
of  contagion.  The  disease  is  often  spoken  of 
as  highly  contagious  (so  in  Godet),  but  it  is 
not  expressly  so  called  in  the  Bible.  Naaman 
was  in  an  official  position,  incompatible  with 
natural  abhorrence  of  infection.  Physicians 
dealing,  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa,  with 
what  is  now  regarded  as  the  "leprosy  of  the 
Jews,"  declare  its  contagiousness  very  prob- 
lematical; and,  in  the  case  before  us,  the  man 
was  "in  a  city,"  not,  apparently,  precluded 
from  proximity  to  others.  It  may  be  noted 
also,  as  a  curious    fact,  that   in  the  law  (Lev 


13:13),  the  leper  in  whom  the  disease  had  pro- 
ceeded to  such  an  extent  that  it  had  "covered 
all  his  flesh,"  should  be  declared  clean  by 
the  priest.  But,  according  to  the  law,  he  must 
wear  a  distinctive  and  squalid  dress — specially 
a  covering  over  the  upper  lip,  and  must  con- 
stantly indicate  his  state,  by  crying:  "Un- 
clean! Unclean!"  (3)  Ceremonially,  it  thus 
rendered  him  "unclean,"  and  cut  him  off 
from  all  participation  in  the  religious  rites  of 
the  congregation,  and  even  ejected  him  from 
the  camp.  It  was  thus  treated  in  the  Levit- 
ical  system  as  a  symbol  of  sin.  The  rigorous 
exclusion  from  society,  originally  practiced, 
seems  now  to  have  been  considerably  modi- 
fied. Full  of  leprosy — so  long  and  badly 
affected  with  the  disease,  that  his  whole  body 
was  tainted,  and  he,  naturally,  hopeless  of 
relief — Who  (properly,  but)  seeing  Jesus 
(he)  fell  on  his  face — thus  indicating  his 
reverence,  his  sense  of  personal  unworthiness, 
and  his  appeal  for  mercy.  This  latter  appears 
distinctly  in  his  uttered  jirayer — Lord,  if 
thou  Avilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean. 
Of  the  Lord's  ability  to  do  even  this,  he  was 
fully  convinced,  from  what  he  had  seen  and 
heard  of  his  wonderful  works.  But  what  he 
mentions  first  is  the  doubt  which  disquiets 
him — Will  he  cure  me?  He  had  heard  of  no 
instance  of  the  healing  of  a  leper,  and  per- 
haps this  good  physician  shared  so  fully  in 
the  popular  aversion  and  disgust,  that  he 
would  not  sully  himself  by  contact  with  so 
odious  a  wretch  as  himself.  He  evidently 
hopes,  but  can  base  his  petition,  which  he 
hints,  rather  than  expresses,  only  on  an  if. 
— Make  me  clean.  The  cure  of  leprosy  is 
often  spoken  of  as  a  })urification,  in  reference 
to  its  defiling  character ;  sometimes  as  a  heal- 
ing, regarding  it  as  a  disease;  and  again,  as  a 
departure,  the  evil  being  personilied,  when 
the  ]>lague  has  ceased. 

13.  And  he  put  (stretched)  forth  his 
hand,  and  touched  him.  Instantly'  the 
response  came,  by  an  act  first,  as  had  the 
sufferer's  praj'er,  as  if  to  show  that  the  Lord 
was  as  willing  and  ready  as  he  was  able,  to 
bless;  and  as  giving  to  the  suppliant  a  most 
encouraging  proof  of  sympathy  and  kindness. 
No  fear  of  contagion   or  defilement  should 


Cii.  v.] 


LUKE. 


99 


14  "Ami  he  charged  him  to  tell  no  man  :  Imt  go,  and 
shew  thyself  to  the  priest,  and  oiler  lor  tliy  cleansing, 
'according  as  Moses  commande<l,l'or  a  testimony  unto 
them. 

1")  Rut  so  much  the  more  went  there  a  fame  abroad 
of  him:  'and  great  multitudes  came  together  to  hear, 
and  to  lie  healed  by  him  of  their  iutirmities. 

If)  ''And  he  withdrew  himself  into  the  wilderness, 
and  prayed. 


14  leprosy  departed  from  him.  And  he  charged  him  to 
tell  no  man:  but  go  thy  way,  and  shew  thyself  to 
the  priest,  and  oiler  for  thy  cleansing,  according  as 

1.')  Moses  commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto  them,  hut 
so  much  the  more  went  abroad  the  report  concern- 
ing  him;    and  great  multitudes  came   together  to 

IG  hear,  and  to  be  healed  of  their  intirmities.  Hut  ho 
withdrew  himself  in  the  desert,  and  prayed. 


a  Matt.  8:  4....i  Lev.  U:  4,  10,21,  22 c  Mutt.  4:  25;  Murk  3:  7;  Jnbu  C:  2....dHait.  14:23;  Mark  6:  46. 


hinder  him  from  answering  to  the  felt  and 
tru.stful  sen.se  of  dependence  on  bis  help. — 
I  will:  be  thou  (?nrt(^t:^  clean.  Tliis  word, 
and  not  the  friendly  toucli,  was  what  i--;sued 
in  the  beneficent  change. — And  immediately 
the  leprosy  departed  from  him — a  proof 
of  Christ's  power  and  kindness,  more  im- 
pressive, perhaps,  more  significant  of  his  con- 
descension and  superiority  to  the  prejudices 
of  his  day,  than  any  which  he  liad  before 
given.  Could  any  one  doubt,  after  this,  his 
willingness  to  relieve  every  bodily  woe,  or  to 
cleanse  from  that  moral  guilt  and  pollution 
so  fitly  rejiresented  by  tlie  leper's  case? 

14.  And  he  charged  him  to  tell  no  man. 
We  are  not  told  the  reason  for  the.se  repeated 
charges  to  the  objects  of  his  mercy,  that  they 
should  not  publish  vvliat  he  had  done  for 
them.  It  may,  probably,  liave  been  tliat  he 
saw  a  tendency,  in  that  region,  to  fi.\  atten- 
tion on  his  works,  to  the  neglect  of  his  word, 
and  to  build  on  them  a  temporal  and  carnal 
expectation  concerning  his  kingdom.  He 
would  have  the  former  bear  testimony,  in- 
deed, to  his  Messiaiisiiip,  but  only  as  they 
might  be  interjjreted  by  the  latter,  througli 
the  study  of  meditative  and  believing  souls. — 
But  go,  and  shew  thyself  to  the  priest, 
etc.  Our  Lord  was  careful  not  to  violate, 
but  to  honor,  the  law  given  by  Moses,  wliile 
he  lived  under  it.  This  advice  was  conform- 
able to  the  prescription  in  Lev.  14:  2,  10,  21, 
the  reasons  for  which  are  obvious  in  that  con- 
nection. And  otTer  for  (concerning,  or  in 
relation  to)  thy  cleansing— make  the  ottering 
required  in  connection  with  thy  ccrenumial  I 
purification.  The  testimony  would  result 
from  the  priest's  declaration  of  his  restored 
health — unto  them,  namely',  his  relatives  I 
and  acquaintances;  not  a  testimony  to  the 
priests  in  Christ's  behalf,  as  the  man  was  for-  ' 
bidden  to  tell  that  Christ  had  done  it. 

15.  But  so  much  the  more  went  there  a 
fame  abroad  of  (or,  concerning)  him,  etc. — 
The  more,  that  is,  in  proportion  to  the  strict- 


ness with  which  Jesus  had  enjoined  silence. 
Luke  does  not  expressly  lay  the  blame  on  the 
healed  leper,  as  does  Mark,  whose  whole 
account  is  particularly  graphic.  The  course 
of  the  man  was  doubtless  very  natural — too 
natural  to  evince  much  spiritual  grace.  It  is 
one  of  the  many  jjroofs  tliat  the  faith  of  those 
who  flocked  to  Christ  might  have  reference 
only  to  his  power  of  phj-sical  beneficence.  In 
this  case,  if  the  great  multitudes  had  come 
together  mainly  to  hear  Christ's  proclamation 
of  the  good  tidings,  many  would  think  the 
man's  mistake  venial.  Some  have,  indeed, 
strange  to  say,  immorally  supposed  that  the 
object  of  the  prohibition  was  that  a  louder 
rumor  concerning  him  might  go  forth.  There 
does  not  seem  to  have  been  need  of  effort,  at 
this  time,  to  attract  numbers  to  be  healed  of 
their  infirmities. 

IG.  And  (/)id)  he— he  himself,  amid  all  this 
thronging  of  excited  thousands — withdrew 
himself  into  the  wilderness,  and  praye^I. 
This  was  what  came  of  the  cleansed  man's 
imprudent  and  disobedient  zeal  (Mark  i:  45). 
Our  Lord  could  not,  for  a  time,  "enter  openly 
into  a  city,''  but  was  in  retirement  in  desert, 
solitary  places  in  the  gullied  mountains  of 
Galilee,  partially  similiar  to  those  in  which 
John  the  Baptist  abode  in  Judea  (i:  so). — And 
prayed  {n-as  2^)-oying)—s]ient  the  time  of  his 
retirement  in  seeking  spiritual  rest,  and  light 
from  heaven  in  regard  to  these  dubious  mani- 
festations of  popular  sentiments  concerning 
him.  It  is  the  second  of  nine  in.stances  in 
which  Luke,  alone  of  the  evangelists,  pre- 
sents the  Saviour  as  engaged  in  prayer  (i:  21 ; 

6:  12;  9:  18.28,29;   22:  32,41;  23:  46).      [/.  e.,   No  OUC  of 

these  nine  instances  is  mentioned  by  any 
other  Evangelist.— A.  H.]  "With  these  may 
be  mentioned  the  retirement  spoken  of  in 
4:  42,  which  we  learn  from  Mark  1  :  .33,  was 
for  prayer.  One  who  looks  at  these  in.stances, 
in  their  connection,  will  see  that  they  all  per- 
tain to  serious  and  important  occasions  o£ 
Christ's  life,  and  work. 


100 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  V. 


17  And  it  came  to  pass  on  a  certain  day,  as  he  was 
teaching,  that  there  were  Pharisees  and  doctors  of  the 
law  sitting  by,  which  were  come  out  ol'  every  town  of 
(jalilee,  and  Judiea,  and  Jerusalem:  and  the  power  of 
the  Lord  y^aspreseut  to  heal  them. 


17  And  it  came  to  pass  on  one  of  those  days,  that  he 
was  teaching;  and  there  were  Pharisees  and  doctors 
of  the  law  sitting'  by,  who  were  come  out  of  every 
village  of  Galilee  and  Judaea  and  Jerusalem:   and 


17-26.  Cure  of  a  Paralytic. 

17»  On  a  certain  day  (literally,  one  of 
those  days) — in  which  he  was  preaching  in  the 
synagogue  of  Galilee  (♦;«).  Luke  probably 
could  not  name  the  time  more  definitely. 
From  Mark  (2: 1-12 J,  we  learn  that  the  place 
was  Capernaum,  although  this  seems  as  little 
known  to  Luke  as  was  that  of  the  preceding 
miracle.  [Is  it  at  all  certain  that  Luke  would 
have  specified  the  day  and  place,  if  he  had 
known  them?  Or  that  he  made  any  attempt 
to  give  all  the  minute  points  of  the  history  with 
with  which  he  had  become  familiar?  A.  H.] — 
He  was  teaching — after  the  manner  shown 
us  at  Nazareth.  Th  is  was  a  branch  of  the  work 
of  preaching.— Pharisees.  This  sect,  which 
here  first  appears  in  Luke,  sustained  a  very 
important  relation  to  the  work  of  our  Lord. 
They  were  a  small  class,  scattered  through 
the  land,  but  clustered  especially  in  Jeru- 
salem and  the  other  cities,  and  large  towns, 
pre-eminently  distinguished  by  their  zeal  for 
the  strict  ritual  observances  of  their  heredi- 
tary religion.  Originating  (we  know  not 
precisely  how  or  where)  in  that  dark  and 
barren  period  which  followed  the  close  of  the 
Old  Testament  revelation,  they  separated 
themselves,  in  profession  and  practice,  from 
the  mass  of  the  nation,  as  these  did  from  the 
rest  of  mankind.  Their  name,  Pharisees, 
or  Separates,  signified  this  claim  to  peculiar 
sanctity,  or  Hebraistic  righteousness.  Their 
aim  was,  doubtless,  as  much  political  as  re- 
ligious, in  this  consistent  with  the  ancestral 
policy  of  their  nation;  only  they  had  fallen 
on  a  very  bad  stage  of  the  national  condition, 
which  they  made  it  their  supreme  business  to 
conserve.  With  no  change  from  the  trium- 
phant period  of  the  Maccabsean  monarchy, 
except  toward  the  multiplication  of  require- 
ments and  increased  rigor  in  their  obser- 
vance, they  made  religion  and  patriotism  to 
consist  in  the  practice  of  an  all-comprehen- 
sive and  unyielding  ritual.  They  insisted  on 
the  perpetuation  of  every  particle  of  rite  and 
ceremony  which  had  been  handed  down  to 
them,  and  found  authority  in  reputed  tradi- 
tions for  whatever  seemed  further  necessary 
to  support  what  they  already  had.  These 
traditions  were  an  oral  law  (so-called),  derived 


[as  was  claimed]  from  Moses,  through  the 
succession  of  Rabbis,  of  equal  authority  with 
the  law  written,  and  so  related  to  it  that 
when  the  reqirements  of  the  former  con- 
flicted with  the  precepts  of  the  latter,  those 
must  prevail.  Failure,  in  any  point,  to  keep 
the  whole  sacred  form,  was  a  sin;  practical 
compliance  with  all  the  traditions  was  a  clear 
title  to  salvation.  They  had,  in  part  by 
development  of  the  teachings  and  intima- 
tions of  the  Old  Testament  and,  in  part  by 
the  aid  of  philosophical  speculations,  domes- 
tic and  foreign,  constructed  loose  doctrinal 
systems.  These  included,  beside  the  clear 
theology  of  their  Scriptures,  fixed  opinions 
concerning  the  existence  and  agency  of  super- 
human spirits,  good  and  evil,  the  immortality 
of  the  soul,  a  future  retribution  involving 
eternal  rewards  and  punishments,  and  espe- 
cially, the  future  Messiah  and  his  reign.  The 
patriotic  quality  of  their  religious  zeal  made 
them  impatient  of  foreign  restraint  on  their 
nation,  particularly  impatient  of  the  Roman 
government,  and  ready  to  encourage  turbu- 
lence and  insurrection,  on  the  least  prospect 
of  success. 

The  stress  which  they  laid  on  the  punctili- 
ous observance  of  outward  rites,  mostly  of 
mere  human  origin,  encouraged  s]>iritual 
pride,  and  an  assurance  of  work-righteous- 
ness which  looked  down  on  less  scrujiulous 
and  common  people  as  contemj)tible  and  pro- 
fane. Their  idea  of  the  nature  of  religion  ap- 
pears to  have  been  accepted  by  a  multitude  in 
the  respectable  classes,  who  did  not  belong 
to  the  party  ;  and  it  was  doubtless  generally 
held  by  those  who  looked  for  the  Messiah, 
that,  under  his  reign,  they  would  of  course  be 
distinguished  with  pre-eminent  honor  and 
rewards. — Doctors  of  the  law.  Whether 
these  {voixohihauKakoi)  were  distinct  from  the 
class  called  lawyers  (vo/uikoi),  is  not  altogether 
clear.  The  names  are  probably  only  two 
designations  of  the  one  office — that  of  guard- 
ing, exi)ounding,  applying  the  law.  The  class 
would  naturally  be  in  close  sympathy  with 
the  Pharisees,  even  when  they  did  not  belong 
to  their  body. — Which  were  come  out  of 
every  town  {village)— showm^  how  widely 
they  were   distributed.     They  had   evidently 


Ch.  v.] 


LUKE. 


101 


18  <Aad,  behold,  uea  brought  in  a  bed  a  man  which 
was  taken  with  a  palsy:  and  they  sought  means  to 
bring  hiiu  in,  and  to  lay  kiin  before  him. 

ID  And  when  they  could  not  find  by  what  way  they 
might  bring  him  in  because  of  the  multitude,  they 
went  upon  the  housetop,  and  let  him  down  through  the 
tiling  with  /i/v  couch  into  the  midst  before  Jesus. 

2IJ  And  when  he  saw  their  faith,  he  said  unto  him, 
Man,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee. 


18  the  power  of  the  Lord  was  with  him  '  to  heal.  And 
behold,  men  bring  on  a  bed  a  man  that  w:is  palsied: 
and   they  sought   to   bring   him  iu,  aud  to  lay  hiiu 

19  before  him.  And.  not  finding  by  what  iiiii/  they 
might  bring  hiiu  in  because  of  the  multitude,  they 
went  up  to  the  housetop,  aud  let  him  down  through 
the  tiles  with  his  couch  into  the  midst  before  Jesus. 

■20  And  seeing   their  laitli,  he  said,  Man,  thy  sins  are 


\  U.'itt.  9:2;  Mark  i  ■  S. 1  Gr.  that  Xe  tkould  fceol.    Maay  aueicnc  auihoriiles  reiul,  that  he  thovld  heal  them. 


a.sseiiibled  by  concert,  and  were  sitting  by 

— in  tlie  room  where  ..a  was  teaching,  to  ob- 
serve wiiat  Jesus  would  say  and  do.  His  fame 
as  a  prophet  and  piighty  worker  had  sjiread 
so  widely,  and  risen  so  liigh,  that  tlie  ruling 
authority  in  the  religiotis  si)liere  would  deem 
it  necessary  to  have  definite  information  about 
him.  This  may  account  for  the  sudden  and 
impressive  apptirition  of  tliese  dignitaries  on 
the  field  of  his  operations.  Some. suppose  that 
the  time  was  near  the  second  pa.ssover  in  his 
ministry  (Johudti),  and  that  the  populous  cara- 
vans moving  to  or  from  the  feast,  might  fur- 
nish the  number  of  Phariseesand  doctors  who 
now  manifest  themselves.  In  any  case,  those 
who  were  from  .Judea  and  Jerusalem  must 
have  come  e.vpressly  to  carry  out  an  arrange- 
ment planned  heforehaiul. — And  the  power 
of  the  Lord  was  present  to  heal  them. 
The  translation  here  is  diflicuit,  not  only  on 
account  of  the  ditterent  forms  of  the  text  noted 
in  the  margin  of  the  Revision,  but  also  because 
of  the  conciseness  of  the  expression.  It  might 
be  roughly  given  somewhat  more  literally 
(following  the  preferable  text),  "And  there 
was  a  power  of  the  Lord  for  him  to  heal:" 
The  Lord  (cu^nou,  without  the  article  eqtiiva- 
lent  to  G-od);  "for,"  or  "in  order  to,"  his 
working  cures.  As  the  presence  of  many 
seeking  cures  showed  great  faith  in  him  as  a 
bodily  hetrter,  so  power  was  given  him  to  meet 
the  emergency.  It  was  a  time  like  that  first 
Sabbath  evening  in  Capernaum  («:«),  and 
like  thesubse(iuent  hour  when  the  messengers 
of  John  the  Bajttist  were  present  (7:Ji).  The 
case  of  the  p:iralytic  is  particularly  detailed, 
not  as  exhausting  the  record  of  his  activity 
then,  but  because  of  a  special  lesson  which  it 
taught. 

18.  And,  behold,  men  bron^ht  in  (on)  a 
bed  a  man  which  was  taken  witli  a  palsy 
(that  wax  paLsii-d^.  The  interjection  behold 
indicates  the  surprise  occasioned  by  the  event, 
that  a  man  as  helpless  toward  moving  him- 
self, through  the  severity  of  his  disease,  as  if 


he  were  dead,  should  be  brought  by  four  men 
(Mark  2 : 3),  and  With  SO  uiucli  paiu  placed  before 
the  Saviour.  The  bed  was  a  couch  or  pallet, 
scarcely  more  than  a  stretcher  in  our  hospital 
practice. 

19.  And  when  they  could  not  find  by 
what  wa>,  etc.  .M:(rk  vividly  describes  the 
crowd  that  thronged  the  house  and  all  the 
space  about  the  door  {'i-Xf.). — They  went 
upon  the  housetop.  The  roofs  were  gener- 
ally nearly  level,  and  were  reached  by  a 
llight  of  stairs,  either  outside,  from  the  street, 
or  within,  from  the  open  court,  or  area, 
about  which  the  more  considerable  houses 
were  usually  built. — And.  let  him  down 
throu^'h  the  tiling,  etc.  This  may  mean 
only  that  they  i)assed  him  through  a  trap- 
door in  the  roof,  although  Mark's  account 
would  seem  to  imply  that  some  removal  of 
the  roof  was  necessary — a  "  digging  through  " 
that,  or  some  partition,  before  they  could 
reach  the  Saviour.  The  narratives  are  too 
brief  to  allow  us  to  bring  the  scene  clearly 
before  us.  Thomson,  in  the  Land  and  Book 
(Vol.  II..  pp.  6-8.,  1st  Ed.),  tells  us  that 
breaking  through  the  roof  is  of  frequent  oc- 
currence in  that  country  now.  .lesus  may 
have  been  in  the  upper  chamber  or  attic, 
where  meetings  were  held  (Mirkii:  is:  achi:  13; 
9:  59^ ;  V>ut  Various  other  views  are  entertained 

20.  And  when  he  sawtheir  faith,  he  said 
unto  thorn  (omit  unto  tlirm\  .^lan,  thy  sins 
are  (equivalent  to  hare  been)  forgiven  thee. 
Faith  is  visible  in  its  works;  and,  if  ever  np- 
parent,  it  was  manifest  in  that  scene.  Their 
faith  must  here  include  that  of  the  sufferer 
himself.  And  his  faith,  at  least,  must  have 
beheld  in  Jesus  the  Physician  of  diseased 
souls  also.  It  is  most  ]»robable  that  he  was 
conscious  of  having  brought  the  malady  on 
himself  by  wicked  transgressions,  and  for 
this  cause  was  distressed  in  conscience  and 
heart.  To  smh  a  state  of  mind,  at  any  rate, 
Christ  first  addressed  himself.— Man— mortal, 
child    of    Adam,    and    subject    to    affliction. 


102 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  V. 


21  "And  the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  began  to 
reason,  saying,  Who  is  this  which  speaketh  blasphe- 
mies? 'Who  can  forgive  sins,  but  God  alone? 


21  forgiven  thee.  And  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  began 
to  reason,  saying.  Who  is  this  that  speaketh  blas- 
phemies?    Who  can  forgive  sins,  but  God  alone' 


a  Matt. 9:  3;  Malt.  2  :  6,  7 6Ps.  32:5;  Isa.  43:25. 


Mark  expresses  it  more  affectionately, 
"Cliild,"  and  Matthew  adds  to  that,  "Cheer 
up."  It  may  well  have  been  a  young  man. 
Thy  sins  are  {have  been)  forgiven  thee. 
The  verb  is  a  perfect.  On  the  manifestation  of 
thy  repentance  and  faith,  the  condemnation 


all  for  which  he  came?  Certainly  he  had 
received  a  benefit  in  comparison  with  which  a 
more  physical  cure  was  paltry,  and  perhaps  his 
heart  was  fully  content;  but  there  was  more 
reserved  for  him.— The  scribes.  The  word 
"scribe,"  originally  "writer,"  perhaps  copyist 


LETTING   DOWN   IN   A   BED. 


against  thee  has  been  canceled.  It  had  been 
foretold  (i:  t7)  that  Jesus  would  bring  ".salva- 
tion to  his  people  through  the  remission  of 
their  sins."  But  this  is  the  first  di.stinct  dec- 
laration; by  him  of  this  form  of  blessing.  It 
is  made  now,  doubtless,  because  of  a  special 
preparation  for  it  in  this  sufferer's  heart:  and 
also,  perhaps,  that  an  important  effect  might 
be  produced  on  the  Pharisees  who  were  pres- 
ent. We  are  not  told  the  result  of  this  in  the 
soul  of  the  pardoned  man.     Had  he  received 


of  the  law,"  in  the  New  Testatnent  designates 
one  who,  by  professional  learning, was  conver- 
sant with  the  law,  and  skilled  in  questions  con- 
cerning it.  The  office  dated  from  the  time  of 
"Ezra  the  scribe."  They  were  in  symj>athy 
with  the  Pharisees,  and  might  belong  to  their 
body  ;  and  were  highly  esteemed.  It  is  very 
pn)brtble  that  the  word  here  i.s  strictly  .S3'n- 
onomous  with  "doctor  of  the  law"  (ler.iT). 

21.  Began    to    reason,    saying — possibly 
to  each   other,  in  suppressed   tones — Who  is  ■ 


Ch.  v.] 


LUKE. 


103 


2*2  But  when  Jesus  perceived  their  thoughts,  he  an- 
swering said  unto  them,  What  reason  ye  in  your  liearts? 

23  Whether  is  easier,  to  say,  Thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee;  or  to  say.  Rise  up  and  walk? 

24  But  tliat  ye  may  know  tiiat  the  Son  of  man  hath 
power  upon  eartli  to  f(jrgive  sins,  (he  said  unto  the  sick 
of  tlie  palsy,)  I  say  unto  thee.  Arise,  and  take  up  thy 
couch,  and  go  into  thine  house. 

2')  And  iniiucdiately  he  rose  up  l)efore  them,  and 
took  up  that  whereon  he  lay,  and  departed  to  his  own 
house,  glorifying  (iod. 

26  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  they  glorified  (iod, 
and  were  tilled  with  fear,  saying,  We  have  seen  strange 
things  to-day. 


22  But  Jesus  perceiving  their  reasonings,  answered  and 
said   unto  them,  i  What  reason  ye  in  your  hearts? 

2;J  Whether  is  easier,  to  say.  Thy  sin's  are  forgiven  thee ; 

24  or  to  say.  Arise  and  walk?  But  that  ye  may  know 
that  the  Son  of  man  hath  authority  on  earth  to 
forgive  sins  (he  said  unto  him  that  was  palsied),  I 

2")  say  unto  thee,  Ari.se,  and  take  up  thy  couch,  and  go 
unto  thy  house.  And  immediately  he  rose  up  before 
them,  and   took    up   that  whereon   he   lay,  and  de- 

2()  parted  to  his  house,  glorifying  God.  And  amaze- 
ment took  hold  on  all,  and  they  glorified  God;  and 
they  were  tilled  with  fear,  saying,  We  have  seen 
strange  things  to-day. 


Or,  ir»y. 


this   which   speaketh   blasphemies?    To 

speak  blasphemies  would,  of  course,  vitiate 
all  claims  to  Messiahship,  or  to  a  prophetic 
character,  and  would  besides  briiif^  him  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Sanhedrin  at  Jerusa- 
lem as  a  heinous  criminal.  The  blasphemy 
which  they  jjrofessed  to  see  lay  in  his  assum- 
ing a  function  (to  forgive  sins\  which  be- 
longed onlj-  to  God,  as  is  plain  ftv^n  the  fol- 
lowing question.  Their  complaint  is,  there- 
fore, more  directly,  that  bo  pretends  to  wield 
the  authority  of  Gud. — Who  can  forgive 
sins,  but  God  alone  i  Since  the  fact  of 
sins  being  forgiven  is  not  apparent  to  the 
senses,  there  was  room  for  them  to  deny  it; 
and  their  implication  is  that  his  words  to  that 
eftject  are  merely  a  false,  and  therefore  a  blas- 
phemous, sound. 

22.  But  when  Jesus  perceived  their 
thoughts, — {reasonings) — which  he  might  do 
from  their  actions  and  looks,  without  hearing 
their  words,  even  if  words  were  used — he  an- 
swering said,  What  reason  ye  in  your 
hearts  ?  He  answered  their  thoughts,  un- 
spoken to  him  at  least.  What  objections  do 
ye  make?  Do  j'e  need  proof  that  I  can  for- 
give sins? 

23.  Whether  is  easier,  to  say,  etc.  Not 
certainly,  to  pnuiounce  those  sentences;  but 
which  of  the  two  is  more  within  the  comi»ass 
of  ft  power  below  Gods,  to  remit  sins  by  a 
word,  or  by  a  word  to  work  a  manifest  mira- 
cle of  healing? 

24.  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son 
of  man  hath  power,  etc.  The  Saviour's  ad- 
mirable argument  is:  You  deny  that  I  per- 
form a  divine  function,  the  effects  of  which 
you  cannot  see;  I  will  perform  one  equally 
divine,  as  yourselves  admit,  and  the  ettect  of 
which  you  cannot  fail  to  see,  by  instantly  re- 
storing to  comjdete  health  this  helpless  and  ! 
hopeless  invalid.— The  Son  of  man,  is  the  j 
name  by  which  Jesus  most  commonly-  desig-  ' 


nates  himself,  and  which  his  disciples  never 
in  the  Gospels  aj^piy  to  him.  In  what  view  he 
felt  this  approjiriate  to  him,  has  been  much 
discussed.  Probably  no  one  statement  would 
coverall  his  reasons.  It  expressed  the  deep 
consciousness  of  full  particii)ation  in  the  na- 
ture of  those  whom  he  came  to  redeem,  and 
may  have  been  chosen  to  win  their  confidence 
more  readily  and  completely.  At  the  same 
time,  the  constant  distinction,  the  Son  of  man, 
which  no  mere  mortal  would  think  of  assum- 
ing, could  hardly'  fail  to  suggest  that  he  who 
a.ssumed  it  was  something  more  than  man. 
and  might  lead  some  to  think  that  he  regarded 
himself  as  the  long-expected  "seed  of  the  wo- 
man," who  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 
This  is  more  likely  to  be  a  Scriptural  source 
of  the  idea  than  the  phrase  in  Daniel  7:  13: 
"One  like  II  Son  of  man,"  although  this  pa.s- 
sagc  may  have  entered  into  the  formation  of 
the  title.  (See  Cremer,  liihl.  Thcr,/.  U'orter- 
buch,  2  Ed.  p.  5()3  f.,  or  English  Translation). 
—I  say  unto  thee.  Arise.  To  smooth  the 
abrujit  transition  to  this  address  to  the  para- 
lytic, the  narratiir  has  inserted  the  preceding 
parenthesis. 

25.  And  immediately  he  rose  up  before 
them,  etc. — Tims  carrying  out  to  the  letter  the 
injunction  which  the  Saviour  had  designedly 
made  particular,  that  the  fact  of  his  healing 
might  be  impressively  clear.  Three  distinct 
stages  of  the  free  activity  of  the  immovable 
I^aralytic  are  marked. — Glorifying  God — lis 
indeed  he.  if  ever  any  man,  had  ri'ason  to  do. 
Others  who  had  corrupted  and  broken  down 
their  bodies  by  evil  courses,  have  had  to  bear 
the  jihysical  penalties,  even  when  their  sins 
were  forgiven.  Some  in  his  day  were  healed 
of  physical  maladies,  but  failed  of  the  spiritual 
renewal  which  Jesus  had  to  bestow.  This 
man,  rejoicing  in  both  forms  of  blessing,  might 
well  glorify  God.     And  not  he  alone. 

26.  And  they  were  all  amazed  (strictly. 


104 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  V. 


27  «And  after  these  things  he  went  forth,  and  saw  a 
publican,  named  Levi,  sitting  at  the  receipt  of  custom: 
aud  1  e  said  unto  him.  Follow  me. 

28  And  he  left  all,  rose  up,  and  followed  him. 

29  'And  Levi  made  him  a  great  feast  in  his  own 
house:  aud  <^ there  was  a  great  company  of  publicans 
and  of  others  that  sat  down  with  tliem. 

30  But  their  scribes  and  Pharisees  murmured  against 
"his  disciples,  saying.  Why  do  ye  eat  and  driuk  with 

publicans  and  sinners? 


27  And  after  these  things  he  went  forth,  and  beheld  a 
publican,  named  Levi,  sitting  at  the  place  of  toll,  and 

28  said  unto  him,  Follow  me.     And  he  forsook  all,  and 

29  rose  up  and  followed  him.  Aud  Levi  made  him  a 
great  feast  in  his  house:  and  there  was  a  great  multi- 
tude of  publicans  and  of  others  that  were  sitting  at 

30  meat  with  them.  And  U he  Pharisees  and  their  scribes 
murmured  against  liis  disciples,  saying,  Why  do  ye  eat 


a  M.itt.  9:9;  Mark  2:  13,  14 4  Matt.  9:  10;  Mark  2:  15 c  ch.  15  :  1. 1  Or,  the  Pharisees  and  sc7-ihes  among  them. 


amazement  held  them  all).  It  is  a  very 
strong  expression  of  the  wonder  produced 
by  what  had  occurred.— And  they  glorified 
God,  as  explained  in  2:  20.— And  were 
filled  with  fear — another  instance  of  the 
awful  solemnity  occasioned  by  the  divine 
presence  (2:  9). 

27-32.  Call  of  Levi  (Matthew)  to  Dis- 
CIPLESHIP.  And  after  these  things — not 
necessarily  on  the  same  day — he  went  forth 
— apparently  to  the  shore  of  the  lake,  where 
he  would  always  find  plenty  of  people — and 
saw  a  pnblican — on  the  publicans,  see  on 
3:  12 — named  Levi,  sitting  at  the  receipt 
of  custom  (place  of  toll) — toll-house,  or 
custom-house.  It  is  almost  the  universal  | 
opinion  that  L.evi  is  only  another  name  of  | 
the  disciple  who,  as  one  of  the  twelve  apos-  \ 
ties,  is  called  Matthew  in  all  the  Synoptical  [ 
Gospels.  Reasons  for  this  conclusion  are :  i 
(1)  That  the  call  of  Levi  is  so  formal  and 
similar  to  that  of  Simon  and  Andrew,  James 
and  John,  as  to  indicate  that  he  was  to  be 
one  of  the  twelve,  whereas  no  Levi  is  men- 
tioned among  that  number.  (2)  That  Mat- 
thew records  his  own  call  (9:9)  as  following 
close  upon  the  healing  of  the  paralytic,  and 
under  circumstances  identical  with  those  at- 
tending the  call  to  Levi ;  and  that  the  Saviour 
was  at  a  feast  "in  the  house,"  immediately 
afterward,  as  he  is  here  at  a  "reception" 
given  him  by  Levi,  at  which,  in  both  ac- 
counts, very  many  publicans  were  present, 
and  the  same  complaints  were  made  against 
Christ,  and  silenced  by  the  same  answer. 
(3)  The.se  circumstances  so  indubitably  point 
to  identity  of  the  per.son  bearing  the  two 
names,  that  we  only  mention,  without  ascrib- 
ing much  independent  weight  to  it,  the  stead- 
fast tradition  from  the  earliest  times  in  favor 
of  this  supposition.  Any  shade  of  remaining 
improbability  is  removed  by  the  frequency 
of  double  names  to  the  same  person  in  Scrip- 
ture. Levi  might  very  naturally  pass  from 
Levi  to  Matthew,  when  abandoning  his  dis- 


reputable vocation,  and   entering  on  a   new 
and  consecrated  life. 

28.  And  he  left  all,  rose  up,  and  fol- 
lowed him.  To  follow  Clirist,  in  that  day, 
was  not  simply  to  believe  on  him;  but,  liter- 
ally, to  leave  one's  ordinary  place  and  to  go 
with  him.  Why  Jesus  sliould  single  out 
Levi  from  all  the  publicans  about  the  lake, 
we  can  only  conjecture.  Doubtless,  there 
was  some  reason,  in  his  natural  endowment, 
his  education,  and  business  training,  the  qual- 
ity of  his  faith,  manifested  jiossibly  in  former 
interviews,  which  showed  him  fit  to  be  one  of 
the  more  intimate  circle  of  Christ's  scholars. 
His  obedience  to  the  call  was  as  prompt  as 
that  of  the  four  previously  called  (ver.  11, 
where  see  the  note). 

29.  And  Levi  made  him  a  great  feast 
(Greek,  reception)  in  his  own  (omit,  own) 
house.  This  itself  shows  that  he  did  not 
abandon  his  place  recklessly,  and  without 
time  to  faithfully  close  up  his  aflTairs.  It 
appears  that  he  was  a  man  of  means,  so  far 
as  to  own  a  house,  and  to  be  able  to  entertain 
a  large  company  in  it.  The  feast  was  made 
by  him  in  honor  of  the  man  who  had,  he  felt, 
honored  and  blest  him  ;  while  it  gave  oppor- 
tunity, also,  to  many  of  his  own  class  to 
become  acquainted  with  Jesus,  and  feel  the 
power  of  his  influence.  A  great  company 
inmltitude)  of  publicans  and  of  others. 
Recall  the  number  of  towns,  the  denseness  of 
population,  and  abundance  of  trafl5c  about 
the  lake  (ver. if.),  and  it  will  not  seem  strange 
that  a  multitude  (Greek,  a  crowd)  of  revenue 
oflScers  could  be  summoned  at  short  notice. — 
And  of  others — these  could  not  have  been 
respectable  people  in  the  eyes  of  strict 
Jews;  but  we  do  not  know  how  far  the  more 
mixed  population  of  "Galilee  of  the  Gen- 
tiles'' might  generally  so  view  them.  Mat- 
thew and  Mark  express  directly  the  Jewish 
sentiment — calling  them  ".sinners." 

30.  But  their  scribes  and  Pharisees— 
I.  e.,   those   who   lived    among    that  peopla 


Ch.  v.] 


LUKE. 


105 


31  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  them,  They  that 
are  whole  need  not  a  physiciau  ;  liut  they  that  are  sick. 

32  "  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
repentance. 

33  And  they  said  unto  him,  '  Why  do  the  disciples  of 
Johu  fast  often,  and  make  i)rayers,  and  likewise  the 
disciples  of  the  Pharisees ;   but  thine  eat  and  drink ? 


31  and  drink  with  the  publicans  and  sinners?  And  Jesus 
answering  said  unto  them,  They  that  are  whole  have 

32  no  need  of  a  physician  ;  but  they  that  are  .sick.  I  am 
not  come  to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repent- 

33  ance.  And  they  said  unto  him.  The  disciples  of  John 
fast  often,  and  make  su])plications;  likewise  also  the 
disciples  of  the  Pharisees ;  but  thine  eat  and  drink. 


a  Matt.  9:  13:  ITim.  1  :  15.... i  Ma:t.9:  14;  Hatl.  2:  18. 


This  is  as  likely  to  be  the  intended  meaning 
ns  that  given  in  the  Revision — the  Phari- 
sees  and  their  scri/ies  —  there  is  room  for 
doubt. — Murmured  against  his  disciples 
— with  whom  they  felt  more  free  tliaii  witii 
the  Master;  but  it  was  he  of  whom  they  com- 
plained (Mark2:i6).  It  was  enough  that  our 
Lord  would  hold  any  intercourse  with  such 
people;  but  that  he  sat  down  with  them  at 
the  table,  namely,  to  eat  with  tliem,  greatly 
aggravated  tiie  offence.  (Compare  the  charges 
against  Peter,  Acts  11  :  3.) 

31.  Jesus  answering  said — speaking  in 
place  of  the  disciples  wliom  they  had  ad- 
dressed. They  that  are  whole — in  sound 
health — need  not  a  physician;  but  they 
that  are  sick.  This  self-evident  proposition 
contains  the  substance  of  his  reply  in  a  form 
so  impersonal  as  neither  to  excite  nor  allow 
any  debate.  If  Jesus  is  a  Soul  Physician, 
they  cannot  deny  that  his  place  is  with  the 
morally  diseased.  He  claims  that  that  was 
his  office. 

3'Z,  I  came  not  (am  not  come)  to  call  the 
righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance. 
Righteous  is  without  the  article,  as  well  as 
sinners,  in  the  original  equivalent  to  "  right- 
eous persons."  This  interprets  the  preceding 
ma.xim  so  as  to  complete  the  Saviour's  de- 
fence. In  the  sphere  of  his  curative  opera- 
tion, sinners — represented  by  the  publicans 
and  their  associates — are  the  sick;  repent- 
ance, the  restoration  to  health  which  he 
effects.  His  mission  to  the  world  contemplates 
no  other  objects.  We  need  supj)ose  no  sar- 
casm upon  the  Pharisees  in  the  mention  of 
righteous  persons,  any  more  than  an  inten- 
tion to  ascribe  to  them  true  righteousness. 
Righteous  are  ment Oned  by  contrast  simply 
to  set  forth  more  clearly  the  character  to 
which  he,  as  a  Saviour,  brings  blessing. 
There  is  place  for  him  only  where  there  is 
sin — moral  ruin,  the  germs  of  eternal  death. 
If  his  ojjpoSers  had  comjilained  of  his  coin- 
panyin^with  the  publicans,  rather  than  with 
them,  they  might  have  felt  a  sting  in  his 
reply.      As  it   was,  he  set  forth   a  precious 


truth,  which  might  reach  their  hearts,  too— 
if  not  utterly  incorrigible — and  which,  as  it 
i  gave  encouragement  to  the  vile  and  outcast 
of  that  day,  has  been  the  balm  of  healing  to 
thousands  in  every  age  wiio  realized  that 
they  were  sick  through  sin. 

33-39.  Explanation  about  Fasting 
Matt.  9:  14-17;  Mark  2:  18-22.  There  is  no- 
thing in  Luke's  account  here  to  hinder  our 
supposing  that  what  follows  belongs,  chro- 
nologically, with  the  preceding  event. 
Christ's  indifference  to  their  ceremonial  dis- 
tincticms  of  caste,  may  have  attracted  atten- 
tion to  his  neglect  of  their  ritual  fasting.  Yet 
we  cannot  be  sure,  from  the  mere  juxtaposi- 
tion in  the  narrative,  that  this  was  so. 

33.  And  they  (indefinite  for  "people," 
doubtless,  (rf"  the  Plmrisaic  sort),  said  unto 
them,  The  disciples  [omitting  why,  be- 
cause it  is  not  found  in  the  best  supported 
text. — A.H.]  of  John  fast  often,  and  make 
prayers  (or  supplications),  and  likewise 
the  disciples  of  the  Pharisees.  Fasting 
was  enjoined  in  the  law  of  Moses  only  as  a 
national  duty,  and  that  only  for  one  day  in 
the  year— the  day  of  atonement.  Individuals 
fa.sted  voluntarily  tliroughout  their  history, 
in  emergencies  which  made  it  natural. 
Prophets  sometimes  called  the  whole  people 
to  fast,  with  prayers  and  acts  of  humiliation, 
to  avert  calamities  and  propitiate  God.  After 
the  cessation  of  prophecy-,  the  hierarchical 
authorities  established,  in  commemoration  of 
national  afflictions,  successively,  .several  an- 
nual fasts;  and  in  the  later  growth  of  hard 
ceremonialism  and  work-righteousness,  two 
weekly  fasts— on  Mondays  and  Tliursdays— 
had  been  made  a  necessity  for  all  who  would 
cultivate  conspicuous  godliness.  John  the 
Baptist  seems,  in  this  respect,  to  have  gone 
with  the  prevailing  tendency  to  the  utter- 
most. From  the  connexion  in  which  he  had 
placed  him.^elf  with  Jesus,  the  people  may 
have  been  more  struck  with  the  laxness  of 
the  latter.  They  mention  first,  at  all  events, 
the  discrepancy  between  his  practice  and  that 
encouraged  by  John,  then  that  of  the  Phari- 


106 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  V. 


34  And  he  said  unto  them,  Can  ye  make  the  children 
of  the  brideehamber  fast)  while  the  bridegroom  is  with 
them? 

a5  But  the  days  will  come,  when  the  hridegroom  shall 
be  taken  away  from  them,  and  then  shall  they  last  in 
those  days. 

3(5  "And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto  them  ;  No  man 
putteth  a  piece  of  a  new  garment  upon  an  old ;  if 
otherwise,  then  both  the  new  maketh  a  rent,  and  the 
piece  that  was  laken,  out  of  the  new  agreeth  not  with 
the  old. 


34  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Can  ye  make  the  sons  of 
the  brideehamber  last,  while  the  bridegroom  is  with 

35  them?  But  the  days  will  come  ;  and  when  the  bride- 
groom shall  betaken  away  from  them, then  will  they 

3G  fast  in  those  days.  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto 
them;  No  man  rendeth  a  piece  from  a  new  garment 
and  putteth  it  upon  an  old  garment;  else  he  will  rend 
the  new,  and  also  the  piece  from  the  new  will  not 


a  Matt.  9:  16,  17;  Mark  2:  21,  22. 


sees.  We  see  here  that  adherents  of  John, 
his  scholars,  or  disciples,  maintained  a  sepa- 
rate standing  after  the  "one  mightier  than 
he"  had  come,  and  he  himself  had  been  laid 
aside  from  work.  We  shall  meet  with  them 
once  or  twice  more;  and  the  fact  of  their  con- 
tinuance as  John's  disciples,  is  of  interest  in 
connexion  with  the  incidents  in  Acts  19:  6. — 
The  disciples  of  the  Pharisees,  were  those 
who  were  in  study  and  training  for  member- 
ship in  their  sect,  and,  perhaps,  included 
those  who  went  with  them,  mainly,  in  prin- 
ciple and  practice,  without  bearing  their 
name.  John's  disciples,  we  see,  made  the  j 
days  of  fasting  occasions  of  special  prayer —  i 
supplications — which  would  differ  in  aim  and 
spirit  from  those  of  the  Pharisees,  if,  as 
would  appear,  these  also  joined  prayers  with 
fasting.  Such  being  the  type  of  piety  then 
most  highly  approved,  it  was  natural  that 
Christ's  total  neglect  of  their  traditional  ob- 
servances should  appear  to  many  strange  and 
shocking.  And  he  (Jesus)  said  unto  them, 
speaking  in  the  manner  of  patient,  even 
tender,  instruction.  Can  ye  make  the  chil» 
dren  (sons)  of  the  brideehamber  fast 
while  the  bridegroom  is  with  them? 
The  .soH.s  of  the  brideehamber  are  intimate 
friends  of  the  bridegroom — his  "groomsmen" 
v/ho,  after  escorting  the  bride  to  her  new 
home,  remained  in  attendance  throughout 
the  feast,  which  might,  in  more  eminent 
families,  last  seven  days.  The  whole  time 
was  a  season  of  joy  and  hilarity.  To  prac- 
tice fiisting  under  such  circumstances,  the 
Saviour  says,  is  impossible.  It  would  be  a 
monstrous  impropriety.  Fasting  is  not  con- 
sistent with  a  joyous  state  of  mind. 

35.  But  the  days  will  come  (omit  the  ar- 
ticle before  din/x),  but  days  will  come.  Here 
the  Saviour  pauses,  as  if  musing  on  the  be- 
reavement and  sadness  of  the  time,  which  he 
foresees,  and  begins  anew  (inserting  f/?if/  before 
when  of  the  Common  Version) :  («««?,  when 


the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away  from 
them,  then  shall  (will)  they  fast.  In  this 
Jesus  makes  himself  the  bridegroom  who  has 
come  to  take  asa  bride  the  kingdom  given  him 
by  his  Father,  and  whom  the  disciples  wait 
upon  in  this  relation.  But  this  wedding  will 
be  interrupted  in  the  progress  of  the  feast ;  he, 
the  chief  personage,  will  be  taken  from  the 
company  by  violence;  and,  in  the  sorrow  of 
his  bereaved  friends,  fasting  will  find  its 
place. 

The  teaching  condensed  in  this  illustration 
is,  that  in  his  kingdom  fasting  is  for  Christ's 
disciples  a  voluntary  tiling,  which  may  be 
useful  in  its  season,  and  will  be  ])racticed  by 
them  spontaneously,  as  an  aid  to  devotion, 
when  they  mourn  the  absence  of  their  Lord. 

36.  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto 
them — to  illustrate,  as  would  appear,  the  rad- 
ical incompatibility  between  the  prevailing 
system  of  prescrii)tive,  compulsory,  external 
service  to  God,  and  the  free  heart-worship 
which  he  had  come  to  introduce.  No  man 
putteth  a  piece  from  an  old  garment,  etc. 
Through  this  verse  the  textual  evidence  con- 
stniins  us  to  adopt  the  rendering  of  the  Re- 
vision. No  one  rendeth  apiece  from  a  new  ffor- 
ment — (cloak) — and  putteth  it  on  an  old  gar- 
ment— (cloak,  etc).  The  language  represents 
a  man  as  tearing  a  piece  out  of  a  new  cloak  to 
|)atch  an  old  one.  In  doing  this  he  has  torn 
and  mutilated  the  new,  and  fails  to  match  the 
old.  The/<i6'cein  the  first  clause  becomes  equiv- 
alent to  "a  patch  "  in  the  last.  "  Patch,"  in- 
deed, is  the  natural  signification  of  the  word. 
— The  new  garment,  or  cloak,  .stands  f<n-  the 
gospel  system  of  religion,  consisting  essentially- 
in  the  worshiji  of  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in 
truth,  as  contrasted  with  the  old  system,  then 
in  practice,  of  salvation  by  outward  works. 
The  piece  of  the  former  may  be  an3'  particu- 
lar privilege  of  the  New  Testtimont,  as,  for  ex- 
ample, freedom  in  the  matter  of  fasting.  Put- 
ting this  on  the  old  system,  would  be  the  re- 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


107 


37  And  no  man  putteth  new  wine  into  old  bottles; 
else  the  new  wine  will  burst  the  bottles,  and  be  spilled, 
and  the  bottles  shall  perish. 

3H  But  new  wine  must  be  put  into  new  bottles;  and 
both  are  preserved. 

;i"J  No  man  also  haviuR  drunk  old  trine  straightway 
desireth  new  ;  for  he  saith.  The  old  is  better. 


37  agree  with  the  old.     And  no  man  putteth  new  wine 

into  old  'wine-skins;  else  the  new  wine  will  l)urst 

the  skins,  and  it.self  will  be  spilled,  and  the  skins  will 

3S  jiL'rish.     Hut  new  wine  uiusl  be  jiut  into  fresh  wine- 

39  skins.     And  no  man  having  drunk  old  wint  desireth 

new  :  for  ho  saith,  The  old  is  '  good. 


CHAPTER   VI. 


AND  "it  came  to  pass  on  the  second  sabbath  after  the 
(irst,that  he  went  through  the  corn  fields;  anil  bis 
di.scii)les  plucked  the  ears  of  corn,  and  did  eat,  rubbing 
them  in  their  hands. 


1  Now  it  came  to  pass  on  a  -sabbath,  that  he  was 
going  through  the  corutields;  and  his  disciples 
plucked  the  ears  of  corn,  and  did  cat,  rubbing  thciu 


a  M.tu.  12  :  I ;  Hark  2 :  23. Mnny  ancient  :iutborllies  read,  bttter.  ...'2  Many  uDcieiii  authorUlen  insert,  tccond-flrH. 


quiring  of  those  who  still  held  to  that  system 
in  other  respects,  to  adopt  this  view  and  prac- 
tice. It  would  be  taking  a  ])art  of  the  gospel 
out  of  its  proper  relations,  and  showing  it  in 
glaring  incongruity*  with  all  tiie  stiffness  and 
legality  round  about  it.  Thorough  repent- 
ance, and  sincere  faith  in  the  gosi)eI,  were,  in 
short,  pre-recjuisite  to  the  possession  of  any 
one  of  the  jjcculiar  prerogatives  of  the  Chris- 
tian cliaractcr. 

37.  And  no  man  putteth  new  wine  into 
old  bottles.  The  bottles  referred  to  were 
skins  of  the  smaller  animals,  drawn  off  skill- 
fully, so  as  to  cause  no  ruptures  except  at  the 
neck  and  above  the  feet.  These  skins,  prop- 
erly tanned  and  tied  uptight,  except  one  aper- 
ture, are  still  used  in  the  East,  as  they  then 
were,  for  holding  and  transporting  water, 
milk,  wine,  and  other  liquids.  The  only  ob- 
jection to  the  name  "wine  skins,"of  the  Re- 
vision, is  that  they  were  not  designed  specifi- 
cally for  wine.  The  Saviour  now  alludes  to 
what  must  have  been  another  familiar  fact  of 
every-day  life.  These  skins,  with  use,  would 
become  brittle;  and  the  expansion  of  gases  in 
the  fermentation  of  new  wine,  would  be  very 
likely  to  burst  them  sooner  than  if  they  were 
fresh. 

38.  So  new  wine  would  require  new  bot- 
tles (fresh  skins).   Even  these,  evidently,  could 
not  be  tightly  closed  on  new  wine  till  fermen- 
tation was  well  advanced.     In  this  the  new 
wine  means  the  free,  filial  spirit  and  exjian-  ! 
sive  energy  of  the  new  kingdom  ;  the  old  bot-  j 
ties,  the  men  of  legal,  ceremonial  piety,  repre-  I 
sented  by  .John's  disciple.*,  and  the  more  de-  i 
vout  Pharisees.     They  cannot,  while  standing 
on  the  ground  of  a  national  ritualistic  devotion, 
receive  the   proper  conception,  still    less  can 
they  cherish  the  true  spirit  of  the  gospel.    This 
demands  men  who  have  been  "born  again," 
by   a   fundamental    transformation  of  views, 
sentiments,  and  principles  of  life. 


39.  The  Saviour  does  not  here  pass  a 
sweeping  condemnation  on  the  old  piety 
which  had  been  brought  to  his  notice  in  con- 
trast with  his  own.  He  does  not  deny  that  it 
also  had  an  excellence  for  its  time;  but  was 
different  from  the  gospel,  and  incompatible 
with  it.  It  must  be  entirely  given  up,  in 
principle,  to  nnike  way  for  the  gospel.  Yet 
he  can  understand  the  reluctance  of  the 
doubting  and  perplexed  to  make  an  instant 
and  radical  change  of  view  and  practice. 
Hence  the  next  illustration.  No  man  also 
(and  no  ninn)  having  drunk  old  wine,  etc. 
The  old  is  better  (good) ;  that  is,  palatable, 
pleasant  to  the  taste  (xpwos).  Our  Saviour 
could  appreciate  the  force  of  hereditary  be- 
lief, the  prejudices  in  favor  of  sacred  custom, 
the  memories  of  religious  attainments  won, 
and  of  devout  experiences  enjoj-ed,  through 
the  legitimate  use  of  the  Mosaic  system. 
Take  the  case  of  John's  disciples — more  ex- 
cusable, certainly,  for  doubt  as  to  his  Messi- 
anic claims  than  their  Master,  whom  yet  he 
was  more  than  ready  to  excuse  (i-.nfr.).  We 
may  see  that  it  deeply,  tenderly  engaged  his 
thought.  He  would  regret  that  the  better 
tendency  in  them  did  not  prevail,  would  hope 
that  it  might  grow  stronger;  but  he  saw  how 
natural  it  was  that  they  should  hesitate  to 
break  away  from  all  the  otitward  pomp  and 
ceremonial  of  religion — a  burdensome  and 
crushing,  but  time-hallowed  ritual,  which 
had  descended  to  them  from  Ezra  and  from 
Moses,  and  in  the  midst  of  which  they  sup- 
posed that  heroes  and  prophets  and  saints  had 
lived  and  died. 


Ch.  G.  1-5.  The  Son  of  Man  Lord  of 
THK  Sahhath. 

1.  It  came  to  pass  on  the  second 
sabbath  after  the  first  —  more  exactly,  a 
ftfriDid-jirst  Sahhnth.  The  word  so  translated 
is  not  met  with  elsewhere  in  Greek,  except  in 


108 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


allusion  to  this  passage;  nor  has  any  place  in 
Jewish  literature  been  cited  where  the  idea  is 
expressed.  Hence  a  grand  field  for  specula- 
tion ;  and  abundant  ingenuity  has  been  exer- 
cised to  conceive  of  a  series  of  Sabbaths,  such 
that  some  one  in  it  might  naturally  be  called 
the  "second-first."  Nothing  worthy  of  con- 
fidence has  resulted.  More  than  a  dozen 
schemes,  probably,  have  been  proposed,  ac- 
cording to  each  of  which,  if  we  suppose  that 
a  certain  Sabbath  was  called  "first,"  a  certain 
other  might  be  known  as  "second-first."  It 
is  not  worth  while  to  repeat  them.  The  case 
is  precisely  as  if  an  English  writer  should 
now,  without  the  slightest  explanati(jn,  men- 
tion a  second-first  Sunday;  and  people  should 
set  themselves,  centuries  afterwards,  to  make 
out  what  Sunday  he  meant.  Of  course,  the 
case  might  be  such  that  readei's  at  the  time 
and  place  of  writing  would  readily  perceive 
the  sense,  and  the  clue  be  entirely  lost  after- 
ward. This  is  not  very  probable  in  the  case 
before  us,  seeing  that  the  diificulty  was  no- 
ticed so  early  that  the  solution  would  then 
have  been  disct)verable. 

If  we  might  unhesitatingly  follow  the  Re- 
vision, we  should  be  at  once  relieved  of 
embarrassment.  That  agrees  with  excellent 
authority  of  manuscripts  and  versions;  but 
they  are  liable  to  suspicion  as  being  possibly 
attempts  to  obviate  a  great  perplexity  by 
leaving  out  the  troublesome  word.  Still,  we 
do  not  wonder  that  the  Revisers,  with  the 
support  of  Tregelles,  and  Westcott  and 
Hort'stext,  inclined  rather  to  the  view  that 
the  strange  adjective  had  crept  in  by  mistake. 
A  common  conjecture  has  been  that  some 
one  early  put  in  the  margin  of  his  copy,  at 
this  place,  "first,"  with  reference  to  the 
"other  sabbath"  in  ver.  6;  and  that,  then, 
he  or  some  other  one,  noticing  the  mention  of 
a  Sabbath  in  4:  31,  corrected  by  writing 
"second."  So  it  stands  in  some  manuscripts, 
"second"  "first."  As  this  would  be  non- 
sense, a  copyist  may  easily  have  combined 
them  so  as  to  make  a  possible  sense,  as  ignor- 
ant, probably,  as  we  are,  how  it  was  to  be 
understood.  We  know  that  marginal  notes, 
such  as  here  supposed,  were  transferred  to  the 
text  by  copyists  who  believed  them  to  have 
been  omissions  in  the  previous  copy.  And  it 
is  worthy  of  notice  what  evidence  of  the  care 
of  transcribers,  in  setting  down  just  what 
they  found,  is  afforded  by  the  retention  in  so 


many  manuscripts  of  this  perplexing  word. 
Tischendorf  had  dropped  it;  but  in  his  last 
edition  restored  it,  in  spite  of  the  authority  of 
his  favorite  Sinaitic  Manuscript.  The  ques- 
tion of  its  genuineness  remains  doubtful,  but 
with  as  strong  reason  as  we  can  often  have 
that  a  mistake  had  crept  into  the  text,  as 
early  as  our  first  copies. 

The  fact  that  they  were  plucking  heads  of 
ripe,  or  nearly  ripe,  grain  on  this  day,  may 
guide  us  to  the  season  of  the  year  in  which 
it  fell.  If  we  knew  whether  the  grain  was 
barley  (ripe  in  Judea  at  the  Passover),  or 
wheat  (offered  in  the  temple  at  the  Feast  of 
Pentecost),  and  if  we  knew  just  how  the 
times  of  ripening  in  the  sultry  Plain  of  Gen- 
nesaret  compared  with  that  on  the  hills  of 
Judea,  we  could  come  very  near  it.  We  may 
thus  set  aside  several  of  the  conjectures  which 
have  been  hazarded  ;  and,  if  obliged  to  guess, 
we  might  say,  with  many,  that,  as  the  Feast 
of  Pentecost  came  seven  weeks  after  the  pas- 
chal Sabbath,  the  seven  ordinary  Sabbaths 
of  those  weeks  would  probably  be  known  as 
the  first,  second,  third,  etc.,  and  that,  when 
the  Passover  Sabbath  came  on  a  Friday,  that 
also  might  be  called  the  first,  making  the 
ordinary  weekly  Sabbath  a  second-first.  Here 
every  one  may  take  what  seems  to  him  best. 
Westcott  and  Hort  (Appendix,  p.  58)  cite 
Jerome  on  this  passage,  as  saying  (we  trans- 
late) :  "A  brazen  face  often  interprets  what  it 
does  not  know,  and,  when  it  has  persuaded 
others,  assumes  that  it  itself  also  does  know. 
When  I  once  asked  my  teacher,  Gregory 
Nazianzen,  to  explain  what  the  'second  first 
Sabbath  in  Luke'  meant,  he  playfully  re- 
plied, '  I  will  teach  you  about  that  in  the 
church,  where,  while  all  the  people  applaud 
me,  you  will  be  obliged,  against  your  will, 
to  know  what  you  know  not,  or,  at  least,  if 
you  alone  keep  silence,  you  alone  will  be  set 
down  as  a  fool.'  "   (Ep.  52,  p.  2G3). 

He  went  ( equivalent  to  wns  poing ) 
through  the  corn  fields — (the  article  may 
be  omitted,  iind  corn  fields  must,  of  course, 
be  understood  in  America  in  the  sense  of 
grain-fields  of  barley  or  wheat).  His  dis- 
ciples plucked  the  ears  of  corn  {heads  of 
grain)  and  did  eat,  rubbing.  The  disciples 
only  appear  to  have  been  hungry  (M.itt.  la:  i), 
and  took  of  the  grain.  It  shows  us  to  what 
fare  our  blessed  Saviour  and  his  chosen 
friends    were     sometimes     reduced.      Their 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


109 


2  And  certain  of  the  Pharisees  said  unto  them,  Why 
do  ye  that  "which  is  not  lawful  to  do  on  the  sabbath 
days .' 

;i  And  Jesus  answering  them  said,  Have  ye  not  read 
80  much  as  this,  *what  Uavid  did,  when  himselt  was  a 
hungered,  and  they  which  were  with  him; 

4  How  he  went  into  the  house  of  God,  and  did  take 
and  eat  the  showbread,aud  gave  also  to  them  that  were 
with  him;  "which  it  is  not  lawful  to  eat  but  for  the 
priests  alone? 

5  And  ho  said  unto  them.  That  the  Son  of  man  is 
Lord  also  of  the  sabbath. 


2  in  their  hands.  But  certain  of  the  Pharisees  said, 
Wliy  do  ye  that  which  is  not  lawful  to  <lo  on  the 

3  sabbath  dav?  And  Jesus  answering  tbeiu  said,  Have 
ye  not  read  even  this,  what  David  did,  when  lie  was 

4  an  hungred,  be,  and  they  that  were  with  biiii ,  how 
he  entered  into  the  house  of  (i(Kl,  and  did  take  and 
eat  the  shevvbread,  and  gave  also  to  theui  that  were 
with  him;  which  it  is  not  lawful  to  eat,  save  for  the 

5  priests  ahine?  And  he  .said  uuto  them,  The  Sou  of 
mau  is  lord  of  the  sabbath. 


>  Ex.  VO :  10. . .  .6  I  Sum.  21 :  6 c  Lev.  24 :  9. 


taking  the  grain  thus,  "with  the  hand,  and 
not  with  the  sickle,"  was  perfectly  warranted 
by  the  law  (Deut. 23:25).  The  grain,  when 
ready  to  harvest,  would  require  no  "labor" 
in  shellini;  it  out  with  tlieir  iiaiids. 

2.  Certain  of  the  Pharisees — whom  we 
shall  find  henceforth  on  the  alert  to  detect 
something  criminal  in  Jesus — were,  in  some 
manner,  watching  now.  Th.it  which  is  not 
lawful  to  do  on  the  sabbath  days — day 
(comp.  on  4:  31).  They  probably  included 
both  the  plucking  and  the  shelling  out  in 
the  alleged  violation  of  the  Sabbath.  This 
they  could  do  consistently  with  the  oppres- 
sive tendency  of  the  Rabbis  to  multiply  and 
sharpen  the  specific  application  of  the  Mosaic 
laws,  and  especially  of  the  important  law  of 
the  Sabbath.  Thus  they  had,  of  course,  pro- 
scribed reaping  and  threshing  grain,  and 
then  had  found  picking  oft'  ears  to  be  a  kind 
of  reajiing,  and  rubbing  out  the  grains  a  kind 
of  threshing,  both  equally  prohibited.  If  the 
loalklncj  of  the  Saviour  had  been  objected  to, 
we  should  probably  have  had  a  special  men- 
tion of  that;  so  their  journey  must  have  been 
a  short  one. 

3.  Have  ye  not  read  so  much  as  this 
— among  the  many  Scriptural  proofs  of  the 
innocence  of  my  conduct.  The  verb  is  a 
|)reterit — Did  ye  not  even  readl  Mark,  with 
a  more  decided  shade  of  irony,  "Did  ye 
never?"  Surely,  this  should  have  attracted 
the  attention  t)f  such  zealous  devotees  of  tiie 
law.  What  (equivalent  to,  thnt)  David 
did  when  himself  was  a  hungered  (was 
hungry),  and  they  that  Avere  with  him? 
(See  1  Sam.  '21 :  3-(),  for  the  history).  He  puts 
himself  parallel  to  David,  and  his  disciples 
to  the  companions  of  David. 

4.  How  be  went  into  the  house  of  God 
— this  was  the  successor  to  the  original  taber- 
nacle, the  temporary  scene  of  divine  worship, 
which  was  then  at  Nob.  Shewbread — He- 
brew,   "bread   of   the    face,"    " presentition 


bread,"  which  stood  constantly  before  the 
face  of  Jehovah,  in  the  Holy  Place  in  his 
house.  It  is  called  also  in  the  Hebrew, 
"bread  of  setting  forth,"  or  "of  array" 
(1  chion. 9:32-  Neh.  10:33);  and  here  ill  Luke  (liter- 
ally) "the  loaves  of  the  setting  forth,"  in 
i  allusion  to  the  formal  ranging  of  the  twelve 
loaves,  on  the  Table  of  Shewbread,  in  two 
rows  (or  piles)  of  six  each. — Which  (loarr.s)  it 
is  not  lawful  to  eat,  but  for  the  priests 
alone?  When  the  new  loaves  were  placed 
there  each  Sabbath,  they  were  to  remain 
sacred  to  the  Lord  until  replaced  the  next 
Sabbath.  Then  they  fell  to  the  lot  of  the 
priest,  as  representing  him,  but  could  be  eaten 

by    no    other    ])erSOn     (  Lev.  24:  5.  6,  9;    Comp.  21:22). 

The  Saviour  finds  a  parallel  to  his  own  case 
in  the  fact  that  David  violated  the  letter  of 
the  law  in  eating,  and  letting  his  friends  eat, 
what  was  forbidden  to  any  but  the  priests. 
The  language  of  1  Sam.  (21:6)  implies,  more- 
over, that  he  did  this  on  a  Sabbath  ;  "for  the 
shewbread  was  taken  away  from  before  the 
Lord,  to  put  that  bread,  in  the  day  when  it 
was  taken  away,"  and  that  was  a  Sabbath. 
(So  Farrar  on  the  passage). 

5.  Having  shown  by  the  example  of  David, 
that  the  ceremonial  law  must  give  place  to 
the  claims  of  necessity  and  mercy,  the  posi- 
tive to  the  moral  in  God's  ro(iuin'nu'nts  (Matt. 
12:7),  he  goes  further.  The  Son  of  man  (see 
on  5:  24),  is  Lord  also  (or  even)  of  the  sab- 
bath. The  purport  of  this  in  this  connexion 
must  be  that  his  judgment  as  to  wiiat  is  right 
on  the  Sabbath  warrants  his  disciples,  and 
justifies  his  disciples  in  what  they  were  doing. 
As  he  is  the  source  of  authority  for  the 
Sabbath,  his  authority  forestalls  all  questions 
of  the  Pharisees  and  others.  This  need  not 
mean  that  he  could,  bj'  his.^^^,  make  right 
what  the  Sabbath  command  had  specifically 
forbidden,  to  one  under  his  circumstances,  but 
that  what  he  saw  fit  to  do,  or  allow  others  to 
do,  could  not  have  been  specifically  forbidden 


110 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


6  «  And  it  came  to  pass  also  on  another  sabbath,  that 
he  entered  into  the  synaKOL'ue  and  taught:  and  there 
Mas  a  man  whose  right  hand  %vas  withered. 

7  And  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  watched  him,  whether 
he  would  heal  on  the  satibath  day  ;  that  they  might  find 
an  accusation  against  him. 

S  Hut  he  knew  their  thoughts,  and  said  to  the  man 
which  had  the  withered  hand,  Rise  up,  and  stand  forth 
in  the  midst.     And  he  arose  and  stood  forth. 

9  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them,  I  will  ask  you  one 
thing:  Is  it  lawful  on  the  sabbath  days  to  do  good  or  to 
do  evil?  to  save  life  or  to  destroy  itf 


6  Anditcaiue  to  pass  on  another  sabbath,  that  he 
entered  intothesyuagogueandtaught :  and  there  was 

7  a  man  there,  and  his  right  hand  was  withered.  And 
the  scribes  and  the  l^harisees  watched  him,  whether 
he  would  heal  on  the  sabbath;  that  they  might  find 

Show  to  accuse  him.  But  he  knew  their  thoughts; 
and  he  said  to  the  man  that  had  his  hand  withered, 
Rise  up,  and  stand  forth  in  the  midst.    And  he  arose 

9  and  stood  forth.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I  ask 
you,  Is  it  lawful  on  the  sabbath  to  do  good,  or  to  do 


a  M.itt.  12:9;  Mark  :i :  1  ;  see  ch.  13  :  14  ;  U :  .3  ;  JoLn  9  :  16. 


to  those  in  their  circumstances.  From  hi.s 
practice  and  permission,  the  true  idea  of  the 
Sabbath  in  hi.s  time  was  to  be  derived. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  for  this  occasion,  at 
least,  Christ  puts  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  on 
the  .same  footing  as  that  of  the  shew-bread. 
Could  he  have  done  this  of  the  necessarily 
and  absolutely  moral  commandments?  The 
question  that  has  been  raised,  whether  the 
Lord  here  gave  any  intimation  of  the  abro- 
gation of  the  Sabbath,  must  be  answered  in 
the  negative,  except  as  it  may  have  suggested 
the  abrogation  in  fulfillment  of  the  whole 
Mosaic  law.  Considering  how  prominently 
the  people  then  ranked  the  law  of  the  Sab- 
bath, they  could  not  fail  to  apply  what  he 
said  of  this  to  their  whole  .system.  It  was  all, 
he  maintained,  subject  to  his  lordship,  and 
had  no  authority  but  what  he  allowed.  And 
this  was,  beyond  all  question,  to  claim  the 
rank  of  the  ^lessiah. 

6-11.  A  MiRAci.K  OF  Healing  on  thk 
Sabbath.  Parallels— Matthew  12:  9-14; 
Mark  3:  1-6.— On  another  Sabbath.  From 
Matthew  and  Mark,  we  learn  that  the  event 
took  place  on  a  Sabbath.  Luke  states  that  it 
was  a  different  Sabbath  from  that  just  before 
mentioned.  How  long  after  the  other,  is  not 
stated.  It  may  have  been  very  soon,  or  the 
succession  here  may  have  been  designed  to 
multiply  evidences  of  Christ's  superiority  to 
the  merely  ritual  requirements  (fasting;  mi- 
nute scruples  about  the  Sabbath )  of  the  Phari- 
saic religion.— He  entered  into  the  syn- 
agogue— that,  namely,  of  the  place  where  he 
then  was.— Whose  (literally,  and  his)  right 
hand  was  withered  —  emaciated  (fnmt 
palsy?)  and  useless.  Being  his  right  hand,  it 
■was  a  great  affliction  to  him,  and  rendered  his 
such  a  case  as  all  knew  would  appeal  strongly 
to  the  sympathy  of  our  Lord.  What  a  testi- 
mony was  in  their  expectation  ! 

7.  And  the  scribes  and  (the)  Pharisees 


— (were  watching) — him — while  he  was  teach- 
ing, to  see  whether  he  would  heal  on  the 
sabbath.  The  Received  Greek  text  .says, 
"will  heal";  the  critically  corrected  text, 
heals;  equivalent  to  makes  a  practice  of  heal- 
ing. Even  this  would  be  a  violation  of  their 
hair-splitting  prohibitions  of  liberty  on  that 
day. — That  they  might  find  an  accusation 
against  him.  How  serious  an  accusation  it 
would  be,  appears  from  the  fact  that  the  Jews 
in  Jerusalem  forthis  reason"  persecuted  Jesus, 
and  sought  to  slay  him,  because  he  had  done 
these  things  (healed  the  impotent  man)  on  the 
Sabbath  day"  (John5:i6). 

8.  But  he  {he  himself)  kne  w  their 
thoughts — {reasonings) — all  those  machina- 
tions which  aimed  to  catch  him  in  the  trap  of 
their  absurd  and  cruel  traditions,  and  to  put 
him  to  death.  He  knew  them  and  determined 
to  meet  them  boldly,  and  contrast  with  their 
anxious  and  h3'pocritical  rules  for  fettering 
the  Sabbath,  the  freedom  of  a  vivifying  love. 
— And  he  arose  and  stood.  The  word 
forth  is  an  addition  to  the  Greek,  proper  be- 
fore, but  not  in  this  clause.  Forth  from  the 
seats  of  the  meeting-house,  at  the  command  of 
our  Saviour,  came  the  poor  man  out  into  the 
open  space,  and  stood,  observed  by  all,  not 
knowing  what  to  expect,  while  Jesus  exposed 
the  hearts  of  their  religious  leaders,  his  adver- 
saries. 

9.  I  will  ask  you— (omit  will  and  one 
thing) — thus  calmly  engaging  their  tittention 
and  that  of  the  audience,  while  he  makes 
them,  tacitly  or  openly,  confess  that  he  is  be- 
neficently right,  and  they  murderously  wrong 
(that  is,  to  benefit  or  to  htirm).  To  do  good 
or  to  do  evil  ?  What  is  the  real  use  and 
divine  intent  of  the  Sabbath  ?  But  why  does 
the  Saviour  propose  and  repeat  an  alterna- 
tive question?  AVhy  speak  of  doing  evil,  t.  e^ 
harm?  And  of  killing?  Did  an\' one  main- 
tain that  it  was  lawful  to  do  this  ;  or  that  one 


Cii.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


Ill 


10  And  looking  round  about  upon  them  all.  he  said 
unto  the  man.  Stretth  lorth  thy  hand.  And  he  did  so: 
and  his  hand  was  restored  whole  as  the  other. 

11  And  they  were  tilled  with  madness:  and  com- 
muned one  with  acothci  what  they  miirht  do  to  Jesus. 

12  ".Vnd  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  he  \veut 
out  into  a  mountain  to  pray,  and  continued  all  uight 
in  prayer  to  God. 


10  harm?  to  save  a  life, or  to  destroy  it?  And  he  looked 
round  about  ou  them  all,  and  said  unto  him,  Stretch 
forth  thy  hand.     .\nd   he  did  -so:  and  his  baud  was 

11  restored.  Hut  they  were  tilled  with  'madness;  and 
communed  one  with  another  what  they  might  do  to 
Jesus. 

12  .\nd  it  came  to  pass  in  these  days,  that  lie  went  out 
into  the  mountain  to  pray ;  and  hecoutinued  all  night 


a  Mutt.  1*  :  23. 1  Or.  /ooUthnes: 


must  do  it  if  he  did  not  do  what  was  good 
and  htOpful?  Some  have  supposed  that  he 
mesmt  "I  niu.st  do  one  or  the  other.  To  heal 
this  poor  mans  hsmd,  b^'  which  he  earns  his 
livelihood,  is  in  eftect  to  save  his  life;  and  in 
effect  I  not  only  harm  him,  but  destroy  his 
life  by  failing  to  heal  him.  This,  however, 
though  the  view  is  sustained  b^'  Godet,  seems 
forced  and  quibbling.  It  would  afford  no 
answer  to  their  probable  argument  that  the 
work  of  mercy  could  wait  till  the  ne.\t  day; 
nor  does  it  account  for  the  "madness"  which 
his  question  excited  in  their  breasts.  Better 
refer  one  branch  of  the  alternative  in  both 
questions  to  him,  the  other  to  his  enemies. 
I  propiKse  to  do  a  good  thing,  and  to  save  a 
life  by  restoring  to  this  man  the  ability  to 
work,  and  by  arresting  the  spread  of  his  mal- 
ady ;  you  are  scheming  even  to  kill  me  (coinp. 
John  5:  16);  a  mo.st  wicked  deed.  "Which  of 
us  is  to  be  condemned?  There  was  no  reply. 
10.  And  looking  round  about  upon 
them  all — very  deliberately,  so  as  to  note 
the  expression  of  every  one;  and  with  a  look, 
no  doubt,  of  triumphant  confidence,  but  in 
which  there  was  mingled  anger  against  his 
malignant  adversaries,  and  sorrow  for  the 
hardness  of  their  hearts  (Mark  3 ;  s).— He  said 
unto  the  man  (Revision,  u)ito  him),  Stretch 
forth  thy  hand.  He  would  have  everything 
open  and  above  board.  There  should  be  no 
room  for  allegations  of  jugglery  or  deception  | 
of  any  kind.  The  healing  change  was  to 
take  place  in  the  eyes  of  the  congregation,  j 
This  preliminary  act  might  involve  an  e.ver-  I 
cise  of  faith,  even  the  attempt  to  raise  his  dis-  I 
abled  hand  ;  yet  it  is  not  said  thsit  the  malady 
impaired  the  power  of  his  arm. — And  he  did 
so.  His  hand  was  raised  in  the  presence  of 
them  all,  a  withered  hand.— And  his  hand 
was  restored  —  not  "had  been"  restored, 
but  at  that  moment  underwent  the  change.  [ 
They  saw  it  withered  until  a  certain  moment; 
the  next  moment  it  was  sound  and  well —  ; 
"whole  as  the  other,"  in  Matthew's  account, 
■which   in  some  copies  of  the  text  is  added  ' 


here.  The  Revision  omits  it,  with  the  sup- 
port of  excellent  authority.  Mtitthew's 
phrase  suggests  that  the  man  may  have  held 
up  the  other  hand,  also,  to  view,  to  show  tlnit 
they  were  both  alike. 

11.  And  they — tlie  scribes  and  Pliarisees — 
were  filled  with  madness — primarily,  de- 
mentia, which  may  be  either  "lack  of  rea- 
son,' "folly,"  "insanity,"  or,  as  we  often  call 
it  now,  madness,  expressing  itself  in  raving 
efforts  to  harm  Jesus.  —  And  communed 
{talked)  one  with  another  what  (as  to  what) 
they  might  do  to  Jesus.  Here,  first,  we 
find  the  criticism  of  the  Pharisees  rijjened 
into  a  hatred  which  would  never  rest  until  it 
had  found  a  pretext  and  means  to  destroy 
him.  The  position  of  freedom  which  he  had 
now  taken  toward  the  traditions  concerning 
Sabbath  observance,  implying  as  it  did 
supreme  contempt  for  all  their  paltry 
"hedges"  about  the  genuine  law.  was  tan- 
tamount to  a  claim  to  the  Mcssiahship.  and 
this  to  a  declaration  that  they  must  retire 
from  their  leadership  of  the  people,  with  all 
its  honors  and  emoluments. 

12-19.  Appoin'tmext  of  Twki.vk  Apos- 
tles.—Parallels— Matt.  12:  15;  10:  2-4;  4: 
24,25;  Mark  3:  7-10. 

From  the  statements  of  Matthew  and  Mark, 
following  the  preceding  narrative,  it  appears 
that,  when  he  perceived  the  malice  of  his  ad- 
versaries, our  Saviour  retired  from  their 
neighborhood  to  the  border  of  the  lake. 
There  his  fame  soon  drew  great  multitudes 
around,  and  scenes  were  frequent  such  as  are 
described  in  verses  17-19  of  the  present 
chapter. 

12.  It  came  to  pass  in  those  days. 
Luke  points  to  the  period  when  the  persecu- 
tion of  the  Master  had  become  manifest  in 
its  murderous  malignity,  proving  the  need  of 
preparation  for  the  continuance  of  his  cause 
when  this  hostility  should  have  wrought  its 
deadly  work.  They  were  days,  too,  when  the 
growing  multitudes  who  flocked  to  him,  to 
see  and  hear,  and  be  healed,  made  it  neces- 


112 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


13  And  when  it  was  day,  he  called  tmto  him  his  disci-  |  13  in  prayer  to  God.  And  when  it  was  day,  he  called  his 
pies:  "and  of  them  he  chose  twelve,  whom  also  he  disciples :  and  he  chose  from  them  twelve,  whom  also 
named  apostles ;  I 


a  Matt.  10:  1. 


sary  that  he  should  have  assistance  in  the  | 
present  necessary  labors.  It  was  under  such 
circumstances  that  he  went  into  a  {the) 
mountain  to  pray.  His  resorting  to  the 
mountain — equivalent  to  wilderness  (5:i6) — 
was  for  the  sake  of  more  complete  retirement 
than  he  could  command  in  the  populous  flat 
lands  near  the  sea.  What  particular  moun- 
tain is  intended  has  been  much  debated,  and 
without  any  certain  conclusion.  It  seems  not 
unlikely  that,  in  contrast  with  the  lake  shore,  i 
the  elevated  tract  which,  as  we  have  seen  (5:  i),  ! 
almost  everywhere  rises  back  of  it,  might  be 
called  the  mountain,  although  Meyer  denies 
that  the  mountain  (to  6poV)  can  be  taken  in 
that  sense  as  equivalent  to  the  German  Ge- 
birge,  "mountain  region."  We  do  not  see 
how  it  could  help  meaning  just  that,  often, 
in  the  mouths  of  the  people  below.  Even  if 
we  must  understand  it  of  a  particular  eleva- 
tion, it  would  be  only  a  peak,  or  knob,  rising 
out  of  the  general  mountain  surface.  Such  a 
knoll,  or  a  pair  of  them,  was  fixed  upon,  as 
early  as  the  time  of  the  Crusades — Stanley, 
Sinai  and  Palestine;  but  Jerome  had  indi- 
cated the  same  opinion  (Eph.  44)  ad  Marcel- 
as  being  so  suitable  to  the  indications  of 
locality  in  the  Gospels,  as  to  deserve  to  have 
been  the  scene  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount; 
and  so  it  has  been  generally  recognized  in 
modern  times  as  the  Mount  of  the  Beati- 
tudes. The  Arabs  call  it  Kurnn  H/ittin, 
horns  of  Hattin,  as  rising  from  the  edge  of 
the  Plain  of  Hattin.  It  is  two  or  three  miles 
in  a  direct  line,  southwest  of  Tell  Hum 
(Capernaum?).  On  the  plateau,  he  retired  at 
night,  from  his  disciples  to  some  higher  point, 
such  as  one  of  the  horns  of  Hattin,  to  pray, 
and  continued  all  night  in  prayer  to 
God.  Luke  is,  we  have  already  seen,  more 
particular  than  the  other  Evangelists  to  men- 
tion instances  of  this  felt  human  need  and 
j)rivilege  on  the  part  of  Jesus,  connecting 
each  with  some  obvious  emergency  in  his 
life.  The  choice  of  his  apostles  was  such  an 
emergency  now.  He  had  gathered  about  him 
a  large  company  of  disciples,  or  scholars, 
pupils;  but  what  twelve  of  them  would  be 
most  competent  for  the  high  and  peculiar 
service    for    which    he   must    now   provide? 


Eternal  consequences  depended  on  the  de- 
cision. The  prosperity  and  possible  defeat  of 
his  cause  hung  in  the  balance.  The  fate  of 
men  to  the  latest  ages  would  be  determined 
by  his  choice.  It  is  easy,  and  perhaps  not 
irreverent,  to  imagine  our  Saviour  bowed 
before  his  Father  then,  under  the  blue  sky, 
and  mentioning,  one  by  one,  the  men  of 
whom  he  thought  as  possibly  suitable  for  the 
first  missionary  work. 

The  whole  night  was  spent  in  this  solemn 
communion  with  the  Father;  and  only  with 
the  morning  dawn  was  he  ready  for  the  work 
of  the  day. 

13.  And  when  it  was  day — with  the  early 
streaks  of  morning,  according  to  the  habits 
of  that  country,  to  begin  work  with  the  open- 
ing light — he  called  his  disciples — (omit- 
ting unto  him,  Kevision) — that  is,  the  com- 
pany that  in  a  general  sense  bore  that  name. 
Did  they  probably  suspect  his  object,  or  what 
consequences  were  involved  in  this  convoca- 
tion ?  If  they  did  suspect,  what  emotions 
must  have  filled  their  minds  while  waiting  in 
the  Master's  presence  !  We  have  only  to  sup- 
pose thatthe  statement  of  Matthew  (5:i),  "He 
went  up  into  the  mountain,"  refers  to  his  as- 
cent of  the  plateau  the  night  before;  and  that 
he  omits  all  mention  of  the  further  retirement 
to  a  higher  hill,  bringing  in  the  designation 
of  the  twelve  in  a  dift'erent  connection  (10:3,4), 
and  all  appearance  of  discrepancy  between 
Matthew  and  Luke  is  cleared  away. — And  of 
them  he  chose  twelve.  Tlie  number  was  in 
all  probability  fixed  with  reference  to  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  The  Teacher  chose 
them,  as  we  see,  with  great  care  and  discrimi- 
nation, guided  by  his  previous  observation  of 
their  capacities,  and  with  the  light  given  in 
answer  to  his  prayers.  Those  who  were  -not 
taken  for  the  peculiar  service  now  desired, 
were  not  rejected  for  other  duties  of  disciple- 
ship,  but  were,  by  the  very  omission  distinctly 
confirmed  in  these. — Whom  also  he  named 
apostles.  Before  they  had  borne  the  name  of 
"disciples"  only,  in  common  with  all  the 
rest ;  now  they  took  the  additional  title  appro- 
priate to  their  specific  function — Apostles. 
This  name  (equivalent  to  missionaries),  while 
perfectly  consistent  with  their  vocation,  "that 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


113 


11  Sitnon,  t"  wliuiii  he  also  iiaincd  I'l'ter,)  and  Andrew  14  he  named  apostles;  Simon,  whom  he  also  named 
his  hrothiT,  .laiues  and  John,  I'hiliii  and  Kanholomew,  Peter,  and  Andrew  his  brother,  and  James  and  John, 

l")  Matthew  and  Ihumas,  James  the  sun  ol  Alphens,  15  and  Thilip  and  Uartholomew,  and  Matthew  ami 
and  isimou  called  Zelutes,  i       Tbuuias,  and  James  the  son  of  Alpbieus,  and  KinKjii 


a  John  1:  42. 


they  might  be  with  him"  (M:.rk3:u\  expresses 
the  ohject  of  that  intimacy',  namely,  that  he 
might  <i'nd  them  forth  on  occasions,  to  act  in 
his  stead,  and  ultimately  to  replace  his  visible 
agency  on  the  earth.  The  full  intent  of  their 
calling  is  given  (MnrkStn,  is). 

14.  Simon,  who  is  named  first  in  all  the 
four  catalogues  of  the  twelve — whom  he  also 
iianied  Poter — thu'^,  apparentlj%  first  apply- 
ing to  him  the  designation  which  had  been 
predicted  on  his  first  visit  to  Christ  at  the 
Jordan  (John  i:  42).  Sinne  think,  however,  that 
t!ie  surname  was  added  at  a  subsequent  pe- 
riod, Ol)  occasion  of  Peter's  confession  (Mntt.  16: 
IS  ,  and  is  here  spoken  of  as  then  given.  The 
solemn  roll-call  went  on,  not  necessarily  in 
the  precise  order  of  either  of  the  recorded 
lists.  It  could  not  have  been  in  the  order  of 
all,  as  the^'  differ  among  themselves,  in  mi- 
nute particulars,  while  preserving  in  the  main 
a  remarkable  agreement.  We  seem  to  see 
that,  as  the  twelve  were  .selected  out  of  the 
mass  of  the  disciples,  so  there  was  a  discrimi- 
nation among  them  into  three  groups  of  four 
names,  according  to  the  Saviour's  estimate  of 
them  in  some  respect. — And  Andrew  his 
brother.  He  had  been  first  in  recognizing 
Jesus  as  the  Lamb  of  God,  according  to  the 
instruction  of  his  previous  master,  John  the 
Baptist,  and  was  the  means  of  bringing  his 
brother  Simon  to  the  Lord  (.inhn  1 :35, 42).  Per- 
haps his  conversion  of  his  brother  was  the 
most  important  service  to  the  cause  of  Christ 
which  he  ever  rendered,  and  may  have  been 
the  chief  reast)n  why,  in  Matthew  and  Luke, 
he  stands  next  to  Peter  on  the  roll  (comp. 
Mark  3: '2-5;  Actsl:  13).  [Is  it  certain  that 
Simon  was  "converted,"  in  the  present  sense 
of  that  word,  by  Andrew?  Is  it  not  more  ' 
probable  that  both  these  had  been  baptized  by 
John,  "confessing  their  sins,"  and  prepared 
in  heart  to  foil  )w  the  Christ  as  soon  as  he 
should  be  made  known  to  them  ?  That  they 
were  "waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel  "  ? 
If  so,  Andrew  had  an  easy  ttisk  to  lead  Simon 
to  Jesus.  (Ccmip.  John  1  :  40,  41.  and  notes  on 
that  passage).— A.  H.]— James  and  John, 
.«;ons  of  Zebedee.  James  is  mt'iitioiied  first,  as 
is  plausibly    supposed,    on    account  of    age. 

H 


John  was,  beyond  reasonable  doubt,  the  un- 
named one  of  the  two  that  .stood  with  John  the 
Baptist,  when  the  latter  pointed  out  Jesus  as 
the  Messiah  (John  i:  40),  and  who  then  sought 
the  company  of  Christ.  We  have  no  cb'ar 
evidence  that  James  also  had  seen  him  before 
the  memorable  draught  of  fishes  (i.ui<e 6:  i.  u). 
These  four  are  grouped  (Andrew  sometimes 
last)  as  the  first  quaternion,  wlieiiever  the 
names  of  the  twelve  are  recited.  Three  of 
them  were  repeatedly  distinguished  b^'  the 
special  intiinac\'  of  Jesus  at  interesting  crises 
of  his  history. — Philip  and  Bartholomew. 
We  read  (John  1.43)  that  after  Andrew,  John, 
and  Peter  had  found  Jesus,  he  (Jesus)  next 
findeth  Philip,  whose  name  also  here  appears 
among  the  twelve.  Then  we  are  told  (ver.  40) 
that  Peter  found  Nathanael,  in  a  way  so  sim- 
ilar to  the  case  of  Andrew  and  Peter,  as  to 
suggest  that  these  two  also  may  have  been 
brothers.  At  least  it  is  hard  for  us  to  think, 
from  the  description  of  Nathanael,  then,  that 
he  was  not  marked  for  an  apostle.  And  in 
John  21:  2,  we  do  find  him  named  among 
several  apostles  as  though  he  certainly  was  one 
of  them.  But  in  his  natural  place  on  the  lists 
of  names  we  find  everywhere  Biirtholomew. 
without  the  slightest  clew  to  his  origin,  the 
circumstances  of  his  call,  or  to  any  incident  of 
his  discipleship.  Something  of  this  we  natu- 
rally expect  concerning  one  standing  so  high 
in  the  series  of  names.  For  such  reasons,  and 
further  because  the  designation  here  given  is 
merely  a  Hebrew  piitronymic,  e^juivalent  to 
son  of  Tolmai,  the  greatly  prevalent  opinion 
has  been  that  his  real  i)ersonal  name  was 
Nathanael. 

15.  Matthew  (Levi,  the  publican),  and 
Tliomas,  the  despondent  doubter  (John20;25\ 
who  gained  for  us  asjiecial  )in>of  of  our  Lord's 
resurrection  (ver.  28).  These  make  up  the  second 
quaternion,  of  which  Philift  always  comes 
first,  with  some  changing  of  the  jiositinn  of  all 
the  other  three.  James  the  son  of  ,\l- 
pheus,  heads  the  third  group.  He  is,  with 
gofd  reason,  supposed  to  be  the  one  called 
"James  the  less"  —  rather,  "the  little" 
(M:irk  15;  40),  and  was  probably  overseer  of  the 
Church    in   Jerusalem,    after  the   murder  of 


114 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


16  And  Judas  "-the  hrnther  of  James,  and  Judas  Iscar- 
iot,  which  also  was  the  traitor. 

17  And  he  came  down  with  them,  and  stood  in  the 
plain,  and  the  company  of  his  disciples,  'and  a  great 
multitude  of  people  out  of  all  .ludea  and  Jerusalem, 
and  Iroui  the  sea  coast  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  which  came 
to  hear  liim,  and  to  be  healed  of  their  diseases; 


16  who  was  called   the  Zealot,  and   Judas  Ihe/^son  of 

17  James,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  who  became  a  traitor;  and 
he  came  down  with  them,  and  stood  on  a  level  place, 
and  a  great  multitude  of  his  disciples,  and  a  great 
number  of  the  people  from  all  Juda;a  and  Jerusalem, 
and  the  sea  coast  ot  Tyre  and  Sidon,  who  came  to 


aJudel 6  Matt.  4:  25;  Mark  3:  7. 1  Or,  brother.    See  Judn  4. 


James,  son  of  Zebedee.  His  father  was  prob- 
ably not  the  Alpheus,  father  of  Levi  (Mat- 
thew), mentioned  (Mark  2:  u).  (See  Hackett,  in 
Smith's  B.  D.,  p.  73).  Simon  called  Ze- 
lotes.  The  commonness  of  his  name  made 
necessary  a  distinguishing  epithet.  Zelotes, 
meant  a  zealot,  and  was  given  to  him,  doubt- 
less, because  he  had  belonged  to  that  party  of 
fanatical  patriots,  who,  since  the  days  of  the 
Maccabees,  had  burned  with  a  flagrant  hatred 
of  foreign  domination.  They  were  on  the 
alert  for  every  possible  opportunity  of  resist- 
ance and  insurrection,  and  by  their  mad  ex- 
cesses contributed  much,  at  a  later  period,  to 
the  miseries  of  the  capture  of  Jerusalem  by 
Titus.  The  designation  "Cananaean"  (not 
"Canaanite")  in  Matthew  and  Mark,  is  the 
Aramaean  equivalent  to  Zelotes. 

IG.  And  Judas  the  brother  (rather,  the 
son)  of  James.  Judas  (Greek  for  Judah) 
was  one  of  the  most  common  of  Jewish 
names.  The  son  is  not  expressed  in  the 
Greek;  but  the  ellipsis  in  such  cases  is  so  uni- 
formly thus,  that  we  should  need  stronger 
proof  that  the  relationship  was  different  than 
can  be  drawn  from  Jude  1 :  1,  to  warrant  our 
substituting  brother  here.  His  place  in  the 
catalogue  of  Matthew  is  occupied  by  Leb- 
baeus,  and  in  that  of  Mark  by  Thaddaeus, 
warranting  the  belief  that  in  that  age  of 
various  names,  he  was  so  differently  called, 
perhaps  at  different  times  and  in  different 
relations.  His  father  is  likely  to  have  been 
the  James  last  mentioned  above  [?  A.  H.]. — 
And  Judas  Iscariot,  which  also  was  the 
traitor— trather,  ivho  became  (turned  out)  a 
traiior.  This  name  naturally  stands  last  in 
all  enumerations,  as  Peters  first.  His  sur- 
name is  probiibly  the  (xreek  pronunciation  of 
ish  Kerioth,  "man  of  Kerioth."  a  town  men- 
tioned in  Joshua  15:  25.  Of  the  other  apos- 
tles, we  are  not  told  here  what  they  did ;  and, 
with  the  exception  of  Peter,  James,  and 
John,  no  record  is  left  to  us  of  more  than 
some  little  incident — a  question  asked,  a  word 
or  two  si)oken.  Even  of  tlie  excepted  three, 
their  -wiiule  certain  history  is  given   in  the 


New  Testament.  Without  fame,  they  taught 
and  toiled;  lost  individually  in  the  body  of 
"the  apostles."  Known  unto  Goil  only  were 
the  details  and  the  abundance  of  their  labors, 
and  the  poignancy  of  their  sufferings,  cheer- 
fully borne  for  that  name.  Their  record 
is  on  high.  But  Judas,  the  last  on  the  list,  is 
here  commemorated  as  the  author  of  a  deed 
which  no  other  companion  of  Christ  could 
fail  to  recall  with  a  shudder,  whenever  his 
name  was  repeated;  he  "became  a  traitor." 
Why  Jesus  should  have  chosen  him  as  one  of 
his  messengers,  it  may  be  appropriate  to  con- 
sider at  a  later  period.  Had  we  seen  him  at 
this  point,  he  would  probably  have  seemed 
specially  likely  to  be  useful  in  certain  re- 
spects; and,  generally,  of  as  fair  a  promise 
as  any  of  the  twelve. 

17-19.  Works  of  Mercy,  Preliminary 
TO  THE  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

17.  And  he  came  down  with  them,  and 
stood  in  the  plain  (rather,  a  level  jylnce). 
As  this  last  clause  is  expressed  in  the  Com- 
inon  Version,  we  must,  in  order  to  avoid 
distinct  contradiction  Avith  Matthew  5:  1, 
understand  the  discourse  which  follows, 
against  all  the  preponderating  reasons  to  the 
contrary,  to  be  different  from  the  one  in 
Matthew.  But  the  Revision  gives  the  exact 
and  proper  rendering  of  our  verse — not  in 
the  plain,  as  opposed  to  "on  a  mountain," 
but  071  a.  level  place  (iTi  tottov  m&ivov),  which 
might  be  on  a  mountain  ;  and,  indeed,  neces- 
sarily implies  comparison  with  hilly  land. 
The  "horns  of  Hattin,"  previously  described, 
])erfectly  meet  the  conditions  here,  and  so 
might  a  variety  of  other  pbtces  on  that  high, 
but  very  uneven  table-land  west  of  the  Sea 
of  Galilee.  Jesus,  having  gone  up,  tiie  pre- 
vious day,  on  the  elevated  and  solitary  plateau, 
as  Matthew  describes,  had  passed  the  night 
on  a  higher  summit,  whither  he  had  called 
his  disciples,  we  know  not  how  many ;  and, 
after  choosing  out  the  twelve  apostles,  now 
came  down  and  stood,  that  is,  occupied  a 
positioti,  on  the  level  surface  of  the  plateau, 
whici),    travelers    say,    would    accommodate 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


115 


18  And  they  that  were  vexed  with  unclean  spirits: 
and  tliey  were  iiealed. 

19  And  tlie  wliolc  multitude  "sought  to  touch  him; 
for  '>  there  went  virtue  out  of  him,  and  healed  them  all. 


18  hear  him,  and  to  be  healed  of  their  diseases  ;  and  they 
that  were  troubled  with  unclean  spirits  were  healea. 

19  And  all  the  multitude  sought  to  touch  him:  for  power 
came  forth  from  him,  and  healed  them  all. 


....b  MnrkS:  30;  cb.  8 :  46. 


some  two  thousand  men.  The  plateau  was 
1,000  feet  higlior  than  the  hike.  The  Kurun 
ridge  was  elevated  above  the  plateau  about 
forty  or  fifty  feet,  to  one  approacliing  from 
the  lake  ;  but  on  the  side  toward  the  Plain  of 
Hattin,  sloped  down  steeply  about  four  hun- 
dred feet.  Such  was  the  scene  of  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount.  The  company  (Greek,  a 
great  crowd)  of  his  discip^les.  Matthew 
also,  while  placing  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
early  in  his  Gospel,  presupposes  a  wide  extent 
of  previous  preaching,  and  a  large  gain  of 
disciples,  such  as  Luke  has  brought  us  to  in 
a  more  nearly  chronological  order  of  the 
events  (Matu4: 23-25).  But  discipleship  here 
means  necessarily  no  more  than  acceptance 
of  the  truth  of  Christ's  Messiahship,  in  many 
cases  no  more  than  a  belief  that  he  was  a 
"Teacher  sent  from  God"  (John3:2).  Their 
understanding  of  his  real  character,  and  the 
depth  of  their  conviction,  varied  indefinitely 
with  the  various  scholars,  and  with  the  same 
one  at  different  times.  (See,  for  the  state  of 
things  a  little  later,  John  6:  60,  66,  67.)— And 
a  great  multitude  of  the  people.  The 
range  of  country  from  which  tlie  tlirong  as- 
sembles, is  greater  than  any  previously 
named,  showing  the  constant  extension  of  the 
reports  concerning  him.  —  Came  to  hear 
him— that  the.y  might  make  up  their  minds 
as  to  his  character  and  requirements;  some, 
doubtless,  with  hearts  prepared  to  put  them- 
selves uniler  those  sjjiritual  teachings  of  which 
they  had  caught  hints. — And  to  be  healed 
of  their  diseases.  Many  would  have  no 
higher  aim  or  faith  than  this  ;  but  we  would 
hope  that,  it\  a  large  proportion  of  those  who 
received  physical  benefits,  there  would  arise, 
also,  the  sense  of  spiritual  needs,  and  the  ex- 
perience of  spiritual  satisfaction.  Trust  in 
the  great  Healer,  rewarded  by  unspeakable 
gains  of  bodily  health  and  comfort,  would 
naturally  open  their  hearts  to  the  offer,  from 
the  same  source,  of  soundness  and  rest  to  sin- 
sick,  troubled,  and  laboring  souls. 

19.  And  the  whole  multitude  sought  to 
touch  him.  It  was  another  of  the  occasions 
when  "the  power  of  the  Lord  was  with  him 
to  heal"  (5;  17),  and  when  great  faith  on  the 


part  of  the  needy  gave  scope  for  its  exercise. 
There  may  have  been  much  superstition  with 
the  faith,  leading  them  to  think  that  physical 
contact  was  necessary  to  secure  the  desired 
boon,  especially  as  the  dense  throng  around 
him  would  hinder  those  more  distant  from 
perceiving  the  manner  of  his  work.  When 
they  came  near,  they  would  find  that  there 
went  virtue  (power)  out  of  him,  and 
healed  them  all— not  mechanically,  but  of 
his  own  will,  in  answer  to  their  genuine,  but 
often  unenlightened  faith.  (Comp.  8:  43  ff.) 

20-49.  The  Discoursk  Itself.  In  regard 
to  this,  we  agree  with  those  who  hold  it  to  be 
an  abridged  report  of  the  same  discourse 
which  Matthew  gives  more  nearly  in  full 
(ch.5-7).  The  obvious  superficial  difficulty 
from  the  apparent  diversity  of  locality,  is 
set  aside  by  a  consideration  of  the  facts  above 
presented  (ver. n).  Other  objections  growing 
out  of  the  substance  and  form  of  parallel 
teachings  in  the  two  reports,  are  analogous  to 
those  which  arise  wherever  independent 
accounts,  of  var^Mng  fullness,  are  given  as  of 
the  same  transaction  or  discourse.  On  the 
other  iiand,  we  infer  that  they  were  different 
reports  of  the  same  discourse  from  these  cir- 
cumstances, namely,  that  the  two  begin  with 
beatitudes  and  end  with  the  parable  of  the 
wise  and  foolish  builders;  that  between  these 
two  extremes,  Luke  also  gives  the  law  of  the 
new  commonwealth,  without  needing,  as  did 
Matthew,  to  comjiare  or  contrast  this  with  the 
old  law;  and  brief  applications  of  this  law  to 
the  conduct  of  his  followers,  without  con- 
trasting the  hypocritical  practices  of  workers 
under  the  fossilized  law  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees.  Add,  that  both  are  directly  fol- 
lowed by  the  account  of  the  healing  of  a 
centurion's  servant  in  Capernaum.  In  Luke, 
we  have  the  Manifesto  of  the  Messiah,  not 
distinctly  in  his  character  of  Royal  Lawgiver, 
but  more  generall}',  in  that  of  a  compassion- 
ate Saviour,  Expounder  of  the  principles  of 
his  kingdom,  and  Teacher  of  the  way  of  life. 

20-26.  The  Character  and  Blessed- 
ness OF  His  Followers  Contrasted  with 
THE  Character  and  "VVoes  of  the  Oppo- 
site Class. 


116 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VL 


20  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  on  his  disciples,  and 
said,  " Blessed  be  ye  poor:  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of 
God. 


20     And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  on   his  disciples,  and 
said,  Blessed  are  ye  poor:  for  yours  is  the  kingdom 


a  Matt.  5:3;  11:5;  James  2 :  5. 


20.  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  on  his 
disciples — a  formal  introduction  to  the  fol- 
lowing account.— Blessed  be  {are)  ye  poor. 

The  address  here  is  direct,  to  the  disciples 
before  him,  and  not  apophthegmatic,  about 
such,  as  in  Matthew.  This  seems  to  suit  bet- 
ter with  the  actual  relation  of  the  parties  in 
question.  The  disciples  were  generally  poor 
in  worldly  wealth,  and  the  crowd,  probably  al- 
most all,  of  humble  rank  in  the  gradations  of 
society.  To  them  bespeaks,  on  the  supposi- 
tion that  they  put  themselves  under  his  teach- 
ing, and  yield  him  allegiance  as  head  of  the 
expected  kingdom.  Blessed=happy  :  happy 
are  ye.  Not  that  their  poverty  is  in  itself  hap- 
piness; but  that  they  are  not  hindered  by  the 
abundance  of  worldly  goods  from  realizing 
their  spiritual  needs;  are  aided,  rather,  by 
their  lack  of  them  to  turn  from  the  world, 
and  seek  the  treasures  in  heaven.  This  quali- 
fication of  the  idea  of  poverty,  as  calculated  to 
make  more  sensible  the  deficiencies  of  spiritual 
excellence,  or  lack  of  true  righteousness,  which 
is  here  implied,  is  directly  expressed  by  Mat- 
thew: "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,"  as,  in- 
deed, it  must  be  expressed,  when  the  general, 
proverbial,  form  of  the  beatitudes  was 
adopted.  That  which  was  not  true  of  "  poor  " 
as  such,  holds  directly  of  those  whom  the  Sa- 
viour addresses  as  '"ye  poor."  Ye,  who,  com- 
ing to  learn  of  me,  and  put  yourselves  under 
my  guidance,  are  poor  in  worldly  goods. 
Perhaps  the  style  in  Matthew  only  faintly 
implies  that  which  in  Luke  is  most  conspicu- 
ous, sini))l('  jjoverty. — For  yours  is  the  king- 
dom of  God.  Luke  and  Mark  constantly 
designate  the  kingdom  as  of  God,  while 
Matthew  commonly  calls  it  "the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  The  latter  conforms  more  to  the 
later  Jewish  usage,  in  avoiding  the  direct 
name  of  God,  where  possible,  and  indicating 
him  by  the  word  "Heaven,"  his  abode  person- 
ified. The  phrase  had  naturally  arisen  from 
the  reflection  of  pious  men  on  the  idea  of  a 
theocratic  state,  in  which  Jehovah  was  to  rule 
over  an  obedient  and  faithful  people,  accord- 
ing to  laws  and  instructions  emanating  from 
himself,  and  resulting  in  a  holy  character  and 
correspimding  blessedness.  As  the  theocratic 
nation,  instead  of  actually'  ap])roxiinating  to 


the  idea,  receded  constantly  further  from  it,  it 
rose  ever  more  brightly  to  prophetic  vision  as 
a  reality  of  the  future,  in  connection  with  the 
presence  and  influenceof  that  mysterious  Rod 
or  Shoot  from  the  stem  of  Jesse,  about  whom 
clustered  all  the  intimations  of  a  Messiah. 
Daniel  (2 :  44;  7 :  u,  is.  27),  had  .ixed  this  conception 
in  the  form  of  a  kingdom,  established  by  God, 
glorious,  powerful  over  all  others,  and  ever- 
lasting. In  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon  (»0:io), 
we  find  mention  plainly  of  a  Kingdom  of 
God. 

The  term  had  been  much  worked  over  by 
Jewish  theologians,  and  was  familiar  in  the 
language  of  piety  at  the  time  of  Christ.  He 
had  only  to  clear  it  of  misconceptions  and 
errors,  and  absurdities,  of  earthliness  and 
narrowness,  in  order  to  make  it  a  fit  vehicle 
of  the  true  idea  of  spiritual  and  eternal  salva- 
tion. In  his  lips,  it  stood  for  the  complex 
and  sum  of  blessedness  designed  by  his 
Father  in  eternal  counsels,  and  about  to  be 
realized  through  his  mediation.  It  brings  to 
our  thoughts  the  whole  sphere  of  Christian 
welfare  under  the  figure  of  a  state,  in  which 
God  reigns  (Kingdom  of  God),  through  the 
agency  of  Jesus  (Kingdom  of  Christ,  Eph. 
5:  5),  over  souls  renewed,  through  repentance 
and  faith  in  Jesus,  by  God's  own  Spirit,  and 
consecrated  to  his  service  without  reservation 
or  drawing  back  for  time  and  for  eternity. 
The  law  of  this  Kingdom  is  love — love  bind- 
ing each  soul  to  God  in  supreme  devotion, 
and  to  every  fellow-soul,  as  God's  child  and 
image,  in  all  aflTectionate,  sympathizing  offices 
of  help. 

John  had  spoken  of  this  Kingdom  as  near, 
"at  hand."  Jesus,  at  the  beginning  of  his 
public  work,  announced  it  in  the  same  way 
(•Miitt.  4: 17;  Mark  1:15);  but  after  lils  preaching 
has  r.  suited  in  conversions  and  the  attach- 
ment of  hearts  to  him,  he  freely  refers  to  it 
as  present,  while  yet  much  that  is  said  of  its 
fruition  is  expressed  in  the  future  tense,  as  if 
all  present  experience  of  it  was  only  inchoate 
and  prelusive.  It  was  constituted  when  a 
troubled  soul  first  truly  heeded  the  injunc- 
tion, "Repent  and  believe  the  gospel ;  for  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand,"  thus  accepting 
the  rule,  and  ofl^ering  himself  as  the  subject, 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


117 


21  "Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now:  for  ye  shall  be  |  21  of  Cod.  Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now:  for  ye 
filled.  'Blessed  are  ye  that  weep  now:  for  ye  shall  shall  be  fiiled.  Blessed a;-e  ye  that  weep  now  :  lor  ye 
laugh.  I 

alsa. 55:  1;  65:  13    Mate.  5:6 6  Isa.  61:3;  Mutt.  5:  6. 


of  God  in  Christ.  Then  began  that  blessed 
society  of  souls  with  the  Saviour,  which 
crowns  all  other  worthy  unions  and  relation- 
ships, or  makes  up  for  them  when  they  do 
not  e.vist.  It  has  grown  by  the  accession  of 
every  following  soul  that  has  broken  away 
from  the  hard  reign  of  the  world,  and  its 
prince,  to  find  peace  and  rest  under  the  easy 
yoke  of  the  Son  of  man.  We  are  taught  to 
pray  that  it  may  continue  thus  to  spread, 
until  it  shall  have  embraced  all  the  nations 
within  its  general  sway,  and  the  will  of  Our 
Father  shall  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven.  May  he  hasten  that  consummation! 
To  give  the  character  of  a  society,  a  rule,  a 
state,  a  kingdom  to  the  individual  relation  of 
a  believing  soul  to  Christ,  some  outward  or- 
ganization, some  badge  of  membership,  seems 
essential.  To  answer  important  purposes, 
this  relati<ni  niust,  in  its  temporal  continuance, 
be  represented  visibly.  As  emerging  from  the 
Hebrew  polity  of  the  Old  Testament,  "the 
kingdom  of  God  "  could  not  naturally  mean 
a  purely  spiritual  relation,  a  mere  "psycho- 
logical kingdom"  ;  but  must  have  aform,  in- 
stitutions, polity,  adapted  to  its  spiritual  na- 
ture, as  the  old  form  was  to  its  social  and  re- 
ligious intention.  And  the  whole  teaching  of 
the  New  Testament  is  consistent  only  with 
thehypothe.'*isofsuch  an  outward,  visible  body 
of  the  saved.  What  its  pattern  should  be,  we 
could  not  tell  beforehand.  But  "  the  reason 
of  positive  institutions  in  general  is  very  ob- 
vious, though  we  should  not  see  the  reason 
why  such  particular  ones  are  pitched  upcm, 
rather  tlian  others.'  (Bishop  Butler,  Anal.  Pt. 
2,  ch.  1).  The  "church"  is  not,  according  to 
thedefinition  of  the  word,  identical  with  "the 
kingd<tm,"  but  when  the  removal  of  the  Lord 
from  the  earth  left  the  latter  without  hope  of 
adequate  organization  during  "the  life  that 
now  is,"  the  church  ideally  came  into  the 
place  of  the  kingdom,  and  inherited  the  insti- 
tutions and  polity  by  which  its  reality  was  to 
be  manitVsted  to  itself  and  to  the  world.  Tlie 
ideal  church  or  congregation  is  represented 
by  each  particular  church,  and  has  for  its 
practical  aim  to  call  out  of  the  world,  and 
train    to   perfection,  those  whom    the    Fatlier 


has  given  to   the   Son,  that  they   may  be  fit 
members  of  the  glorified  state. 

Thus,  even  on  earth  the  essentially  inward, 
personal,  spiritual  relation  of  the  subject  to 
his  king  may  be  more  or  less  perfectly  ex- 
})ressed  in  an  outward,  organic  communion. 
In  such  a  communion,  provision  is  ideally 
made  for  assuring  happiness  to  the  Loril' 
"poor,"  in  the.supply  of  many  of  their  earthly 
wants,  the  fulfillment  of  reasonable,  butuii.sat- 
isfied  desires.  This  we  see  in  the  practice  of 
the  earliest  disciples,  after  the  Day  of  Pente' 
cost,  and  in  a  degree  through  all  the  ages 
since.  Doubtless,  the  Master's  intention  for 
such  help  even  here  has  j-et  to  be  more  per- 
fectly answered.  Enough,  to  show  that  it  is 
in  no  mockery  that  he  says:  "Hai)py  are  ye, 
poor,  for  yours  i.s  the  kingdom  of  God."  But 
everything  that  is,  at  the  best  is  only  prelimi- 
nary to  a  more  glorious  hereafter — a  state  in 
which  lies  so  much  of  the  blessedness,  as  to 
warrant  its  being  called  also  "the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  There  is  its  capital  city,  the 
throne  of  its  King,  the  scene  of  its  full,  eter- 
nal development  and  felicity'.  There,  at  all 
events,  those  poor,  whom  Jesus  here  blesses, 
will  thankfully  own  themselves  rich,  in  the 
friendship  of  a  glorified  Redeemer,  and  the 
perfected  society  of  all  God's  chosen. 

21.  Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now — 
addressed  not  to  another  class  of  persons,  but 
to  the  same,  regarded  as  suflTering  that  want 
which  is  involved  in  the  poverty  just  charac- 
terized.— For  ye  shall  be  filled — points  to 
that  future,  abundant  satisfaction  of  all  right 
and  holy  desires,  which  is  assured  to  all  sub- 
jects of  the  kingdom. — Blessed  arc  ye  that 
weep  now;  for  ye  shall  laui^h.  This 
weeping  is  a  sign  and  fruit  of  the  poverty, 
and  the  laughing  is  a  translation  into  out- 
ward symbol  of  the  spiritual  joy  of  the 
kingdom. — Now — in  all  the.<e  declarations, 
names  the  period  preliminary  to  the  com- 
plete revelation  of  the  reign  in  Christ,  to  the 
glories  of  which  all  these  traits  of  character 
are  also  prerequisite,  and  the  future  tense 
of  the  promises  looks  forward  to  that  per- 
fected character  and  happiness. — These  three 
traits  correspond  to  three  of  the  first  found  in 


118 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


22  "Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  hate  you,  and 
■when  they  'shall  separate  you  Jrom  their  company,  and 
shall  reproach  you,  and  east  out  your  name  as  evil,  for 
the  Son  of  man's  sake. 

23  ''Rejoice  ye  in  that  day,  and  leap  for  joy :  for,  he- 
hold,  your  reward  i.s  great  in  heaven:  for ''in  the  like 
manner  did  their  fathers  unto  the  prophets. 

24  'But  woe  unto  you /that  are  rich!  for  » ye  have 
received  your  consolation. 

25  *  Woe  unto  you  that  are  full  I  for  ye  shall  hunger. 
>Woe  unto  you  that  laugh  now!  for  ye  shall  mourn 
and  weep. 


22  shall  laugh.  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  hate 
you,  and  when  they  shall  separate  you  Jrortt  l/itir  com- 
pany, and  reproach  you,  and  cast  out  your  name  as 

23  evil,  for  the  Son  of  man's  sake.  Rejoice  in  that  day, 
and  leap /or  Joy ;  for  behold,  your  reward  is  great  in 
heaven:  for  in  the  same  manner  did  their  fathers 

24  unto  the  prophets.     But  woe  unto  you  that  are  rich  I 

25  for  ye  have  received  your  consolation.  Woe  unto 
you,  ye  that  are  full  now  !  for  ye  shall  hunger.  Woe 
unto  you,  ye  that  laugh  now !  for  ye  shall  mourn  and 


aM:itt.  5;  11 ;  1  Pet.  2:  19:  3:  14;  4:  14 6  John  16:  2 c  Mait.  a:  12;  Acts  5  :  41  ;  Col.  1 :  24  ;  Jnme'^  1:2 d  Acts  7:  51 

e  Amos  6:  1  ;  James  5  :  l..../ch.  12  :  21 g  Matt.  6:  2,  5,  16  ;  ch.  16  :  25 A  Isa.  65  :  13 i  Piov.  14:  13.    ' 


Matthew,  but  not  in  the  same  order.  Lest 
any  should  fall  away  from  discipleship,  or 
shrink  from  embracing  his  cause,  through 
fear  of  trials  which  experience  had  now 
proved  they  were  likely  to  meet,  he  shows 
that  the  suffering  of  persecution  for  his  sake 
is  also  a  ground  of  rejoicing. 

22.  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall 
hate  you,  etc.  Friendship  to  him  was  sure 
to  draw  the  hatred  of  the  world,  and,  emi- 
nently, that  of  the  religious  leaders  of  that 
time. — Separate  you  from  their  company, 
by  excommunication  from  their  synagogues, 
and  the  refusal  of  social  intercourse. — Cast 
out  your  name  as  evil — probably,  by  some 
formula  of  execration,  as  if  the  very  mention 
of  their  names  was  of  evil  (baneful)  tendency. 
— For  the  Son  of  man's  sake.  On  the 
title,  see  on  5:24.  The  ble.'ising  is  assured 
only  to  afflictions  borne,  on  account  of  true 
allegiance  to  him.  And  the  same  condition 
is  implied  with  the  fore-mentioned  poverty 
and  hunger. 

23.  Rejoice  ye  in  that  day,  and  leap 
for  joy.  The  day  of  contempt  and  cruelty 
toward  his  followers,  Jesus  seems  to  see  as  if 
present;  so  sure  is  it  to  come.  "Blessed  are 
ye  when  men  shall  hate  you,"  etc.  Then, 
instead  of  regarding  it  as  an  occasion  of  grief 
and  mourning,  rejoice,  rejoice  exceedingly. — 
Leap  for  joy,  is,  etymologically,  the  same 
as  to  "exult,"  rejoice  triumphantly.  What 
can  make  such  a  course  reasonable  or  possi- 
ble? Simply  a  due  consideration  of  what  is 
involved  in  connection  with  the  Kingdom  of 
God.  That  does  not  allow  any  one  to  fail  of 
a  spiritual  reward  for  all  sacrifices  in  its  be- 
half.— Your  reward  is  great  in  heaven. 
That  is,  in  the  perfected  state  of  the  kingdom, 
when  its  temptations,  trials,  discipline,  have 
given  Avay  to  rest,  fruition,  perfect  peace. 
These  will  be  more  abundant  and  more  richly 
appreciated  in  the  case  of  men  who  have  most 


bravely  borne  most  of  those. — For  in  like 
manner  did  their  fathers  unto  the  pro- 
phets.— A  practical  ])roof  from  history  that 
this  is  so.  The  prophets  are  applauded  now; 
who  would  not  bear  what  they  endured  to  be 
honored  as  they  are  honored?  They,  surely, 
inherit  eternal  blessedness;  but  in  their  day 
they  were  treated,  at  the  hands  of  the  fathers 
of  3'our  persecutors,  with  the  same  abuse 
which  threatens  you.  Your  reward  shall  be 
like  that  of  the  prophets. 

24.  The  four  traits  of  character  thus  posi- 
tively presented  as  belonging  to  those  who 
enter  the  kingdom,  are  further  illustrated  by 
contrast  with  four  opposite  characteristics  of 
those  who  can  have  no  part  or  lot  therein; 
and  to  the  four  blessings  are  opposed  four 
corresponding  woes.  Of  these,  Matthew 
makes  no  menticm. 

Woe  unto  you  that  are  rich.  A  certain 
proportion  of  the  company  assembled,  might 
consist  of  those  social  and  religious  magnates, 
whom  we  have  seen  lurking  around  the 
Saviour  as  conspirators  and  spies — men  who 
commonly  belonged  to  the  wealthy,  or  the 
comfortable  portion  of  .society.  That  he  thus 
directly  addressed  them  is  more  probable 
than  that  he  simply  imagined  such  as  listen- 
ing to  him.  It  was  a  case  like  that  of  John 
the  Baptist  denouncing  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees  (M.-ut.  s:  7).  Not  as  rich,  merely,  but 
as  the  wordly,  proud,  self-satisfied,  and  unre- 
penting  rich,  are  they  miserable. — For  ye 
have  received  your  consolation — all  that 
was  possible  for  you  of  joy  and  comfort,  ye 
have  had  here  on  earth  ;  and  the  bliss  of  the 
kingdom  henceforth  ye  cannot  know. 

25,  26.  The  two  classes  of  verses  25  and  26, 
are  precisely  antithetical  to  the  two  in  ver.  21, 
22,  and  their  destinies  are  diametrically  oppo- 
site. Abundance  and  mirth  for  a  season,  and 
a  g(jod  report  from  tlie  world,  will  be  followed 
with  a  famine  of  spiritual   peace,  and  with 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


119 


26  "Woe  unto  you,  when  all  men  shall  speak  well  of 
you  !  for  so  did  their  lathers  to  the  false  prophets. 

27  'But  I  saj'  unto  you  which  hear,  Love  your  ene- 
mies, do  good  to  them  which  hate  you, 

2s  Uless  theiu  that  curse  you,  and 'pray  for  them 
that  despitcl'ully  use  you. 

29  ''And  untohini  that  smiteth  thee  on  the  one  cheek 
offer  also  the  other;  «and  hiui  that  taketh  away  thy 
cloak  forbid  not  to  Inkf  thy  coat  also. 

30 /Give  to  every  uiau  that  asketh  of  thee;  and  of 
him  that  taketli  away  thy  goods  ask  them  not  again. 

'AX  sXnd  as  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do 
ye  also  to  them  likewise. 


26  weep.  Woe  unlo  you,  when  all  men  shall  speak  well 
of  you  I  for  in  the  same  manner  did  their  lathers  to 
the  false  prophets. 

27  But  I  say  unto  you  who  hear,  Love  your  enemies, 

28  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  bless  them  that  curse 

29  you,  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you.  To 
him  that  smiteth  thee  on  the  y«p  cheek  otter  also  the 
other;   and  from  him  that  taketh  away  thy  cloak 

30  withhold  not  thy  c(jat  also,  tjive  to  every  one  that 
asketh  thee;  and  of  him  that  taketh  away  thy  gotjds 

31  ask  them  not  again.    And  as  ye  would  that  men 


a  Johu  15;  19;  1  John  4:5 6  Kx.  23:  4;  Prov.  ?5:  21 ;  Matt.  5:  44;  ver.  35;  Eom.  12:  20 c  ch.  23:34  ;  Acts  7  :  60 d  Malt. 

b:i\)....el  Ciir.  6:  7..../D«ut.  15:  7,  B,  10;  Prov.  -.'l :  26;  Mult.  5:  42 j  Matt.  7:  12. 


dishonor  and  mourning  forever. — For  so  (in 
the  same  way)  did  their  fathers  to  the 
false  prophets.  Numerous  men,  in  the  Old 
Testatiient,  pretending  to  be  sent  by  God, 
spol\e  "smooth  things"  to  the  people,  leading 
them  into  sin  and  final  ruin.  But  the  unbe- 
lieving and  ungodly  honored  them,  and  now 
they  ar^held  in  infamy. 

27-36.  TiiK  Law  of  the  New  Society 
IS  Universal  Love. 

27,  28.  But  I  say  unto  you  which  hear, 
liOve  your  enemies.  The  statement  of  the 
fundamental  principle  of  their  lives  and  con- 
duct, as  his  subjects,  had  been  prepared  for 
in  the  more  detailed  discour.se  in  Matthew, 
by  elaborate  contrast  with  the  law  of  Moses. 
Here  it  comes  in  abruptly,  but  with  evident 
allusion  to  those  things  i)reviously  said.  In 
Matthew  (5:2127,  ar),  the  Master  had  repeatedly 
told  them,  "  Ye  heard  that  it  was  said  to  them 
of  old  time"  ;  here  his  language  is,  "/  say  to 
you  that  are  hearing."  I  lay  down  the  law 
for  you  as  members  of  the  new  religious  state. 
The  essence  of  nt  is,  that  whereas  ye  have 
understood  the  old  requirements  to  be  a 
partial  good- will  toward  certain  persons,  on 
certain  conditions,  and  not  to  others,  or  other- 
wise, ye  are  now  to  love  all  men  and  treat 
them  lovingly.— Do  good  to  them  which 
hate  you.  The  love  here  enjoined  is,  essen- 
tially, good  will— desire  for  the  true  happiness 
of  others.  It  expre.s.ses  itself  in  prayer  to 
God  for  their  welfare,  in  kindness  of  word — 
blessing — and  in  benevolence  of  act.  Thatitis 
tobe  cherished  toward  enemies,  those  which 
hate  you,  and  despitefully  (abusively)  use 
you,  is  as  much  as  to  say  that  it  is  to  be 
cherished  toward  everybody,  without  excep- 
tion. Its  scope  should  be  as  universal  as  the 
bounty  of  God,  and  its  limitations,  if  any. 
should  be  analogous  to  those  which  would 
restrain  him. 


29,  30.  And  unto  him  that  smiteth 
thee,  etc.  These  paradoxical  instances  seem 
designed  to  impress  vividlj'  on  the  follower 
of  Jesus  that  he  must,  as  such,  bear  suHering 
and  injustice,  without  retaliation  or  fail- 
ure of  good  will.  Casuistry  may  revel  in 
questions  started  by  these  precepts,  concern- 
ing predicaments  in  which  those  to  whom  the 
Saviour  spoke  could  never  be  j)laced.  But 
we  may  interpret,  in  practical  life,  the  rules 
of  Christ  by  his  own  example,  and  that  of 
his  apo-stles.  This  will  confirm  what  might 
be  understood  beforehand,  that  the  love  to 
one  must  harmonize  with  the  love  to  all 
others;  that  love  is  not  identical  with  gratifi- 
cation of  the  wishes  of  its  object,  but  may 
sometimes  necessitate  refusal,  -and  resistance 
to  importunities  and  injuries;  that  love  to- 
ward a  per.<on,  or  persons,  is  consistent  with 
appealing  to  right  laws  against  such,  for  re- 
straint and  correction.  Love  itself  suggests 
these  qualifications,  and  authoritative  ex- 
ample sustains  them.  With  ideally  perfect 
men,  such  as  the  Saviour  contemplated,  and 
in  an  ideal  society,  there  would,  of  course,  be 
no  difficulty;  but  in  every  case,  toward  even 
the  mo.st  harmful  of  men,  love  must  not  fail. 
We  must  sooner  bear  harm  and  injustice  than 
sacrifice  good  will,  like  that  of  Christ  himself. 

31.  And  as  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  to  you,  etc.  The  Golden  Rule  here  comes 
into  a  .'letting  more  obviously  appropriate, 
where  it  looks  back  to  the  whole  presentation 
ofthelawand  duty  of  the  kingdom.  In  re- 
spect to  what  the  law  of  /ore  requires  of  us  in 
particular  cases  the  Master  gives  us  a  short 
and  easy  formula,  bj'  which  we  may  solve 
many  problems.  It  is  needed  only  when  we 
find  no  specific  rule,  in  reason  or  revelation, 
to  govern  our  action.  In  such  an  emergency, 
to  determine  what  we  should  do  toward  a 
fellow-man,  we  ma^'  judge  what  we  should 


120 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


32  "For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  thank 
have  ye?  for  sinners  also  love  those  that  love  them. 

33  And  iCye  do  good  to  them  which  do  good  to  you, 
what  thauk  have  ye?  lor  sinners  also  do  even  the 
same. 

34  'And  if  ye  lend  to  them  of  whom  ye  hope  to  re- 
ceive, what  thank  have  ye?  for  sinners  also  lend  to 
sinners,  to  receive  as  much  again. 

35  But  ''love  ye  your  enemies,  and  do  good,  and 
''lend,  hoping  lor  nothing  again;  and  your  reward 
shall  be  great,  and  ''ye  shall  be  the  children  of  the 
Highest:  lor  he  is  kind  unto  the  unthankful  and  to  the 
evil. 

36  /Be  ye  therefore  merciful,  as  your  Father  also  is 
merciful. 

37  c Judge  not,  and  ye  shall  not  be  judged:  condemn 


32  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  to  them  likewise.  And 
if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  thank  have  ye? 

33  for  even  sinners  love  those  that  love  them.  And  if 
ye  do  good  to  them  that  do  good  to  you,  what  thank 

34  have  ye?  for  even  sinners  do  the  same.  And  if  ye 
lend  to  them  of  whom  ye  hope  to  receive,  what  thank 
have  ye?  even  sinners  lend  to  sinners,  to  receive 

35  again  as  much.  But  love  your  enemies,  and  do  th^m 
good,  and  lend,  i  never  despairing;  and  your  reward 
shall  be  great,  and  ye  shall  he  sons  of  (he  Most 
High  :  for  he  is  kind  toward  the  unthankful  and  evil. 

36  Be  ye  merciful,  even   as  your   F"ather   is  merciful. 

37  And  judge  not,  and  ye  shall  not  be  judged :  and 
condemn  not,  and  ye  shall  not  be  condemned:  re- 


a  Mutt.  5:  46 &  Matt.  5:42. 


ver.  27 d  Ps.  37:  26;  ver.  30 e  M;itt.  5:  45.... /Matt.  5  :  48 g  Malt.  7:  1. 1  Some  an 

cieui  authorities  i-ead,  despairing  of  no  man. 


like,  and  what  we  should  think  right  (both 
these  elements  must  enter  into  our  judgment) 
to  have  done  to  us  by  him,  if  our  relations 
were  reversed.  That  we  should  do  to  him  as 
the  relations  stand.  The  Golden  Rule  takes 
the  place  of  no  other  commandment,  least  of 
all  the  command  to  love ;  it  determines  sim- 
ply how  a  more  general  commandment  ap- 
plies to  a  special  case. 

32-34.  Love  that  is  partial  or  mercenary 
is  not  the  love  which  engages  the  favor  of  the 
Lord. — For  (rather,  and)  if  ye  love  them 
which  love  you,  what  thank  have  ye?  etc. 
Even  mercenary  self-interest  prompts  un- 
godly, unregenerate  men  to  shows  of  love 
which  promise  profltaTsle  returns.  What 
Christ  enjoins  is  an  unselfish,  self-sacrificing 
good  will.  To  do  a  favor  in  hope  merely  of  a 
quid  pro  quo.,  is  not  the  kindness  of  the  king- 
dom. To  lend  for  the  sake  of  receiving  a 
legal  equivalent,  is  good  business  policy,  but 
no  indication  of  the  spirit  proper  to  Christ's 
followers. 

35.  But  love  ye  your  enemies — the  di- 
rect and  positive  inculcation  of  ver.  27  ff.,  is 
resumed. — And  do  {them)  good,  and  lend — 
do  all  that  has  been  enjoined.— Hoping  for 
nothing  again  (rather,  never  despairing,  or, 
"despairing  in  nothing").  This  is  the  un- 
doubted meaning  in  usage  of  the  participle 
translated  in  the  Common  Version — hoping 
for  nothing  again.  The  correct  rendering 
encourages  pure  charity  with  a  hope  of  re- 
turn, but  not  earthly — never  despairing  of  a 
jirofitable  return — in  spiritual  gains. — And 
your  reward  shall  be  great — namely,  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  (ver.  20fr.)  This  gives  a 
better  text  than  the  Common  Version,  for 
charity  sermons  ;  but  let  anniversary  preach- 
ers and  the  representatives  of  benevolent  in- 


stitutions note  how  and  where  the  reward  for 
Christian  beneficence  is  to  be  paid.  The 
Saviour's  compensation  for  service  to  him, 
and  sacrifices  in  his  cause,  is  better  than 
worldly  good;  it  is  an  increase  of  the  spirit  of 
beneficence  and  sacrifice  to  all  eternity. — And 
ye  shall  be  the  children  (lit.,  sons,  without 
the  art.)  of  the  Most  High.  By  a  familiar 
Hebrew  figure,  the  word  "sons"'  was  em- 
ployed to  signify  "partakers  of  the  character 
of,"  e.  g.,  Belial,  wisdom,  etc.  Thus  here, 
"sons"  of  God,  because  evincing  a  spirit,  a 
character,  like  God's,  of  free,  benevolent  love. 
— For  he  is  kind  unto  (lit.,  toward)  the 
unthankful  and  to  the  evil  (rather,  un- 
thankful and  evil).  How  few  of  all  the  race 
of  men  could  have  lived  and  had  opportunity 
of  happiness,  had  their  Creator  and  Preserver 
looked  for  worthiness  and  gratitude,  not  to 
say  recompense,  in  them. 

36.  Be  ye  {become  ye,  or  prove  yourselves 
— therefore  omitted,  as  in'Eevision)  mer- 
ciful- compassionate  or  pitiful  —  as  your 
Father  also  is  merciful.  The  Greek  does 
not  so  abruptly  bid  us  to  be  possessed  of  so 
divine  a  trait,  btit  exhorts  us  to  advance  to 
ever  greater  perfection  in  it — to  become  SMch. 
So  shall  we  act  worthily  of  our  sonship,  and 
not  otherwise  . 

37.  Judge  not  (the  true  text  has  and  be- 
fore judge),  and  ye  shall  not  be  judged, 
etc.  Passing  over,  in  this  connection,  all  the 
rich  instruction  of  Matthew  6,  much  of  it 
suggested  by  Jewish  customs,  Luke  brings 
this  precept  in  directly  as  a  part  of  the  law 
of  love.  It  forbids  the  disposition  and  habit 
of  sitting  in  judgment  on  the  motives  and 
conduct  of  others,  as  inconsistent  with  that 
love  which  is  the  essence  of  the  Christian 
character,  and   which    "hopeth  all   things" 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


121 


not,  and  ye  shall  not  be  condemned:  forgive,  and  ye 
shall  be  forgiven : 

3H  "(live,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you ;  good  meas- 
ure, pressed  down,  and  shaken  together,  and  running 
over,  shall  men  give  into  your  ''bosom.  For  =  with  the 
same  measure  that  ye  mete  withal  it  shall  be  measured 
to  you  again. 


38  lease,  and  ye  shall  be  relca.sed :  give,  and  it  shall  be 
given  unto  you  ;  good  measure,  pressed  down,  shaken 
together,  running  over,  shall  they  give  into  your 
bosom.  For  with  what  measure  ye  mete  it  shall  be 
measured  to  you  again. 


oProv.  19:  17....6Ps.  79;  1?...  .c  Matt.  7  :  2;  Murk  4:  24;  James  2  :  13. 


(1  Cor.  13:7).      It    is    not    merely    unfavorable 
judgment,   condemnation,   but  the  habit   of 
judging  at  all,  that  is  to  be  avoided.     The 
verb  here,  as  in  all  these  precepts,  but  one, 
denotes  not  a  single  act,   but  a  practice  or 
custom  of  action.     The  censorial  spirit  should 
be  suppressed.     It  cannot  be  Christ's  inten- 
tion to  prevent  our  forming  those   opinions 
about  others  by  which   we   must  guide  our 
own  conduct,  nor  our  pronouncing  in  partic- 
ular cases  on  the  character  of  manifest  action, 
and   the    character  of   the   disposition   from 
which  it  springs;  especially  not  our  exercis-  | 
ing  judgment  when  officially  required  (i  Cor. 
5:  12).     Such  judgment  .Jesus  himself  reijuires 
(Malt.  7:  6),  whcrc  Bcngcl  says,  "a  dog  is  to  be 
regarded  as  a  dog,  a  swine  as  a  swine."     (See 
ver.  42.)     Not  only  his  own  conduct,  but  that 
of   his  apostles,    will   furnish   numerous    in- 
stances of   right    and    necessary   judgment. 
Only,  no  judgment  but  in  love  and  gooc  will, 
and  where  needful  to  help;  while  judging  as 
a  habit,  and  for  no  practical  good,  is  a  contra- 
diction to  love.     The  practical  criterion  may 
be  found  in  1  Cor.  13:  4-6.     Some  think  the 
Saviour  was  warning  against  the  faults   of 
Pharisees  and   scribes;    but   unless    he   had 
before  him  people  less  addicted  to  the  fault 
in  question  than  the  generality  of  his  disci- 
ples since,  there  was  no  need  of  his  aiming 
outside    of   them. — And    ye    shall    not    be 
judged.     This  declaration  holds  good,  to  a 
great  extent,   even    in   the   present  life — the 
censorious  man  is  the  object  of  censure.    But 
it  is  a  light  thing  to  be  judged  of  man's  judg- 
ment; and  this,  like  all  the  other  indications 
of  future  treatment  in  the  discourse,  had  ref- 
erence to  the  sentence  of  the  Son  of  man  on 
his   throne,    in    the   last   day.     Then,    as  the 
merciful  shall  obtain  mercy,  the  hard,  criti- 
cal, unloving  character  will  meet  an  opposite 
judgment.      And    (see    the    Revision)    con- 
demn not,  etc.     This,  which  is  really  implied 
in    the    preceding,    needed   to    be    distinctly 
stated,    that   it   might   be    clearly   seen    that 
unnecessary  judgment  of  all  kinds  was  for- 
bidden, and  then,  a  fortiori,  such  judgment 


as  involved  condemnation.  To  this  the  habit 
of  passing  sentence  on  others  in  one's  mind  is 
apt  to  come.  Forgive  (better,  re^eer.s.^),  and 
ye  shall  be  forgiven  {releiiiit'd)—\t  is  not  a 
ease  of  per.sonal  injury  which  needs  to  be  for- 
given, but  of  pronouncing  sentence.  Rather, 
release  or  "absolve"  the  person  concerned 
from  inculpation,  where  love  and  duty  do 
not  demand  the  unfavorable  judgment.  With 
this  qualification,  most  of  the  judgments  of 
Christians  against  their  brethren  would  be 
avoided. 

38.  Give— what?      All    jxissible   help,    by 
word,  deed,  sympathy,  and  material  contribu- 
tions.    It  is  a  comprehensive  re-stat.'iiu'iit  of 
the  law  of  love,  in  practice.     It  follows  upon 
the  immediately'  preceding,  as  if  the  Saviour 
would   saj-,  Ye  shall    not  or.ly  not  do  those 
harmful  things,  but  instead  shall   render  as- 
sistance to  every  brother   whom  you  can  aid. 
— And  it  shall  be  given  unto  you;  good 
measure,  etc.     This  is  not  a  mercenary  offer, 
but,  as  "it  is  more  bles.sed  to  give  than  to  re- 
ceive," this  is  a  promise  of  that  blessing  in 
abundance.     The  measure  is  thought  of  as  a 
dry  measure,  and  it  is  good  in  the  sense  of 
being  ample,  which  the  following  clauses  are 
familiarly  adapted  to  prove.— Shall  men  give 
into   your  bosom— in  the  time  of  complete 
retribution,  altiiough  somethingof  this  recom- 
pense goes  with  the  kind  deed  here  and  now. 
The  word  men  is  not  only  not  in  the  original 
text,  but  leads  away  from  the  true  sense.     The 
subject  of  the  verb  is  our  indefinite   "they" 
(French,     on;     German,  man),     and     points 
vaguely  to  those  (perhaps  angels)  who  shall 
carry  the  final  judgment  into  effect. — Bosom, 
is  that  bag-like  fold  into  which  the  loose  outer 
robe  then  worn  (mantle  or  shawl)  fell,  as  it 
was  thrown  around  in  front  over  one  shoulder. 
In  this  they  often  carried  a  moderate  quantit3' 
of  goods.     Ruth,    by   taking  off  her   mantle 
("veil''),  made  it  serve  to  bear  a  heavy  load 
(Riiih3: 15).  —  For  with   the   same    measure 
that   ye    mete    (mra.'inrr)   withal,  it    shall 
be  measured  to  you  again.— According  to 
the  quantity-  of  love  which  ye  exhibit  toward 


122 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


39  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them;  "Can  the  blind 
lead  the  blind?  shall  they  not  both  fall  into  the  ditch? 

40  *  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  master:  but  every 
one  that  is  perfect  shall  be  as  his  master. 

41  "^And  why  beholdest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy 
brother's  eye,  but  perceivest  not  the  beam  that  is  in 
thine  own  eye? 

42  Either  how  canst  thou  say  to  thy  brother,  Brother, 
let  me  pull  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thine  eye,  when  thou 
thyself  beholdest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own 
eye?  Thou  hypocrite,  -^cast  out  first  the  beam  out  of 
thine  own  eye,  and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  pull 
out  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye. 


39  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto  them,  Can  the 
blind  guide  the  blind?  shall  they  not  both  lall  into  a 

40  pit  ?  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  i  master ;  but  every 
one  when  he  is  perfected  shall  be  as  his  '  master. 

41  And  why  beholdest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy 
brother's  eye,  but  considerest  not  the  beam  that  is  in 

42  thine  own  eye?  Or  how  canst  thou  say  to  thy  brother, 
Brother,  let  me  cast  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thine  eye, 
when  thou  thyself  beholdest  not  the  beam  that  is  in 
thine  own  eye?  Thou  hypocrite,  cast  out  hrst  the 
beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  and  then  shalt  thou  see 
clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's 


a  Matt.  15:  U 6  Matt.  10:  24;  John  13  :  16  ;  15:  20 c  Matt.  7:3 d  See  Prov.  18;  17 — -1  Or,  teacher. 


others,  will  love  be  returned  to  you  by  God 
and  good  men. 

39-45.  The  train  of  thought  running 
through  these  verses,  and  constituting  them 
properly  one  paragraph,  is  not  narrowly  defi- 
nite, but  seems  to  be  in  general  the  necessity 
of  a  hearty,  sincere,  vitalizing  appropriation, 
by  each  member  of  the  kingdom,  of  its  char- 
acteristic principle  of  love.  This  must  be 
held  in  the  spirit  of  the  kingdom,  not  in  the 
formal,  self-righteous,  hypocritical  way  of  the 
Pharisees,  but  in  humility,  sympathetic  kind- 
ness, and  purity  of  heart. 

39.  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto 
them.  This  formula  "and  he  spake  also,"  is 
used  by  Luke  often  to  mark  the  beginning  of 
a  new  topic.  We  accordingly  see  no  clear 
logical  connection  between  the  parable  and 
what  has  just  been  said.  Godet  ingeniously 
points  out  that  ver.  41,  42  follow  naturally  in 
the  train  of  ver.  37,  38.  True,  and  \i  they  had 
been  found  here,  we  should  have  said  that  con- 
nection was  natural.  As  it  is,  we  must  admit 
that  if  the  verses  before  us  were  a  part  of  this 
discourse  (comp.  Matt  15: 14),  the  logical  link 
on  which  they  hung  has  not  been  given  us. 
He  begins  a  new  train,  naturally  leading 
through  to  ver.  42.  Parable  is,  in  this  place, 
an  illu.strative  simile. — Can  the  blind,  etc. — 
The  Saviour,  in  the  Greek,  individualizes  his 
case.  Can  possibly  n  blind  man  guide  a  blind 
man  ?  The  connection  in  which  the  same  il- 
lustration is  used  in  Matthew  15:  14,  shows 
that  there  the  Pharisees  and  their  like  are 
aimed  at — their  dry,  jejune,  hide-bound,  tra- 
ditional repetitions  of  the  truth,  even  when  it 
was  truth,  having  no  power  to  enlighten  or 
move  toward  holiness.  They  were  doomed  to 
destruction  themselves,  and  would  lead  any 
who  trusted  to  them  down  to  the  ditch — [pit) 
i.  e.,  of  Gehenna — with  them. 

40.  The  disciple  =  scholar — is  not  above 
his  master  ^teacher.     If  you  put  yourselves 


to  school  under  Pharisees,  you  will  be  no  bet- 
ter, in  understanding  divine  things,  no  more 
honest  in  religious  practice,  than  they. — But 
every  one  that  is  perfect  (ivhen  he  is  per- 
fected), etc.,  has  been  completely  schooled, 
drilled,  trained,  so  that  he  is  such  as  they 
would  like  to  have  him,  shall  be  as  his  mas- 
ter— has  become  as  perfect  a  Pharisee  as  the 
other.     Nothing  more. 

41,  43.  Warning  against  the  assumption  of 
piety  and  righteousness.  Having  reference 
still,  perhaps,  to  the  practice  of  the  Pharisees, 
as  self-righteous,  fault-finding,  insincere  teach- 
ers, Christ  would  not  only  not  have  his  friends 
become  pupils  of  the  Pharisees,  but  he  would 
prevent  them  from  adopting  their  ways  or 
spirit. 

41.  The  beam  that  is  in  thine  own 
eye,  is  an  extravagant,  almost  ludicrous  em- 
blem of  the  gross  faults  and  blemishes  of  the 
inculpated  class  (considering  their  pretensions 
and  greater  means  of  knowledge),  as  compared 
with  the  ignorance  and  consequent  error  of 
common  men,  which  are  but  a  mote — a  bit 
of  chip,  a  minute  sliver,  or  particle  of  dust — 
in  thy  brother's  eye.  A  man  of  that  sort 
should  rid  himself,  by  repentance,  confession, 
and  humble  amendment  of  life,  of  his  own 
unrighteousness,  before  assuming  to  correct 
the  trivial  errors  of  his  brethren. 

42.  The  word  brother  shows  that  Jesus 
has  in  view  the  relation  of  members  of  his 
kingdom,  and  is  concerned  lest  the  spirit  of 
Pharisaism  should  establish  itself  there. — 
Thou  hypocrite  !  points  to  a  possible  dissem- 
bler among  his  followers  al.so,  and  the  need  of 
sincerity,  humility,  and  love,  in  orcei  that  one 
may  see  clearly  whether  a  brother  is  really 
in  fault,  and  how  rightly  to  correct  him 
(comp.  Gal.  6:  1),  "in  the  spirit  of  meekness, 
lest  thou  also  be  tempted." 

43.  For  a  good  tree  brinjreth  not  forth 
corrupt  fruit,  etc.     The  Kevision  gives  the 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


123 


43  '  For  a  good  tree  bringeth  not  forth  corrupt  fruit ; 
neither  doth  a  corrupt  true  briiiK  forth  >;o(kI  fruit. 

44  For 'every  tree  is  Ijnown  hy  his  own  fruit.  For 
of  thorns  men  do  not  gather  figs,  nor  of  a  bramble  bush 
gather  they  grapes. 

45  «A  good  man  out  of  the  goo<l  treasure  of  his  heart 
bringeth  forth  that  which  is  good;  anil  an  evil  man  out 
of  the  evil  treasure  of  his  heart  brinj^eth  forth  that 
■which  is  evil:  for  •'of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  his 
mouth  speaketh. 

46  «And  why  call  ye  me,  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the 
thitigs  which  I  say? 

47 /Whosoever  cometh  to  me,  and  heareth  my  say- 
ings, and  doeth  them,  I  will  shew  you  to  whom  he  is 
like: 

48  He  is  like  a  man  which  built  an  house,  and  digged 
deep,  and  laid  the  foundation  on  a  rock:  and  when  the 


I  43  eye.    For  there  is  no  good  tree  that  bringeth  forth 

I       corrupt  fruit;  nor  again  a  corrupt  tree  that  bringeth 

j  44  forth  good  fruit.     For  each  tree  is  known  by  its  own 

I       fruit.     For  ol  thorns  men  do  not  gather  tigs',  nor  of  a 

t  45  bramble  bush  gather   they  grapes.    The  good  man 

out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart  bringeth  forth 

that  which  is  good  ;  and  the  evil  innii  out  of  the  evil 

Iri'iisuri'  bringeth  forth  that  which  is  evil :  for  out  of 

the  abundance  of  the  heart  his  mouth  speaketh. 

46  And  why  call  ye  me.  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the 

47  things  which  I  say?  Fvery  one  tliat  Cometh  unto 
me,  and  heareth  my  words,  and  doeth  them,  I  will 

48  shew  you  to  whom  he  is  like:  he  is  like  a  man 
building  a  house,  who  diggeil  and  went  deep,  and 
laid  a  foundation  upon  the  rock:  and  when  a  Hood 
arose,  the  stream  brake  against  that  house,  and  could 


a  Mult.  7:  16:  17 6  Mutt.  12:  .33 c  Matt.  12:35 d  Matt.  12:  34 eMal.  1:6;  Matt.  7  :  21 ;  25  :  II ;  ch.  13:  26...  ./Miiu.7  :  24. 


verse   more    exactly.       Corrupt  ^  unsound, 

rotten  ;  figuratively,  what  i.s  unfit  and  spoiled 
for  its  proper  use.  In  Luke's  presentation  of 
the  simile,  if,  as  the  for  indicates,  a  logical 
connection  is  preserved,  the  tree  stands  for  the 
di.sciple  as  a  teacher,  who  is  §rood  when  he 
truly  reflects  tlie  humility,  sympathy,  equity, 
and  loving-kindnessof  the  Master.  Thefruit 
is  his  power  through  word  and  deed  to  help 
others  toward  greater  perfection,  the  legiti- 
mate influence,  in  short,  of  character  and  life, 
good,  necessarily,  if  those  are  good.  In  Mat- 
thew, also,  the  corresponding  passage  (7:  n,  is) 
is  connected  with  cautions  against  false  pro- 
phets, but  with  peculiarities  in  the  application. 

44.  For  every  (or  each)  tree  is  known  by 
his  (itN)  own  fruit,  etc.  An  axiom  of  unques- 
tionable truth,  looking  both  backward  and  for- 
ward, on  which  the  whole  argument  of  these 
vei"ses  rests.  It  is  simply  exemplified  in  the 
reference  to  tlie  thorn  and  bramble  bush  ;  as 
these,  so  every  one  bears  fruit  after  its  kind. 

45.  A  (the)  good  man,  etc.  He  now  takes 
the  place  of  tlie  good  tree,  the  analogy  neces- 
sarily' failing  in  some  respects.  He  is,  through 
God's  grace,  good  by  virtue  of  a  store  of  right 
princi|>les  tind  motives  of  action,  from  which, 
as  from  an  inward  treasure,  he  brings  forth 
good  words,  good  deeds,  good  influence  of 
every  kind.  The  heart  is  the  beneficent 
store-house  of  all  lovely  and  hel|)ful  supplies, 
and  so  proves  itself  good.  Conversely  of  the 
opposite  character — the  evil — the  selfish,  liard. 
unloving,  malignant  man— the  )>roducts  of 
his  heart  correspond  with  the  inward  con- 
tents.— This  must  be  so.  for  of  (out  of)  the 
abundance  of  the  heart  his  (each  man's) 
mouth  speaketh.  Doubtless  if  the  Saviour 
hnd  gone  into  details,  he  might  have  said  that 
the  actions  and  desires  of  the  man,  as  well  as 
his  words,  are  only  spociiuens  of  the  abun- 


dance =  overflow — of  the  heart.  It  does 
not  mean  that  thedefinite  subjects  which  most 
engage  a  man's  interest  will  be  necess;irily 
most  talked  about  by  him,  but  that  the  moral 
quality  of  his  heart  will  determine  the  quality 
of  his  discourse  and  conduct. 

4G-49.  Conclusion:  The  Nkcessitv  of 
Practical  Obedience  to  these  Teach- 
ings. 

46.  And  why  call  ye  me,  Lord,  Lord — 
thus  professing  yourselvt^s  my  disci])les.  mem- 
bers of  the  kingdom  of  God — and  do  not 
the  things  which  I  say?  It  is  as  great  a 
delusion  as  to  think  of  a  thorn  bush  as  bear- 
ing figs,  or  of  a  man  as  good,  when  the 
manifest  outcome  of  his  heart  is  evil.  Pro- 
fessions and  j)retense  are  not  sufficient;  there 
must  be  the  proved,  practical  reality  of  a 
heart  submissive  to  my  will.  Whosoever 
cometh  to  me,  and  heareth  my  sayings^ 
puts  himself  in  the  attitude  of  a  disciple — 
and  ducth  them— that  is,  shows  himself  a 
disciple  indeed.  Here  the  clause,  and  doeth 
them,  requires  the  whole  emi)hasis.  The 
Saviour  describes  a  man  who  puts  himself  as 
a  pui)il  under  him,  not  to  acquire  merely  an 
understanding  of  his  principle.*,  not  to  know 
the  gospel  as  he  might  know  some  abstnict 
science,  but  that  he  may  acquire  an  art — as 
one  might  acquire  the  art  of  playing  the 
organ — the  art.  namely,  of  holy  living,  and 
practical  conformity  to  the  declared  will 
of  Christ.  H(;  letirns,  in  order  that  he  may 
do,  and  by  doing  i)roves  that  he  has  learned 
indeed. — My  sayings  are  the  precepts  and 
instructions  of  the  foregoing  discour^ie,  capa- 
ble of  being  condensed  into  one  word — love; 
but  that  again  easily  exy)ai>ding  into  the  law 
of  all  i)iety.  purity,  goodness,  true  righteous- 
ness. 

48.  He  is  like  a  man  which  built  (lit^ 


124 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VI. 


flood  arose,  the  stream  beat  vehemently  upon  that 
house,  and  could  not  shake  it ;  for  it  was  founded  upon 
a  rock. 

49  But  he  that  heareth,  and  doeth  not,  is  like  a  man 
that  without  a  foundation  built  a  house  upon  the 
earth ;  against  which  the  stream  did  beat  vehemently, 
and  immediately  it  fell ;  and  the  ruin  of  that  house 
was  great. 


not  shake  it:  i  because  it  had  been  well  builded. 
49  But  he  that  heareth,  and  doeth  not,  is  like  a  man 
that  built  a  house  upon  the  earth  without  a  founda- 
tion ;  against  which  the  stream  brake,  and  straight- 
way it  fell  in  ;  aud  the  ruin  of  that  house  was  great. 


1  Many  aacieiit  authorities!  le.id.  far  it  had  been  founded  upon  the  rock  :  as  in  Matt.  vii.  '25. 


building)  a  house.  It  is  the  perfect  gecurity 
of  such  a  disciple's  position  that  Jesus  would 
illustrate.  He  may  be  thought  of  as  estab- 
lishing a  character  that  is  to  be  tested  by 
fearful  exigencies,  or  a  hope  of  everlasting 
life,  firm  enough  to  stand  against  seductions, 
and  assaults  of  men  and  Satan,  through  life 
and  in  death.  It  is  his  house  which  he  is 
rearing,  the  home  and  refuge  and  defence  of 
his  peace,  which  can  allow  no  doubt  to  hang 
over  the  question  of  its  solidity  and  safety. 
It  is  worse  than  nothing,  if  not  safe.  And 
digged  deep  (or  lit.,  ivent  deep),  and  laid 
the  foundation  on  a  rock.  The  Greek  is, 
a  foundation  on  the  rock.  It  is  as  if  Christ 
were  thinking  of  a  site  where  the  surface 
earth  was  known  to  be  light  and  sandy,  but 
resting,  at  no  very  great  depth,  on  a  wide, 
extending  rock.  The  prudent  builder  took 
all  needed  pains  to  reach  that,  before  begin- 
ning to  lay  his  wall.  He  acted  as  though 
he  understood  the  perils  of  the  region,  and 
would  leave  no  chance  of  being  undermined. 
The  lower  levels  about  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  or 
the  plains  at  the  foot  of  hills  and  mountains 
anywhere  tlierc,  would  meet  the  supposi- 
tions.— And  when  the  flood  arose — as  was 
liable  to  be  the  case  any  year.  The  descrip- 
tion at  this  point  is  much  less  fully  develo])ed 
than  iu  Matthew's  report.  But  the  flood= 
freshet — imjilies  the  "rains,"  Avhich  fell  co- 
piouslj'  on  the  higher  lands,  and  descending 
in  rivulets,  formed  a  streani=river,  which, 
overflowing  its  banks,  beat  vehemently 
upon  that  house.  These  natural  occur- 
rences represent  the  trials  and  temptations 
•which  vehemently  threaten  the  Christian's 
character,  at  times,  and  tend  to  undermine 
liis  hope.  But  if  he  has  gone  down  to 
Christ's  own  "sayings,"  and  grounded  his 
life  in  obedience  to  them,  he  shall  stand. 
And  could  not  .shake  it — to  say  nothing  of 
overthrowing  it — for  (in  the  Revision,  because) 
it  Avas  founded  upon  a  rock  (or  better, 
it  had  been  well  builded).  It  is  surprising 
that  so  careful  and  learned  a  writer  as  Scriv- 


ener should  ( Plain  Introduction,  Ed.  2,  p. 
473),  have  objected  to  this  change  of  the  text, 
on  the  ground  of  an  incongruity  between  the 
present  participle  (oiKaSonoCi-Ti),  at  the  begin- 
ning, and  the  perfect  infinitive  (ol/co5on^<r?ai)  at 
the  end  of  the  verse.  He  who  had  begun 
well  with  the  foundation  had  gone  on  well 
through  every  stage  of  the  erection. 

49.  But  he  that  heareth  and  doeth  not 
— the  Greek  plainly  means  Ite  that  ttenrd 
and  did  not — the  past  tense  supposes  the  enel 
to  have  come,  and  turns  our  view  back  on  a 
lost  opportunity.  "In  that  day"  it  will  ap- 
pear that  he  who  merely  heard  the  teaching 
of  Jesus,  without  yielding  up  his  hciirt  and 
life  to  its  power,  was  not  saved  from  an  eternal 
loss. — Without  a  foundation  built  a  house 
on  the  earth=sand  (Matt.  7:26) — merely  on 
hearing,  knowledge,  profession.  A  neighbor, 
perhaps,  to  the  prudent  man,  he  built  care- 
lessly, in  spite  of  a  good  example.  Against 
his  house,  also,  the  swollen  river  dashed,  ami 
it  endured  not  at  all. — Immediately  it  fell ; 
and  the  ruin  of  that  house  was  great. 
In  his  case,  the  outward  events  signify  differ- 
ent trials,  in  part,  from  those  which  beset  the 
Christian — pre-eminently  the  final  judgment. 
How  different  the  eflPect,  eternity  alone  can 
tell.  "A  single  lost  soul  is  a  great  rtiinm 
the  eyes  of  God.  Jesus,  in  closing  his  dis- 
course, leaves  his  hearers  under  the  impres- 
sion of  this  solemn  thought.  Each  of  them, 
while  listening,  might  think  that  he  heard 
the  crash  of  the  falling  eelifice,  and  say  within 
himself:  This  disaster  will  be  mine,  if  I  prove 
hypocritical  or  inconsistent." — Godet. 

When  we  ask  what,  precisely,  was  symbol- 
ized by  tlie  rock,  in  this  closing  jiarable,  it  is 
common  to  say,  "Christ  himself;  Christ,  bj' 
virtue  of  his  atoning  sacrifice,  the  ground  of 
our  eternal  hope."  And  this  undoubtedly 
expresses  a  most  important  and  blessed  truth 
of  theology.  But  is  it  directly  U\ught  here? 
What  is  it  that  the  wise  builder  reaches  by 
his  process  of  digging  and  going  deep,  as 
compared   with   the  other  man?      Is  it  not 


Ch.  VI.] 


LUKE. 


125 


obedience,  the  actual  doing  of  the  things  com- 
manded by  Jesus?  Surely,  he  who  accom- 
plished that  founded  on  the  rock. 

It  may  be  said  that  Christ  is  elsewhere 
named  the  rock.  True ;  but  not  regarded  as 
a  foundation.  The  apostle  tells  us  (i  Cor.  lo:  *), 
tiiat  tlie  Spiritual  Rock,  yielding  the  gushing 
si)ring  which  followed  the  Israelites  through 
the  wilderness,  was  Christ,  the  source  of  all 
grace  and  blessing  to  his  disciples.  Else- 
where, he  is  called  "the  chief  corner-stone" 
(not  Rock)  of  the  spiritual  building,  his 
church;  but  the  apostles  and  prophets  are 
"the  foundation,"  as  the  conveyers  of  his 
truth  and  spirit.  Pre-eminent  among  the 
apostles,  at  a  certain  moment,  Peter,  as  fore- 
most in  faith,  is  called  the  "Rock,"  who  is  to 
become  a  foundation  for  the  church.  Christ 
neither  calls  himself  so,  nor  is  so  called  by 
any  other  in  the  New  Testament. 

But,  it  will  still  be  asked.  Can  there  be  such 
obedience  as  we  can  safely  build  on,  without 
faith  in  Christ?  Emphatically,  No.  That 
we  might  infer  from  consideration  of  the  true 
nature  of  gos])el  obedience,  and  we  are  saved 
the  trouble  of  thinking  it  out  for  ourselves  by 
the  divine  philosophy  of  the  plan  and  pro- 
cess of  salvation,  crystallized  for  all  ages,  in 
Romans  3:  '1\-1^\.  But  here  it  becomes  us  to 
notice  that  Jesus  chooses  rather  (the  reasons 
why,  we  need  not  now  inquire  after)  to  have 
us  think  of  love,  and  that  not  as  a  mere  sub- 
jective state  of  feeling,  but  a  practical  carry- 
ing out  of  his  precepts,  as  the  solid  rock.  As 
tiiere  could  not  be  this  obedient  love  without  ' 
faith,  so  there  could  not  be  that  truthful  ac-  | 
leptance  of  Christ  and  his  grace,  without 
love.  Theoretically,  there  ma^'  be  a  natural 
j)recedence  of  faith,  to  other  exercises  of  the 
soul,  as  love  and  hope;  actually  and  chrono- 
logicallj',  love  is  as  early  in  its  origin,  and  at 
least  as  truly  comprehends  the  rest.  All  shall 
abide,  thank  God  !  but  the  greatest  is  love. 

Whatever  may  have  led  the  Saviour  to  sf) 
exalt  obedience  si)ringing  from  love,  in  this 
l>aragraph,  the  same  consideration  guided  him 
tliroughout  the  whole  discourse.  Not  a  word 
in  it  directly  of  faith,  from  beginning  to  end  ; 
not  a  word  directly  of  atonement ;  not  a  word 
directly  of  pardon.  It  has  often  been  com- 
mented on  as  a  remarkable  deficiency  in  so 
elaborate  a  programme  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  which  we  have  come  to  think  of  as 
scarcely  anything  but  faith  and  pardon.     It 


only  shows  how  gradually  the  theory  of  gospel 
salvation  developed  itself  even  in  the  teach- 
ings of  our  Lord.  It  is  the  spirit  of  the  gospel 
in  exercise  among  the  members  of  his  king- 
dom, on  which  he  now  entirely,  and  always 
principally,  insi-sts — the  humility,  the  sense  of 
spiritual  need,  the  sorrow  for  sin,  the  disposi- 
tion of  universal  love,  the  sacrifice  of  self,  and 
beneficence  like  that  of  God.  As  there  is 
always  a  practice  before  an  art,  and  generally 
an  art  before  the  science,  Christ  now  teaches 
the  practice  of  holy  living,  which  was  the 
great  end  of  his  coming ;  and  requires  it  to  be 
cultivated  as  an  art,  suggesting  the  materials 
of  a  science,  which,  if  needed,  will  come  in 
due  time.  So,  largely,  throughout  the  gospel. 
Here  are  the  practical  elements  of  faith,  after- 
wards taken  up  into  the  more  systematic  state- 
ments of  the  Apostle  Paul ;  but  let  us  not  for- 
get that  they  are,  indeed,  taken  up  there. 
Christ  teaches  us  what  we  must  do  and  be, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  teaching,  after  much 
added  about  faith  and  the  Spirit  that  should 
be  given,  seems  to  forget  all  but  the  living 
aspects  of  our  dut^'  to  love,  when  he  declares 
on  what  principle  he  will  pronounce  the  eter- 
nal judgment  (Matt.  25:40, 45:  John  15: 10).  Nor  does 
Paul  fail  to  see  this,  also,  showing  that  to  those 
who  seek  it  by  patient  continuance  in  well 
doing,  and  to  no  others,  will  God  render  eter- 
nal life.     (See  Rom.  2:  7.) 

We  are  told  that  this  is  no  more  than  was 
taught  and  required  of  men  by  the  ancient 
prophets.  What  need  of  teaching  more;  if 
only  men  could  be  led  to  be  and  do  what  the 
prophets  required,  "to  do  justly-,  and  to  love 
mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God"? 
But  how  diflerently  is  this  taught  by  Christ! 
His  life,  free  from  every  taint  of  sin,  and 
shade  of  infirmity,  such  as  marred  the  best 
of  prophets,  interprets  and  enforces  the  pre- 
cepts which  apjieal  to  men's  consciences  and 
reason.  In  tlie  light  of  his  out-beaming  holi- 
ness, they  feel  their  sin,  and  are  urged  to  re- 
pentance. His  merciful  sympathy  encourages 
and  guides  the  effort  necessary  to  maintain  the 
ujiward  and  arduous  grade  of  life.  His  calm- 
ness and  serenity  amid  opposition,  danger,  and 
privation,  inspire  them  with  strength  to  bear; 
and  love,  answering  in  their  hearts,  draws 
them  to  leave  all  and  follow  him. 

Thus,  even  when  Jesus  taught  them  sub- 
stantially what  old  prophets  had,  more  or  less 
distinctly  taught,  the  truth  at  his  lips  had  a 


126 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIL 


CHAPTER    VII. 


"VfOW  when  he  had  ended  all  his  sayings  in  the  audi- 
1 1     eace  o(  the  people,  "  he  entered  into  Capernaum. 

2  And  a  certain  centurion's  servant,  who  was  dear 
unto  him,  was  sick,  and  ready  to  die. 

3  And  when  he  heard  of  Jesus,  he  sent  unto  him  the 
elders  of  the  Jews,  beseeching  him  that  he  would  come 
and  heal  his  servant. 


1  After  he  had  ended  all  his  sayings  in  the  ears  of 
the  people,  he  entered  into  Capernaum. 

2  And  a  certain  centurion's  >  servant,  who  was  "dear 

3  unto  him,  was  sick  and  at  the  point  of  death.  And 
when  he  heard  concerning  Jesus,  he  sent  unto  him 
elders  of  the  Jews,  asking  him  that  he  would  come 


I  Matt.  8 :  5. 1  Gr.  bondeervant . . .  .2  Or,  precious  to  him.     Or,  honourable  with  hi, 


power  and  efficacy  which  they  could  not  at- 
tain. The  final  explanation  is  that  the  Teacher 
himself  was  more  than  they.  He  was  a  pro- 
phet— God's  spokesman — ayid  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah, in  whom  God  himself  spoke.  He  does 
not  explicitly  so  name  himself  in  this  dis- 
course, it  is  true ;  hut  to  every  thoughtful  soul 
he  raises  or  warrants  the  conviction  that  he  is 
such.  What  he  enjoins,  he  enjoins  as  a  Divine 
Lawgiver,  who  does  not  need  to  support  him- 
self on  former  precepts,  but  whose  "I  say 
unto  you,"  is  authority  of  itself.  What  they 
have  to  suffer  in  his  service  is  to  be  borne  "  for 
the  Son  of  tnan's  sake."  That  they  shall  not 
themselves  lack  strength,  is  proved  by  the 
power  which  has  just  been  given  to  the  apos- 
tles (Mark.3: 15),  even  " to  cRst  out  dcmons." 
The  authority  of  the  Messiah  guaranteed  the 
promises  of  blessedness  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  'All  this  fell  short  of  the  fullness  of 
mature  gospel  teaching  mainly  in  its  failure  to 
answer  koto  such  infi  nite  blessings  could  be  con- 
ferred on  sinful  souls,  and  to  apply  the  pecu- 
liarly affecting  motive  which  lies  in  a  clear 
perception  of  Christ's  dying  love  for  them. 


Ch.  7:1-10.  Rkturn  to  Capernatjm; 
Healing  of  the  Centurion's  Servant. 

1.  Now  when  (omit  now)  he  had  ended 
...  he  entered  into  Capernaum — This  is 
the  first  mention  of  Capernaum  since  the 
commencement  of  his  tour  of  labors  (*:*♦). 
As  far  as  he  could  be  said  to  have  a  residence, 
or  even  head-quarters,  Capernaum  seems  to 
have  been  the  place  (♦;  si;  Matt.*:  is)— in  Peter's 
house  more  jirobably  than  in  that  of  his  own 
parents.  His  .slay  here  now  was  brief  (vev.  ii), 
and  can  scarcely  be  regarded  as  an  end  of  his 
expedition  through  the  province.  Matthew 
also  makes  a  visit  to  Capernaum  follow  di- 
rectly upr)n  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount — an 
additional  proof  of  the  identity  of  the  dis- 
course reported  by  both  writers,  and  render- 
ing it  very  likely  that  the  mountain  where  it 
was  delivered  was  near  Capernaum. 

H,  And  a  certain  centurion's  servant, 


who  was  dear  unto  him,  was  sick.  A 
centurion,  according  to  the  meaning  of  the 
term,  was  a  military  oiScor,  commanding 
one  hundred  men— of  a  rank,  therefore,  in  the 
Roman  army,  analogous  to  that  of  captain 
with  us.  This  man  was  probably  in  the  ser- 
vice of  Herod  Antipas,  and  may  have  been 
a  Roman,  or,  with  equal  probability,  some 
Greek  or  Oriental,  trained  in  the  Roman 
manner.  He  was,  perhaps,  "a  proselyte  of 
the  gate,"  one  who  accepted  the  principles  of 
the  Jews  in  the  main,  and  followed  some  of 
their  customs.  Had  he  been  circumcised, 
thus  becoming  a  "proselj'te  of  righteousness," 
they  could  not  have  distinguished  between 
him  and  "our  nation." — He  had  a  servant — 
strictly,  a  bond-servant,  or  slave.  Slaves  v.'ere 
very  numerous  at  that  time  throughout  the 
Roman  Empire.  The  Hebrews  had  long 
ceased  from  making  slaves  of  their  own 
people,  but  still  held  those  of  other  nations. 
Among  the  Greeks  and  Romans  they  were, 
for  the  most  part,  of  races  as  white  as  their 
owners,  often  whiter;  sometimes  of  equal,  or 
even  superior,  culture,  and  capable  of  serv- 
ing the  masters  in  close  intimacy,  involving 
important  trusts,  and  consistent  with  high 
mutual  esteem  and  friendsliip.  So  here,  the 
centurion's  servant  was  dear  unto  him. 
The  adjective  means,  primarily,  "valuable," 
"precious,"  then  "held  in  honor,"  "es- 
teemed." It  might  therefore  possibly  be  un- 
derstood as  denoting  pecuniary  worth,  or 
capacity  for  usefulness;  but  the  whole  tenor 
of  the  narrative  consists  better  with  the  idea 
of  personal  esteem  and  affettinn,  naturally 
suggested  by  the  word  dear.  He  was  sick — 
bed-ridden,  as  we  learn  from  Matthew;  and 
his  description  of  the  complaint  leads  us  to 
think  of  something  like  a  very  bad  rheuma- 
tism. And  he  was  at  the  point  of  death — 
ready  to  die — a  death,  too,  of  very  great 
suffering,  from  which  any  friend  would  spe- 
cially desire  to  have  him  spared. 

3.  And  when  he  heard  of  {concernhig) 
Jesus — what  wonderful  works  of  healing  he 


Ch.  VIL] 


LUKE. 


127 


4  And  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  they  besought  hiiu 
instantly,  saying,  Tliat  he  was  worthy  for  whom  he 
should  do  this: 

5  For  he  loveth  our  nation,  and  he  hath  built  us  a 
synagogue. 

6  Then  Jesus  went  with  thcni.  And  when  he  was 
now  not  far  from  the  house,  the  centurion  sent  friends 
to  him,  saying  unto  him.  Lord,  trouble  not  thyself:  for 
lam  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldest  enter  under  my 
roof: 

7  Wherefore  neither  thought  I  myself  worthy  to 
come  unto  thee:  but  say  in  a  word,  and  my  servant 
shall  be  healed. 


4  and  save  his 'servant.  And  they,  when  they  came 
to  Jesus,   besought   him    earnestly,  saying,    lie    is 

5  worthy  that  thou  shouldest  do  this  for  him  :  for  he 
loveth  our  nation,  and   himself  built  us  our  syiia- 

6  gogue.  And  Jesus  went  with  them.  And  when  he 
was  now  not  far  from  the  house,  the  centurion  sent 
friends  to  him,  saying  unto  him,  Lord,  trouble  not 
thyself:  for  I  am  not  ■' worthy  that  thou  sh.mldest 

7  coiue  under  my  roof:  wherefore  neither  tlmught  I 
myself  worthy   to  come   unto  thee:    but  "isay   the 


1  Gr.  bond-servant 2  Or.  tuffleient. . .  .3  Or.  aay  with  a  word. 


had  wrought,  even  in  desperate  cases  —  he 
sent  unto  him  the  (omit  the)  elders  of  the 
Jews — head.*,  probably,  of  a  synagogue  of 
the  place,  and  a  sort  of  religious  magistrates. 
These  might  be  more  persuasive  messengers 
than  ordinary  servants;  and  they,  in  con- 
sideration of  his  personal  friendllne.^s,  were 
ready  to  do  for  him  what  they  would  or- 
dinarily spurn  to  do  for  a  centurion. — Be- 
seeching {asJdng)  him — that  is,  the  centurion 
asking  through  the  elders.  (Comp.  Matthew). 

4.  Heal  his  servant — save  is  more  exact 
than  heal.  Salvation  in  Scripture  designates 
deliverance,  rescue,  restoration,  of  all  kinds, 
individual  or  national,  bodily  or  spiritual, 
and  in  all  degrees,  from  the  termination  of 
any  transient  trouble  to  the  removal  of  guilt, 
condemnation,  and  wrath,  and  the  full  fruition 
of  God's  favor  to  all  eternity.  Here  the  verb 
is  a  compound,  to  e.xpress  special  earnest- 
ness; equivalent  to,  that  he  would  bring  him 
through  safe. — He  was  (is)  worthy  for 
whom  he  should  do  this  (preferably,  that 
thou  shouldest  do  this  for  him).  It  was  not 
natural  for  a  Jew  of  that  day  to  plead  for 
favors  in  behalf  of  a  Gentile,  but  the  gen- 
erosity of  this  convert  made  him  an  excep- 
tional case.  They  were  even  willing  to  apply 
for  him  to  Christ,  whom  many  of  their  rank 
had  now  come  to  regard  as  an  object  of 
hatred  and  abhorrence.  But  we  ought  not  to 
charge  upon  all,  even  of  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, that  hostility  which  prevailed  among 
them  as  a  class.  We  see,  indeed,  almost  to 
the  last,  that  prominent  Jews  under  the  pres- 
sure of  affliction  humbly  beseech  his  tem- 
poral aid. 

5.  For  he  loveth  our  nation,  and  he 
(himself)  hath  built  us  a  synagogue,  (or, 
our  synagogue).  Thia  last  fact  would  be  a 
sufficient  proof  to  them  of  love  to  their  nation, 
and  indeed  it  was  a  rare,  though  by  no  means 
unparalleled,  thing,  that  a  man  in  his  station 


should  show  such  favor  to  Jews.  His  interest 
in  their  religion  would  incline  him  to  friendli- 
ness and  fraternity  in  other  respects,  and  his 
defraying  the  whole  expense  of  building  their 
church  was  the  fruit  of  it.  Our  (Greek, 
"the")  synagogue — not  necessarily  the  only 
one  in  the  town,  but  that  with  which  these 
elders  were  connected. 

6.  Then  Jesus  went  with  them.  Had  he 
measured  the  objects  of  his  healing  love  by 
their  standard  of  worthiness,  few  of  the  thou- 
sand works  of  his  beneficence  would  ever  have 
been  performed.  But  the  elders  had  gained 
the  case  of  their  client  with  Jesus,  when  they 
showed  him  a  sufferer  whom  he  might  reach, 
and  friends  longing  for  his  help.  They  illus- 
trate how,  many  times,  men  who  had  no 
personal  interest  in  Christ  have  conveyed  his 
blessing  to  others.  He  had  almost  reached 
the  centurion's  home,  when  the  latter  sent 
friends  to  him — relatives,  or  the  inmates  of 
his  own  house. — Saying  unto  him,  he  saying 
again  through  his  deputies.  Lord,  trouble 
not  thyself— namely,  by  coming  so  far  out 
of  thy  way.  We  can  only  harmonize  this 
with  the  desire  in  ver.  3,  that  Christ  should 
"come  and  heal,"  by  supposing  that  the 
elders  had  expressed  their  sense  of  what  he 
wished,  or,  that  he  afterwards  reflected  that 
actually  visiting  his  house  was  unnecessary. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  in  Matthew,  where  the 
delegaticm  is  entirely  unnoticed,  nothing  is 
said  about  requesting  Jesus  to  go  to  the  cen- 
turion's house.— For  I  am  not  worthy  =  fit, 
of  that  moral  worth  which  would  make  it 
suitable. 

7.  Wherefore  neither  thought  I  myself 
worthy  to  come  unto  thee.  Plainly  a  differ- 
ent, but  not  incompatible,  report  of  the  trans- 
action from  the  one  followed  by  Matthew. 
The  thought  back  of  this  is,  that  it  is  not  nec- 
essary for  Jesus  to  visit  the  house,  and  that 
the  sender  has  no  social  or  moral  claim  to  war- 


128 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VII. 


8  For  I  also  am  a  man  set  under  authority,  having 
under  me  soldiers,  and  I  say  unto  one.  Go,  and  he 
goeth;  and  to  aiiother,  Come,  and  he  cometli;  and  to 
my  servant.  Do  this,  and  he  doeth  it. 

9  When  Jesus  heard  these  things,  he  marvelled  at 
him,  and  turned  him  about,  and  said  unto  the  people 
that  followed  him,  I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so 
great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel. 

10  And  they  that  were  sent,  returning  to  the  house, 
found  the  servant  whole  that  had  been  sick. 

11  And  it  came  to  pass  the  day  after,  that  he  went 
into  a  city  called  Nain ;  and  many  of  his  disciples  went 
with  him,  and  much  people. 


8  word,  and  my  i  servant  shall  be  healed.  For  I  also 
am  a  man  set  under  authority,  having  under  myself 
soldiers:  and  I  say  to  this  one.  Go,  and  he  goeth; 
and  to  another.  Come,  and  he  cometh;  and  to  my 

9  1  servant.  Do  this,  and  he  doeth  it.  And  when  Jesus 
heard  these  things,  he  marvelled  at  him,  and  turned 
and  said  unto  the  multitude  that  followed  him,  I  say 
unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in 

10  Israel.  And  they  that  were  sent,  returning  to  the 
house,  found  the  'servant  whole. 

11  And  it  came  to  pass  -soon  afterwards,  that  he  went 
to  a  city  called  Nain ;  and  his  disciples  went  with 


1  Or,  boy..., 2  Gr.  bond-aemant....^  Many  ancienc  authorities  read,  ore  the  next  i 


rant  him  in  asking  for  anything  in  the  least 
superfluous.  It  is  not  merely  humility  which 
thus  speaks,  but  an  apprehension  that  Jesus 
might  think  it  less  suitable  that  the  man  of 
another  nation,  a  Gentile,  and  of  a  secular 
calling,  should  approach  him,  than  the  relig- 
ious representatives  of  Christ's  own  people. — 
But  say  in  a  word— a  word  spoken  by  Christ 
at  a  distance  will  be  all  sufficient.  Did  even 
he  believe  that  the  word  need  not  be  spoken 
aloud?  that  the  inaudible  will  of  the  Saviour 
would  infallibly  accomplish  the  desired  re- 
sult? So  it  proved.  And  my  servant  shall 
be  healed  (rather,  Let  my  servant  be  healed.) 
The  Greek  is  gtill  rather  petition  than  predic- 
tion. [The  reading  is  doubtful.  B.  and  L. 
have  iaSrjTco  =  Let — be  healed ;  but  X  A  C  D  R , 
adrja-eTai^  Shall  be  healed. — A.  H.] 

8.  For  I  also  am  a  man  set  under  author- 
ity, etc.  The  reason  involved  in  this  lies  in 
the  fact  that  Christ  commands  the  agencies  of 
healing,  as  he  himself  directs  his  soldiers  to 
do  his  errands,  and  is  obeyed.  He  states  his 
own  position  humbly;  the  point  is  that  he  ex- 
ercises authority,  but  he  is  careful  to  say,  that 
his  is  no  su{)reme  authority,  as  is  Christ's  I 
am  myself,  though  under  the  control  of  higher 
officers,  yet,  in  my  low  sphere,  in  command, 
so  that  with  a  word,  "Come,"  or,  "Go,"  or, 
"Do  this,"  I  secure  that  my  will  is  done. 
How  much  more  will  a  word  from  thee  suffice 
for  all  that  I  desire!  No  human  example 
could  more  expressively  set  forth  the  power 
that  lay  in  a  command  than  the  order  of  a 
Roman  officer  and  master.  What  he  was  in 
these  rude,  earthly  relations,  he  sees  Jesus  to 
be  in  the  su])ernatural  and  spiritual  sphere. 

9.  When  Jesus  heard  these  things,  he 
marvelled  at  him.  Wonder  and  admira- 
tion at  such  clear,  unqualified  faith,  held  him 
for  a  moment,  and  he  rejoiced  in  the  omen  of 
future  triumphs  of  his  truth  among  the  Gen- 
tiles of  the  remotest  regions.  (See  Matt.  8:  11). 


A  great  crowd  had  followed  the  Saviour, 
eager  to  see  what  would  happen  at  the  house 
of  the  officer.  Jesus  would  have  them  all 
apprehend  the  full  significance  of  the  Gen- 
tile's faith.  He  turned,  therefore,  to  face 
them,  and  secure  their  attention,  and  said:  I 
have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not 
(not  even)  in  Israel.  The  excellency  of  the 
centurion's  faith  seems  to  have  lain  in  his  clear 
persuasion  of  the  ability  of  Jesus  to  do  mira- 
cles of  cure  by  a  mere  word  of  command.  In 
previous  cases,  as  in  that  of  rebuking  the  fever 
of  Peter's  mother-in-law,  it  had  been  neces- 
sary for  him  to  lay  his  hands  on  them,  or 
touch  the  blind  eyes,  or  the  bound  tongue, 
and  allow  them  to  touch  his  garment.  These 
wore  accommodations  to  weakness  prevalent 
among  the  Jews,  to  which  this  Gentile  was 
entirely  superior.  He  saw  that  the  power  lay 
in  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  so  that  whatever  that 
willed  to  be  done,  was  done.  And  his  confi- 
dence was  justified. 

10.  And  they  that  were  sent  .  .  .  found 
the  servant  whole— in  sound  health.  This 
was  a  case  of  faith  in  the  healing  power  of 
Jesus  promptly  answered  and  highly  honored 
by  the  Great  Physician.  That  the  officer  rec- 
ognized in  him  the  Saviour  of  souls,  we  are 
not  told  ;  but  if  he  did,  it  does  not  seem  natu- 
ral that  he  should  have  failed  to  encourage  the 
coming  of  .Jesus  to  his  house,  that  he  might 
share  his  spiritual  instruction  and  grace. 

11-17.  Resurrection  of  the  Son  of  the 
Widow  at  Nain.  This  event  is  not  re- 
ported by  either  of  the  other  evangelists. 
The  question  naturallj"^  rises,  why  Luke 
should  have  preserved  what  Matthew  and 
IMark  passed  by.  Tiie  most  obvious  answer 
is,  that,  supposing  them  all  to  have  had  the 
report  of  it,  the  sjjecial  object  of  Luke  alone 
made  this  record  important  to  him.  That 
special  object,  in  this  part  of  his  writing,  we 
suspect  to  have  been  to  mark  the  climax  of 


Ch.  VII.] 


LUKE. 


129 


Christ's  manifestation  of  himself  He  had 
just  given  proof  of  his  power  to  heal  mortal 
diseases  by  a  word,  even  by  an  act  of  his  will. 
Tliat  had  followed  upon  the  announcement  of 
his  higli  claims  as  Messiah,  and  of  the  corre- 
sponding duties  and  privileges  of  his  adherents 
as  constituting  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  had 
been  preceded  by  a  number  of  miracles  spec- 
ially selected  to  show  his  power  over  Satan's 
kingdom  (4:3i-37);  over  all  manner  of  diseases 
(4::)«4i);  over  tl)e  kingdom  of  nature  (om-h); 
over  leprosy,  emblem  of  man's  sin  (5: 12-16); 


cerning  his  character  and  ability,  above  which 
we  are  lifted  at  once,  in  the  faith  of  the  cen- 
turion: "Give  command  only,  and  whatever 
thou  biddest  shall  be  done.""  Here  is  a  begin- 
ning of  receptivity,  and  that  in  the  case  of  one 
of  the  Gentiles— happy  omen  ! — to  which  the 
Saviour  may  now  reveal  still  more  of  him- 
self. Hence  the  presentation,  next,  of  our 
Lord's  dominion  over  death. 

11.  And  it  came  to  pii»<.s  the  day  after  (or, 
Revision,  smm  iifirrwardis),  tbat  he  went  to 
a  city  called  Main.     This  city,  which  still 


over  paralysis,  emblem  of  man's  helplessness 
(5:i-ifi);  over  prevailing  prejudice  and  ground- 
less moral  distinctions,  in  the  special  calling  of 
a  publican  (5r?7-:i2);  over  the  morally  crip))ling 
fetters  of  tradition,  in  the  elucidsition  of  the 
principles  of  fasting  (5::i3  39),  and  the  SaV>bath 
(fi:i-ii).  But  in  all  this,  up  even  to  the  great 
exercise  of  his  restorative  and  delivering 
]iower  preceding  his  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
(fi.  17 19),  where  the  people  felt  it  necessary  "to 
touch  him,"  that  they  might  share  the  out- 
streaming  virtue  (as  it  seemed  to  them),  there 
was  a  certain  poverty  of  apprehension  con- 


exists  under  the  same  name,  Nein,  was  situated 
twenty-four  miles  nearly  south  of  Capernaum, 
This  was  a  long  distance  for  Jesus  to  have 
walked  by  the  "next  day,"  and  the  prepon- 
derance of  authorities,  in  i>ur  judgment,  sup- 
ports the  Revision.  In  either  view,  knowing 
how  much  the  Saviour  would  find  to  do  in 
))assing  that  distance  through  a  populous 
country,  we  see  the  urgency  with  which  he 
))ressed  to  "preach  the  good  tidings  of  the 
Kingdom  of  (lod  to  tht;  other  cities  also" 
(4. 43). — And  many  of  his  disciples  went 
with  him,  and  much  people  (a  great  mul- 


130 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VII. 


12  Now  when  he  came  nigh  to  the  gate  of  the  city 
behold,  there  was  a  dead  man  carried  out,  the  only  son 
of  his  mother,  and  she  was  a  widow :  and  much  people 
of  the  city  was  with  her. 

Vi  And  when  the  Lord  saw  her,  he  had  compassion 
on  her,  and  said  unto  her.  Weep  not. 

14  And  he  came  and  touched  the  bier:  and  they  that 
bare  him.  stood  still.  And  he  said.  Young  man,  I  say 
unto  thee,  "Arise. 

15  And  he  that  was  dead  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak. 
And  he  delivered  him  to  his  mother. 

16  ("And  there  came  a  tear  on  all:  and  they  glorified 
God,  saying,  '"That  a  great  prophet  is  risen  up  among 
us;  and,  ''That  God  hath  visited  his  people. 


12  him,  and  a  great  multitude.     Now  when    he  drew 
near  to  the  gate  of  the  city,  behold,  there  was  carried 

.  out  one  that  was  dead,  the  only  .son  of  his  mother, 
and  she  was  a  widow:  and  much  people  of  the  city 

13  was  with  her.     And  when  the  Lord  saw  her,  he  had 
compassion  on   her,  and  said  unto  her,   Weep   not. 

14  And  he  came  nigh  and    touched  the  bier:  and  the 
bearers  stood  still.     And  he  said.  Young  man,  I  say 

15  unto  thee,  Arise.     And  he  that  was  dead  sat  up,  and 
began  to  speak.     And  he  gave  him  to  his  niinher. 

16  And  fear  took  hold  on  all:  and  they  glorified  <fod, 
saying,  A  great  prophet  is  arisen  among  us :  and, 


ach.  8:  54;  John  11:4.1;  Ao-s9:  40;  Eom.  4  :  17....6  ch.  1 :  65....C  ch. '24:  19;  J  hn  4:  19;  6:  14;  9:  17....dnh.  1  : 


titude).  Now  and  henceforth,  we  find  him 
frequently  accompanied  by  a  crowd  of  disci- 
ples and  others  on  his  journeyings. 

12.  Behold — a  sad  and  striking  encounter 
at  the  gates  of  the  city.  The  town  stood  on 
the  side  of  the  Little  Hermon  mountain,  and 
was  reached  by  a  steep,  rocky  ascent,  through 
this  one  gate. — There  was  a  dead  man 
carried  out — more  literally,  tliere  iras  car- 
ried out  one  tvho  was  dead. — Was  carried 
out  ^  was  in  the  act  of  being  carried  out. — 
The  only  son  of  his  mother,  and  she  was 
a  widow.  The  case  was  thus  a  peculiarly 
sorrowful  one,  and  had  evidently  excited  deep 
interest  among  the  people  of  the  town ;  for 
much  people  (a  considerable  croivd)  of  the 
city  was  with  her.  It  was  doubtless  no  un- 
common thing  for  Jesus  to  meet  a  funeral,  and 
■we  do  not  know  that  on  any  other  occasion  he 
interfered  with  the  course  of  nature  under 
such  circumstances.  But  now,  apart  from 
the  solemn  shock  of  disputing  the  way  with 
a  corpse  through  the  gate  of  the  city  wall, 
the  circumstances  of  this  death  becoming 
known  to  him,  would  be  peculiarly  suited  to 
touch  the  .sympathetic  heart  of  the  Son  of 
man.  "Mourning  for  an  only  son"  was  a 
type  of  the  sorest  grief.  Jesus  himself  sig- 
nalized the  love  of  his  Father  in  giving  his 
only  begotten  Son  for  the  salvation  of  the 
world.  And  now  an  only  .son,  followed  bj' 
his  mother,  and  she  a  widow,  probably  indi- 
gent and  dependent  on  him  for  support — 
what  element  of  the  pathetic  was  wanting? 

13.  And  when  the  Lord  saw  her,  he  had 
compassion  on  her.  As  we  might  expect, 
he  did  not  wait  for  faith  ;  her  distress  evoked 
his  pity,  and  pity  moved  him  to  comfort. — 
He  said  unto  her.  Weep  not.  He  was  prob- 
ably a  stranger  to  her,  and  his  words  would 
naturally  first  occasion  wonder,  or  even  fear. 
It  would  be  rude  and  cruel  if  he  stopped  with 


that.  However  it  may  have  been  with  the 
mother,  none  of  those  who  had  been  with  him 
in  Capernaum  could  have  lacked  faith  that  he 
could,  or  hope  that  he  might,  do  even  this 
wonder  of  mercy,  and  restore  the  dead  to  life. 

14.  And  he  came  ni^^h  and  touched  the 
bier  {c(i(fin)  in  which,  with  the  lid  removed, 
the  body  seems  to  have  been  carried  on  a  bier. 
The  Greek  word  is  not  that  appropriate  to  a 
bier,  but  to  a  coffin.  The  object  of  the  act 
was  to  arrest  their  movement.  As  before,  in 
touching  the  leper,  Jesus  now  i  nored  the 
cremonial  scruples  against  even  indirect  con- 
t  ct  with  the  dead.  The  bearers  stopped,  in 
suspense,  we  must  presume,  about  what  was  tc 
happen. — And  he  said — addressing  the  dead 
youth,  over  whom  as  yet  only  a  cloth  would 
rest,  in  his  coffin — I  say  unto  thee.  Arise, 
It  was  the  voice  which  shall  one  day  sum- 
mon the  nations  under  ground  forth  to  the 
judgment  bar.  Will  they  hear?  This  "one 
that  was  dead"  heard. 

15.  And  he  that  was  dead  sat  up,  and 
began  to  speak.  Performing  plainly  the 
deeds  of  a  living  man,  he  j)roved  that  life 
had  gone  forth  in  that  command.  And  he 
delivered  [gave]  him  to  his  mother.  What 
a  present!  How  simple  the  relation!  It 
leaves  us  free  to  imagine  the  look,  the  man- 
ner, the  tone,  the  language,  with  which  Jesus 
would  convey  the  unparalleled  gift.  And 
her  emotions!  She  had  lost  her  only  son, 
and  now  he  was  hers  again  by  a  direct  gift  of 
God.  As  for  the  multitude,  surely  there 
could  never  again  be  a  doubt  that  here  was 
the  Messiah,  and  that  the  Messiah  was  divine! 
Alas  for  the  obstinacy  of  prejudice,  and  the 
slowness  of  men  to  realize  how  great  a  boon 
God  has  sent  them  in  .Tesus  Chri.st! 

16.  And  there  came  a  fear  on  all — or, 
And  fear  took  hold  on  all — the  natural  effect 
of  such  a  manifestation  of  supernatural  power. 


Ch.  VII.] 


LUKE. 


131 


17  And  this  rumour  of  him  went  forth  throughout  all 
Judea,  and  throughout  all  the  region  round  about. 

l.H  "And  the  disciples  of  John  shewed  him  all  these 
things. 

19  And  John  calling  utUo  him  two  of  bis  disciples 


17  God  hath  visited  his  people.  And  this  repori  went 
forth  concerning  him  in  the  whole  of  Judtea,  and  all 
the  region  round  about. 

18  And  the  disciples  of  John  told   him  of  all  these 

19  things.    And  John  calling  unto   him  Uwo  of  bit 


a  Malt.  U  :  2 1  Qr.  certain  two. 


(Comp.  1:  12;  2:  9;  5:  8,9).  And  they  glori- 
fied God — cleiirly  recognizing  a  marvelous 
instance  of  his  power  and  mercy,  yet  by  no 
means  apprehending  how  near  he  was  to 
them  in  it. — A  great  prophet  is  risen  up 
among  us — was  true,  and  expressed  the 
highest  conce]>tii)ii  to  which  the  mass,  even  of 
those  who  knew  most  about  Jesus,  had  yet  at- 
tained. (Com)).  9:  18,  19,  and  par.  John  6:  66). 
They  saw  in  him  what  Nicodemus  saw — "a 
teacher  sent  from  God";  some,  even  a  spokes- 
man for  God  (prophet);  but  with  diverse 
ideas  as  to  his  rank  and  relation  to  the  Mes- 
siah. Even  in  this  they  saw  proof  that  "God 
hath  visited  his  people."  From  the  days  of 
Samuel  to  those  of  Malachi,  pious  Jews  had 
looked  on  the  presence  among  tliem  of  Jeho- 
vah's [irophets,  as  a  token  of  his  own  presence 
and  favor,  and  their  absence  as  a  cause  for 
regn^t  and  mourning.  Now,  after  a  famine 
of  the  direct  prophetic  word  for  four  hundred 
and  fifty  years,  with  no  "open  vision"  (i  S:ini. 
3:1),  the  appearance  of  a  great  proi)het,  one 
who,  with  a  word  merely,  accomplished  what 
Elijah  did  only  with  great  pains  and  pro- 
traeted  exertion  (i  Kings i7:ti),  was  a  joyful 
proof   of    God's   visitation. 

17.  And  this  rumor  of  him   [or,   rfport 
ronrrrning  /lim]  went  forth  throughout  all 
Judea,  and  throughout    all    the    region 
round  about.     Sonte  have  scented  a  mistake 
in  this  mention  of  Judea,  when  the  Saviour 
was  yet  in  Galilee.       Hut  he  was  in  the  ex- 
treme southern  part  of  that  i)rovince,  if  not 
actiiivUy  within  the  border  of  Samaria;   and 
what  was  to  be  particularly  stated  was,  that  j 
whereas  already  the  rumor  concerning  him  ] 
had  spread  widely  through  Galilee,  this  won-  j 
derful  work  of  his  carried  the  word  southward 
into  Judea  and  Samaria,  and  the  country  be-  | 
yond   Jordan.      Besides    the    simple   delight  I 
which  Jesus  had  in  acts  of  mercy,  assuaging 
pain,  preserving  life  and  useful  strengtli,  and  I 
even  restoring  life  where  this  might  be,   he 
certainly  attached  an  evidential  value  to  these  j 
deeds  of   his,   as  proving  his  character  and  \ 
disposition,  and  would  rejoice  in  having  them  i 
widely  known  and  truthfully  interpreted.  I 


18-35.  John  the  Baptist  in  Pri.son 
Sknds  Messengers  to  Jesus.  Christ's 
Testimony  of  Him.     Matt.  11:  2-19. 

It  suits  admirably  with  what  we  have  sup- 
posed to  be  the  plan  of  this  portion  of  Luke's 
narrative,  that  this  incident  .should  be  pre- 
sented ju.st  here,  to  carry  forward,  another 
step,  the  revelation  of  our  Lord's  Messiah- 
ship.  John's  state  of  mind  may  well  have 
been  not  very  difi'erent,  at  that  time,  from 
that  of  other  thoughtful  observers  of  the 
course  of  Jesus.  At  all  events,  we  can  see 
that  if  the  design  of  Luke  were  to  select  such 
facts  in  his  career  as  would  bring  his  readers 
by  degrees,  analogous  to  the  actual  stages,  to 
a  full  recognition  of  Christ  as  the  Son  of 
man,  his  procedure  is  happilj'  adapted  to 
that  end.  Christ's  dealing  with  John  aims  to 
satisfy  an  honest  doubter  of  this  truth,  with- 
out, at  the  same  time,  deviating  from  his 
settled  policy  of  letting  the  facts  work  their 
own  way  to  the  understanding  and  hearts 
of  men. 

18.  And  the  disciples  of  John  shewed 
him  of  all  these  things.  Thus  "the  report 
concorning  him  (veri7)  went  forth"  beyond 
Judea,  even  to  the  dismal  rock-fastness  of 
Machierus  (Makor),  east  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
where  we  left  the  Baptist  in  confinement 
(3:1820),  perhaps  (as  we  cannot  reach  certainty 
concerning  the  dates)  about  eighteen  months 
before.  The  word  brought  to  him  of  the 
remarkable  works  of  Jesus,  such  as,  if  cor- 
rectlj-  reported,  were  wcvrthy  of  the  Messiah, 
yet  not  all  that  the  pious  had  expected  of 
him,  greatly  disturbed  his  mind.  What  was 
he  to  conclude  about  the  true  character  and 
office  of  this  extraordinary  personage?  It  is 
evident  that  his  imprisonment  was  not  so 
rigorous  as  altogether  to  prevent  the  access 
of  his  disciples  and  friends,  and  he  must  have 
had  other  intelligence  of  Jesus  since  they 
were  la.^^t  near  each  other  at  "^^non,  near 
Salim." 

19.  And  John,  calling  unto  him  two  of 
his  disciples— thus  showing  his  state  to  have 
been  not  unlike  that  of  Paul,  at  Cesanea,  ac- 
cording to  Acts  24:  23. — Sent  them  to  Jesu8» 


132 


LUKE, 


[Ch.  VII. 


sent  -them  to  Jesus,  saying,  Art  thou  he  that  should 
come?  or  look  we  for  another? 

20  When  the  men  were  come  unto  him,  they  said, 
John  Baptist  hath  sent  us  unto  thee,  saying,  Art  thou 
he  tliat  should  come?  or  look  we  for  another? 


disciples  sent  them  to  the  Lord,  saying.  Art  thou  he 
20  that  Cometh, or  look  we  tor  another?  And  when  the 
men  were  come  unto  him,  they  said,  John  the  Bap- 
tist hath  sent  us  unto  thee,  saying,  Art  thou  he  that 


(or,  the  Lord).  We  have  here,  and  in  the 
preceding  statement,  another  evidence  that 
some  who  had  embraced  the  teachings  of 
John  still  adhered  to  him,  and  were  distin- 
guished from  the  disciples  of  Jesus.  Whether 
they  also  recognized  Jesus  as  the  Messiah, 
and  only  waited  on  John  from  friendly  re- 
gard, and  to  aid  him  in  his  afflictions,  or  from 
some  other  cause,  we  do  not  know.  Saying— 
the  Greek  participle  is  singular^to  say,  John 
speaking  through  them. — Art  thou  he  that 
should  come  (or,  conietk),  or  look  we  for 
(are  we  to  expect)  another? 

20.  Arriving  where  he  was,  these  men 
faithfully  proposed  their  master's  question. 
The  phrase,  "The  coming  one,"  or  He  that 
corneth,  was  a  familiar  designation  of  the 
Messiah.  After  the  incidents  of  the  Baptism, 
and  the  previous  intercourse  of  the  families 
of  the  two  at  the  period  of  John's  nativity,  it 
seems  so  strange,  on  a  superficial  reading,  for 
John  now  to  doubt  whether  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah  whom  he  had  predicted  and  pointed 
out,  that  commentators  have  put  various  vio- 
lent twists  upon  his  language,  to  make  it  con- 
sistent with  some  other  purport.  But  we 
have  only  to  remember  that  John,  though  a 
prophet,  and  Christ's  herald,  was  "a  man  of 
like  passions  with  us,"  to  clear  the  subject  of 
peculiar  difficulty.  At  once  we  notice  that 
John  has  such  confidence  in  Jesus,  that  he  is 
sure  he  can  have  from  him  the  clearing  up  of 
his  peri)lexities.  If  the  latter  is  not  himself 
the  Messiah,  he  can  explain  what  is  yet  to  be 
looked  for.  John  seeks  his  instruction.  Re- 
OhII  now  that  in  our  reflections  on  John's 
work  in  ch.  3,  we  have  seen  that,  as  neai^  as 
he  came  to  Christ,  he  was  far  from  that  view 
of  him  which  Jesus  distinctly  presented  of 
himself  in  his  first  reported  discourse,  at  Naza- 
reth. The  leading  features  ^^f  the  work  of 
him  that  was  to  come,  are  seen  by  the  herald 
in  quite  other  proportions  from  what  the 
course  of  Jesus  for  now  many  months  had 
realized.  The  unfruitful  trees  had  not  been 
cut  down  ;  the  grain  had  not  been  winnowed 
from  the  chaff,  nor  was  the  unquenchable 
fire  kindled  to  his  view.  He  ))robably  saw  no 
tendency  toward  any  of  these  results.     Not 


one  prominent  element  of  the  prevailing  con- 
ception of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  could  he 
recognize  in  the  proceedings  of  Jesus. 

Had  he  been  allowed  to  share  the  Saviour's 
company,  to  receive  the  silent  influence  of 
his  example,  and  his  truth,  to  ask  for  ex- 
planations, and  to  hear  reasons,  we  may  be 
sure  that  his  mental  state  would  have  been 
very  diflerent.  But  he  had  not  only  lacked 
the  privileges  of  the  humblest  of  the  Lord's 
disciples,  he  had,  on  the  contrary,  been  left  to 
pine,  and  fret  out  his  spirit  in  cruel  incar- 
ceration, brought  on  him  by  righteous  zeal  in 
the  very  cause  which  he  was  sent  to  promote. 

That  John  should,  in  these  circumstances, 
have  wavered,  and  been  seriously  shaken  in 
his  conviction  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was 
the  end  of  the  law  and  the  prophets,  the  re- 
storer of  the  kingdom  to  Israel,  is  not  pro- 
foundly surprising.  He  was  indeed  a  special, 
and  for  certain  uses,  an  insi>ired  messenger  of 
God.  So  was  Elijah ;  and  Elijah  also  lost 
confidence  in  the  methods  and  the  cause  of 
God;  he  sulked,  as  we  might  say,  and  thought 
it  hard  that  the  Lord  did  not  carry  on  his 
work  according  to  the  prophet's  views.  Moses, 
again,  and  Jeremiah  had  tiieir  times  of  great 
despondency,  and  no  doubt  would  have  tlien 
gladly  sought  light  in  their  perplexities  if 
there  had  been  one  like  Jesus  at  hand. 

Let  us  notice  now  what  John  asks,  and 
what  it  implies. — Art  thou  he  that  conieth  ? 
The  position  of  thou  in  the  Greek  is  strongly 
emphatic,  in  anticii)ation  of  the  next  clause. 
What  is  implied,  suppose  the  answer  to  be  in 
the  affirmative?  Something  like,  "Let  mo 
be  assured  of  the  fact.  I  lack  satisfactory 
evidence."  Not,  "Let  these  messengers  of 
mine  have  the  evidence."  That,  if  John 
were  clear  in  his  own  mind,  would  have  been 
a  clums3',  if  not  an  insincere  way  of  indi- 
cating his  desire.  And,  without  discussing 
the  other  expedients  for  avoiding  the  scandal 
of  a  great  prophet  falling  short  of  a  jierfect, 
unintermittent,  imperturbable  faith  in  former 
divine  indications  which  are  becoming  ful- 
filled in  a  sense  which  the  prophet  did  not 
put  upon  them,  it  is  enough  to  say  that  the 
Saviour's  kind  and  faithful  hint  in  verse  23 


Ch.  VII.] 


LUKE. 


133 


21  And  in  that  same  hour  he  cured  many  of  their  in- 
firmities and  plagues,  and  of  evil  spirits;  and  unto 
many  Ihat  were  blind  he  gave  sight. 

tZ  "Then  Jesus  answering  them  said  unto  them,  Go 
your  way,  and  tell  John  what  things  ye  have  seen  and 
heard;  '"how  that  the  blind  see,  the  lame  walk,  the 
lepers  are  cleansed,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raised, 
•  to  the  poor  the  gospel  is  preaclieil. 

2;J  And  blessed  is  lie,  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended 
In  me. 

24  "'And  when  the  nies-sengers  of  ,Iohn  were  departed, 
he  began  to  speak  unto  the  people  concerning  John, 
What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  for  to  see?  A 
reed  shaken  with  the  wind? 


21  cometh,  or  look  we  for  another?  In  that  hour  he 
cured  many  of  diseases  and 'plagues  and  evil  spirits; 
and  on  many  that   were   blind   he  bestowed   sight. 

22  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  tjo  your  way, 
and  tell  John  what  things  ye  have  seen  and  heard; 
the  blind  receive  their  sight,  the  lame  walk,  the 
lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  are 
raised  up,  the  poor  have -good  tidings  preached  to 

23  them.  -\nd  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  liud  none 
occasion  of  stumbling  in  me. 

24  And  when  the  messengers  of  John  were  departed, 
he  began  to  say  unto  the  multitudes  concerning 
John,  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  to  be- 


o  Mali.  11:4 b  IsB.  35:  5 c  ch.  4:  18 d  Matt.  II :  7. 1  Gr.  tcourget 2  Or,  the  gotpel. 


shows  that  it  was  John  who  was  in  danger 
of  stumbling  against  the  Christ. — Or  look 
we  for  another?  This  may  have  meant 
only,  "or  not."  The  whole  meaning  would 
thus  be,  "If  thou  art  not  Messiah,  thou  art 
nothing;  and  we  must  simply  wait  until  he 
comes."  But  the  words  used  suggest  rather 
that  John  questioned,  not  whether  Jesus  was 
an  eminent  messenger  from  God,  but  only 
whether,  as  there  were  .some  who  held  that 
the  forerunner  would  come  in  one  character, 
some  in  another,  there  might  not  be  two, 
and  so  Jesus  only  a  second  forerunner  like 
himself. 

21.  Our  Lord  might  have  answered  him 
categorically,  "Yes,  I  am";  but  this  would 
have  been  contrary  to  his  chosen  course  at 
that  time  and  in  that  region  (comp.  his  way 
with  the  woman  at  Jacob's  well),  and  would 
have  been  less  honorable  to  John,  and  less 
helpful  than  the  method  he  took. — And 
(should  be  omitted,  also  same)  that  hour  he 
cured  many  of  their  infirmities  (or,  dis- 
eases ,  nnd  plagues,  and  of  evil  spirits — 
put  here  coiiqxMidiously  among  the  bodilj' 
cures — and  unto  (or,  on)  many  that  were 
blind  he  gave  (or,  bestowed)  sight.  Thus 
he  gave  to  John,  through  his  disciples,  to  see 
the  powers  ascribed  in  prophecy  to  the  Christ 
fully  operative  in  him.  Taking  advantage  of 
the  presence  of  a  "great  multitude"  (ver.  it), 
among  whom  would  be,  according  to  all  ex- 
perience, a  number  desirous  to  be  healed  of 
their  maladies,  the  Lord  varied  and  multi- 
plied his  benefits  to  such,  in  a  way  which 
could  not  fail  to  suggest  to  John  the  pro- 
phetic descriptions  of  Messianic  blessings. 
(Comp.  Isa.  29:  18;  35:  5,  G;  60:  1-3.) 

22.  These  things  they  were  to  tell  (or,  re- 
port to)  John.  The  variety  of  benefits  flow- 
ing from  his  work  is  enumerated  with  a  force 
and  vivacity  scarcely  to  be  imitated  in  Eng- 


lish. Omitting  the  article  to  show  that  these 
are  merely  specimen  cases,  and  the  noun  to 
fix  attention  on  the  diverse  maladies,  he  says, 
blind  see  ;  deaf  hear ;  lame  walk  ;  lepers 
are  cleansed;  dead  are  raised.  This 
might  all  have  passed  before  the  eyes  of 
John's  deputies.  And  so,  from  the  phrase, 
What  ye  have  seen  and  heard,  we  may 
suppose  that  these  acts  of  Christly  grace  were 
accompanied  with  instruction  concerning  his 
main  object  on  earth,  and  announcements  of 
the  more  precious  gifts  which  he  had  to  be- 
stow. This  caps  the  climax  of  the  list  of 
benefits.  That  to  the  poor  (to  poor  people) 
the  gospel  is  preached.  Such  was  gener- 
ally, no  doubt,  the  relation  in  which,  to  our 
Saviour's  view,  his  temporal  and  spiritual 
favors  stood  to  each  other.  The  announce- 
ment of  the  good  news  crowned  all. 

23.  And  blessed  (happy)  is  he,  whoso- 
ever shall  not  be  offended  {shall  jind  no 
occasion  of  stumbling)  in  mc.  Here  is  the 
tender  and  faithful  admonition  by  which 
Jesus  intimates  to  John  that  he  recognizes 
the  motive  of  this  deputation,  and  encour- 
ages him  to  renewed  trust,  notwithstanding 
the  difl?"erence  of  the  Master's  procedure  from 
what  the  forerunner  had  expected.  So  much 
the  latter  would  naturally  feel  that  he  had 
deserved  and  would  be  thankful  for. 

24.  But  our  Lord  seemed,  in  a  manner,  to 
regret  he  had  said  a  word  which  could  even 
look  to  f)thers  like  reflecting  upon  the  course 
of  his  faithful  and  much-tried  herald.  And 
when  the  messengers  of  John  were  de- 
parted. Matthew's  word  more  directly 
breathes  the  feeling:  "While  they  were 
going."  Immediately,  as  if  he  could  not  wait, 
he  began  to  speak  unto  the  people  (or, 
mtilfitiidrs)  concerning  John — the  object  be- 
ing to  bear  witness  to  his  exalted  character 
and  function,  and  to  indicate  his  relation  to 


134 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VII. 


25  But  what  went  ye  out  for  to  see?  A  man  clothed 
in  soft  raiment?  Behold,  they  which  are  gorgeously 
apparelled,  and  live  delicately,  are  in  kings'  courts. 

'M  But  what  went  ye  out  for  to  see?  A  prophet? 
Yea,  I  say  unto  you,  and  much  more  than  a  prophet. 

27  This  is  he,  of  whom  it  is  written,  "Behold,  I  send 
my  messenger  before  thy  face,  which  shall  prepare  thy 
way  before  thee. 

28  For  I  say  unto  you.  Among  those  that  are  born  of 
women  there  is  not  a  greater  prophet  than  John  the 
Baptist :  but  he  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
greater  than  he. 


25  hold?  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind?  But  what 
went  ye  out  to  see?  a  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment? 
Behold,  they  that  are  gorgeously  apparelled,  and  live 

23  delicately,  are  in  kings' courts.  But  what  went  ye 
out  to  see?    a  prophet?    Yea,  I  say  unto  you,  and 

27  much  more  than  a  prophet.  This  is  he  of  whom  it 
is  written, 

Behold,  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy  face. 
Who  shall  prepare  thy  way  before  thee. 

28  I  say  unto  you.  Among  them  that  are  born  of  women 
there  is  none  greater  than  John  :  yet  he  that  is  '  but 


-I  Gr.  lesser. 


himself. — Began  to  speak — implies  a  formal 
and  important  saj'ing,  one  really,  a.s  we  see, 
containing  the  highest  commendation  that 
had  ever  been  pas.sed  on  a  man.  How  gladly 
would  we  know  that  it  had  been  reported  to 
the  Baptist  in  all  its  fullness  and  strength  ! 
— What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness 
for  to  see  (better,  omitting  for,  to  behold)  ? 
and,  as  the  result,  "what  did  ye  actually  be- 
hold?" He  would  recall  to  his  hearers  the 
impression  which  they  had  received  concern- 
ing John,  from  attending  on  his  preaching. 
The  Received  Text  (corrected  according  to  the 
best  manuscripts  by  Westcott  and  Hort,  and 
the  Revision,  to  the  preterit  form  of  the  verb, 
as  in  the  Common  Version),  gives  the  verb  in 
the  perfect,  with  a  large  number  of  authori- 
ties, and  as  approved  by  Tischendorf  It  is 
very  probable  that  the  Received  Text  is  right, 
and  was  early  changed  to  conform  to  Mat- 
thew. The  translation  of  that  would  be: 
"What  have  ye  been  out,"  etc.  The  differ- 
ence is  interesting,  as  if  there  were  two  trans- 
lations of  the  same  Aramaic  original  of 
Christ's  words.  The  Aramaic  would  not,  by 
the  form  of  the  verb,  distinguish  between 
preterit  and  perf  ct.  The  interrogative  form 
is  adapted  to  excite  attention,  and  the  repeti- 
tion of  the  question,  again  and  again,  before 
resting  on  the  true  answer,  increases  curiosity, 
and  guides  constantly  nearer  to  the  truth. — 
A  reed  shaken  by  the  wind?  The  reed 
rises  to  the  thought  as  one  of  the  features  of 
the  vicinity  of  the  Jordan  ;  but  the  inetaphor- 
ical  use  of  it  is  to  denote  an  unstable,  vacilla- 
ting man,  such  as  John  might  seem  from  this 
recent  message  to  him.  Did  you  find  John 
such  a  man  ? 

25.  But  (since  not  that)  what  went  ye 
(or,  have  you  been)  out  for  to  see?  To  "be- 
hold" was  used  to  express  the  first  aim  of  their 
cursosity;  to  see,  is  suflRcient  in  repeating 
the  reference. — A  man  clothed  in  soft 
Tai:-»ent?     Soft  =  made  of  fine  and  delicate 


stuff.  This  is  figurative  for  a  man  of  nice 
tastes,  and  luxurious  habits,  and  dainty  re- 
quirements, such  as  might  become  impatient 
and  desponding  from  .the  hard  fare  of  the 
prison.  Was  John  such?  Would  you  thus 
have  had  to  go  into  the  wilderness  to  find 
him? — Behold,  they  which  are  gorgeous- 
ly apparelled,  and  live  delicately  (in 
luxury),  are  in  kings'  courts — in  the  pal- 
aces. Such  were  the  false  prophets  in  the 
courts  of  the  kings  of  old.  You  did  not  find 
the  hermit  preacher  in  such  places. 

26.  But  what,  etc.  The  way  is  now  pre- 
pared for  the  true  answer.  —  A  prophet? 
Yea,  I  say  unto  you,  and  much  more 
than  —  something  over  and  above — a  pro- 
phet. A  prophet.  He  was  spokesman  for 
God,  to  intimate  his  plan  of  redemption  at 
its  culminating  point,  and  to  prepare  men's 
minds  for  the  reception  of  the  crowning  gift 
of  the  God  of  grace  to  men.  In  every  re- 
spect in  which  Elijah  or  Isaiah  was  a  prophet, 
the  title  was  applicable  to  John.  He  was 
much  more  than  a  prophet,  because  to  him 
had  fallen  the  oflRce  of  installing  the  Messiah 
in  his  position,  and  pointing  him  out  to  men 
as  the  bearer  of  the  Spirit,  the  Bridegroom  of 
his  congregation,  the  atoning  Lamb. 

27.  This  is  he  of  whom  it  is  written, 
etc.  .Jesus  here  refers  to  John  the  same  pro- 
phecy in  which  his  work  had  been  foretold  by 
the  angel  to  Zacharias  (i:  n),  and  by  Zacha- 
rias  himself  in  his  prophetic  psalm  (i :  78). 
(See  on  those  places.) 

28.  I  say  unto  you.  Among  them  that 
are  born  of  women — as  if  lie  had  said. 
Among  all  human  beings  that  live,  or  that 
ever  lived  since  the  first  pair — there  is  not 
a  greater  prophet  than  John  the  Bap- 
tist. The  Revision  is  perhaps  right  in  omit- 
ing  prophet  here,  the  best  very  earlj'  sources 
of  information  sustaining  them,  while  yet 
the  considerations  leading  the  other  way  are 
strong  enough  to  have  induced  Tischendorf, 


Ch.  VII.] 


LUKE. 


135 


29  And  all  the  people  that  heard  him,  and  the  piibli-  2'.t  little  in  the  kingdom  of  God  is  greater  than  he.  And 
cans,  jiislilied  God,  "being  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  |  all  the  people  when  they  heard,  and  the  publicans, 
John.  [       justified  (iod,  'being  baptized   with  the  ba]>tism  of 

30  Hut  the  Pharisees  and  lawyers  rejected  *the  coun-  30  .John.  But  the  Pharisees  and  the  lawyers  rejected 
sel  of  God  against  themselves,  being  not  baptized  of  for  themselves  the  counsel  of  Uod,  *  being  not  bap- 
hini.  I 


a  Matt.  3:5;  ch.  3:  12 b  Acts  20:  27. 1  Or,  having  be 


.2  Or,  not  having  been. 


ii.i?Hiii.-:t  his  favorite  Sinaitic  manuscript,  to 
rt'taiii  the  word.  It  is,  at  all  events,  in  the 
character  of  a  prophet  that  the  Saviour  as- 
cribes to  John  tiiis  high  prai.^e.  Let  it  be 
dulj-  weighed,  tiiat  we  may  appreciate  the 
entinence  of  Christian  discipleship — But  he 
that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
greater  than  he.  Least— properly,  "less," 
or  "smaller."  The  adjective  is  a  comparative 
in  the  Greek,  yet  the  main  sense  may  not  be 
very  ditlVrent  from  that  of  our  Common  Ver- 
sion. It  is  not  clear  with  whom  the  lesser 
Christian  is  cotnf):»rcd  in  Christ's  thought. 
Some  think  with  John,  the  disciple  occupy- 
ing a  lower,  less  important  jilace  in  the  king- 
dom than  John  did  in  the  Old  Dispensation. 
He  is  still  greater  than  John,  having  a  better 
understanding  of  the  principles  and  constitu- 
tion of  that  kingdom,  and  having  shared 
differently  and  more  largely  that  renewing, 
sanctifying,  comforting  Spirit  which  John 
saw  to  belong  to  the  future.  More  probably, 
however,  the  comparison  intended  is  with 
other  members  of  the  kingdom.  That  one, 
no  matter  who,  that  is  inferior  to  his  brethren 
in  knowh^dge  and  spiritual  gifts,  yet  has  some 
true  experience  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
as  the  giver  of  instantaneous,  complete,  free, 
eternal,  salvation,  /le  is  nearer  to  the  ideal  of 
a  saint  than  John.  Who  takes  to  heart  this 
truth?  Who  really  believes  and  understands 
that,  as  a  Christian,  however  humble,  he 
stands  more  close  to  God,  as  it  respects  knowl- 
edge of  his  ways,  and  interest  in  his  grace, 
than  did  John  the  Baptist?  Yet  he  stood  as 
near  as  David,  or  Abraham,  or  any  Old  Tes- 
tament saint.  The  member  of  the  kingdom 
ma^',  indeed,  look  back  to  them  as  encoura- 
ging witnesses  to  the  power  of  faith  (Heh.  12;  1), 
while  yet  he  looks  forward  and  upward  t<> 
Jesus  himself,  as  the  first  specimen  and  i)er- 
fect  e.\einplar  of  our  faith,  our  responsibility, 
and  our  blessedness  (v«r.  2fr). 

29.  And  all  the  people  that  (or,  v/irn 
they  heiird  him  (that  is,  John,)  justified, 
etc.  This  is  a  continuation  of  Christ's  discourse 
(not,  as  some  have  understood  it,  an  interpo- 
lation of  a  bit  of  the  history  of   Luke),   in  ] 


which  he  shows  how  John's  call  was  slighted 
by  the  leaders  of  the  nation.  The  common 
people,  free  from  the  ambitions  and  preju- 
dices of  the  wealth^',  proud,  and  respectable, 
felt  their  need  of  repentance,  and  justified 
God  by  acknowledging  the  rightfulness  of 
his  claim  upon  them,  and  were  baptized  as  a 
declaration  of  their  renewedness  of  mind,  and 
pledge  of  life  consistent  with  such  a  delara- 
tion.  Even  the  publicans,  and  they  particu- 
larly, hindered  by  no  figment  of  self-right- 
eousness, freely  heard  the  summons  of  John. 
They  thus  justified  God  (p«.  5i:4)  by  owning 
themselves  sinners,  and  honoring  his  way  for 
their  obtaining  pardon.  There  is,  in  this  lan- 
guage, a  further  intimation  of  the  extent  and 
power  of  John's  influence  upon  the  people  at 
large.  They  were  all  affected  by  it,  and  we 
seem  to  see  that,  if  the  religious  leaders  had 
joined,  and  aided  the  movement,  Jesus  would 
have  found  a  nation  prepared  for  his  coming. 
30.  But  the  Pharisees  and  lawyers  re- 
jected (annulled,  frustrated)  the  counsel  of 
God  against  themselves,  being  not  bap- 
tized of  him.  The  counsel  of  God  was 
that  the  nation,  heartily  repenting,  and  mani- 
festing a  purpose  of  spiritual  amendment, 
.should  accept  the  teaching  and  authority  of 
the  Messiah,  who  would  then  make  of  them 
the  nucleus  of  the  new  kingdom.  For  this, 
the  people  showed  themselves  ready ;  but 
their  religious  guides  and  governors,  when 
once  they  saw  the  true  nature  of  this  plan, 
unwilling  to  humble  them.-;elves  and  abdi- 
cate the  influential  positions  they  held,  re- 
jected the  teaching  of  Jesus,  and  so  frustrated 
the  plan.  This  he  could  declare,  because  he 
by  this  time  perceived  that  the  mass  would 
go  with  them.  They  did  this  against  them- 
selves—  i.  e.,  to  their  injury  and  undoing. 
"For  them.selves"  (Revision),  as  equivalent 
to  "so  far  as  they  were  concerned,"  is  gram- 
matically justifiable,  and  logicallj',  it  is  in- 
volved in  ths  common  rendering.  But  the 
point  seems  to  be  that  Christ  sadly  admits 
that  their  course  has  set  aside  God's  plan 
of  mercy  toward  the  nation,  but  would  dis- 
tinctly point  out   that   while   all   sufl'er,  the 


136 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VII. 


31  And  the  Lord  said,  "Whereiinto  then  shall  I  liken 
the  men  of  this  generation?  and  to  what  are  they  Hive? 

32  They  are  like  nnto  children  sitting  in  the  market- 
place, and  calling  one  to  another,  and  saying,  We  have 
piped  nnto  yon,  and  ye  have  not  danced;  we  have 
mourned  to  von,  and  ye  have  not  wept. 

33  ForMohn  the  Baptist  came  neither  eating  bread 
nor  drinking  wine;  and  ye  say,  He  hath  a  devil. 


31  tized  of  him.   Whereunto  then  shall  I  liken  the  men 

32  of  this  generation,  and  to  what  are  they  like?  They 
are  like  unto  children  that  sit  in  the  marketplace, 
and  call  one  to  another;  who  say.  We  piped  nnto 
you,  and  ye  did  not  dance;  we  wailed,  and  ye  did 

33  not  weep.  For  John  the  Baptist  is  come  eating  no 
bread  nor  drinking  wine;  and  ye  say,  He  hath  a 


o  Matt,  tl :  16 b  Matt.  3:4;  Mark  1:6;  ch.  1 :  15. 


rulers,  whose  influence  has  secured  this  re- 
sult, will  specially  feel  the  ruin  that  must 
follow.  They  have  decided  against  them- 
selves. 

31.  Whereunto  then  shall  I  liken  the 
men  of  this  generation?  Then  (equiva- 
lent to  therefore),  seeing  that  they  thus 
treated  my  predecessor  just  as  they  are  now 
treating  me.— And  to  what  are  they  like? 
He  studies  as  he  speaks,  inquiring  of  himself 
what  comparison  might  truly  set  forth  their 
strange  conduct.  In  a  moment  it  becomes 
clear  to  him. 

32.  They  are  like  unto  children,  etc. 
He  recalls  a  childish  sport  which  he  must 
have  watched  often  with  interest,  and  had 
probably  shared  in  himself,  when  he  gath- 
ered with  his  mates  in  the  square,  equivalent 
to  market  place,  of  the  towns.  The  details 
would  be  familiar  to  his  hearers.  It  seems 
that  they  had  reduced  to  something  like  a 
definite  game,  plays  which  in  a  less  regular 
way  have  amused  young  children  in  every 
country  and  time— "  playing  wedding,"  and 
"funeral."  The  Saviour  refers  to  a  case 
where  they  had  divided  into  two  sections, 
one  to  give  the  music  and  direct  the  move- 
ments, the  other  to  carry  out  the  play ;  but 
when  the  first  proposed  the  "wedding,"  the 
others  would  not  have  that,  and  yet  pee- 
vishly refused  to  join  in  playing  "funeral" 
also.  The  first  set  then  say,  We  have  piped 
unto  you  (made  joyful  music),  and  ye 
have  not  danced;  we  have  mourned  to 
you  {tvai/ed,  sung  a  dirge),  and  ye  have  not 
wept — broken  forth  in  lamentation.  Tlie 
Revision  rightly  gives  the  verbs  in  the  pre- 
terit. These  sjjcakers  seem  intended  to  rep- 
resent John  and  Christ,  as  endeavoring,  in 
diflTerent  tempers  and  ways,  to  induce  their 
countrymen  to  embrace  God's  ward;  the  im- 
movable and  impenitent  nation  are  the  other 
.section  who  hang  back,  and  consent,  as  a 
whole,  to  the  invitation  of  neither  herald. 
It  is  objected  to  this,  the  common  explana- 
ution,  that  it  makes  Jesus  and  John  a  part  of 


the  men  of  that  generation,  inappropriately. 
Hence  Meyer  {not  De  Wette;  Godet,  on  the 
passage)  supposes  the  speakers  here  to  stand 
for  the  Jewish  people;  and  those  addressed, 
for  John  and  Jesus  Christ.  But  surely  it  is 
those  addressed  who  are  to  blame.  And 
when  did  the  people  ever  manifest  any  de- 
sire to  win  over  their  teachers?  Godet  cu- 
riously' makes  the  two  sets  of  children  repre- 
sent John  and  his  adherents  on  the  one  side, 
and  Jesus  with  his  disciples  on  the  other, 
who  mutually  complain  that  their  leading 
is  not  followed,  while  yet  he  would  have 
the  fault  lie  with  "the  moral  insensibility 
and  carping  spirit  in  Israel,"  whereby  the 
opposite  teachings  are  paralj'zed.  This,  at 
least,  is  what  we  make  out  of  the  transla- 
tion, not  liaving  the  original  at  hand.  We 
might  understand  it  as  if  .John  and  Jesus, 
with  their  disciples,  in  one  group,  were 
reckoned  as  belonging  to  that  generation. 
But  there  is  no  need  of  stickling  for  the 
letter  of  the  simile,  more  than  in  many 
other  parables,  e.  g.,  that  of  the  Sower.  Un- 
derstand the  Saviour  as  saying,  "Th6  case 
with  this  generation  in  their  relation  to  me 
is  like  that  of  children  playing  — one  part 
faithfully  trying  to  promote  the  pleasure  of 
all,  the  other  (strictly,  that  which  represents 
the  men  of  this  generation)  captious,  sullen, 
responding  to  no  kind  of  proposal  that  is 
made  for  their  recreation."  That  the  gene- 
ration should  be  likened  to  a  set  of  children, 
and  then  identified  with  only  a  portion  of 
them,  is  not  unlike  the  comparison  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  to  a  sower  sowing  seed 
on  various  soils,  and  afterward  confining  the 
similitude  to  the  seed,  the  soil,  and  the  crop. 
The  one  point  to  be  illustrated  is  the  refusal 
of  the  Jews  to  enter  the  kingdom,  as  urged 
either  bj'  the  ascetic  and  rigorous  demands 
of  John,  or  by  the  gentle  and  more  urbane 
invitations  of  Christ. 

33.  For — he  speaks  now  in  apjilication  of 
the  figure  to  them.  Yeheeded  neither  the  dirge 
nor  the  dance— for  John  the  Baptist  came 


Ch.  VII.] 


LUKE. 


137 


34  The  Son  of  man  is  cinue  eating  and  drinkinp;  and 
ye  say,  Iklmld  a  gluttonuus  uian,  and  a  winebibbcr,  a 
Iriund  <il'  piililicans  and  sinners  ! 

i.')  "Ilut  wisduiu  is  juslitjed  of  all  her  children. 


3-1  demon.  The  Sou  of  man  is  come  eating  and  drink- 
ing;  and  ye  say,  Behold,  a  gluttonous  man,  and  a 

:$.">  winebililier,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners !  And 
wisdom  '  is  justified  of  all  her  children. 


a  M:iU.  II  :  19.- 


(or,  is  come)  neither  eating  bread  (or,  eat- 
ing no  bread),  etc.  "His  moat  was  locusts  and 
wild  hoiifiy";  a  proof  of  extreme  temperance 
and  self-denial. — .\«d — not  "but";  "and  of 
course." — Ye  say,  lie  hath  a  devil  (demon); 
"it  is  the  devil's  messas^e,  not  God's."  This 
is  not  the  language  of  those  who  are  piping 
cheerfully  to  John,  and  wishing  that  he  would 
more  fitlj'  present  the  cause  of  the  Lord,  as 
^leyer's  view  of  the  Saviour's  simile  supposes, 
in  which  view  Lange  and  Van  Oosterzee 
unite.  It  is  the  language  of  hatred,  scorn, 
reji'ctioii. 

34.  The  Son  of  man  is  come  eating 
(that  is,  bread',  and  drinking  (that  is,  wine) 
— living  in  a  natural,  human  way,  as  becomes 
the  Son  of  man,  the  ideal  of  humanity. — And 
ye  say,  Behold  a  ginttonous  man  (a  glut- 
ton), and  a  winebibbcr  (a  toper).  Does  he 
mean,  Ye  are  "lamenting"  to  me  that  I  do 
not  take  a  more  serious  view  of  the  true  re- 
ligion? He  means.  Ye  are  determined  not  to 
accept  God's  call  to  his  kingdom,  no  matter 
through  whom  he  invites  you. 

35.  Bnt  (and)  wisdom  is  (was)  justified 
of  all  her  children.  "But,"  in  the  Com- 
mon Ver.si()n,  is  one  of  the  few  instances  in 
which  earlier  translators  would  fain  have 
mended,  and  not  simply  rendered,  the  in- 
spired word.  Doubtless  the  Evangelist  might 
have  used  "but,"  and  we  could  not  have  chal- 
lenged its  propriety  ;  but  it  would  have  been 
with  quite  a  different  effect  from  that  pro- 
duced by  "and."  Ye  did  .so,  and  so,  and  so, 
over  against  God's  repeated  proposals,  rrw/Z  [all 
the  same]  wisdom  was  justified.  The  wisdom 
intended  is  that  counsel  of  God  by  which  he 
provided  that  John  the  Baptist  should  go  be- 
fore the  Messiah,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of 
Elijah,  to  pre])are  the  way,  and  that  Jesus, 
the  Christ,  should  follow  him.  The  children 
of  wisdom  are,  bj-  the  common  Hebrew  figure 
(see  on  0:  35),  those  who  in  practice  conform 
to  God's  infinitely  wise  plan,  and  find  salva- 
tion. While  the  great  mass  act  the  foolish 
and  wicked  part,  some  have  accepted  the  prof- 
fered grace,  more  by  far  than  would  have 
done  so  otherwise.  Their  course  showed  that 
they  recognized  the  wisdom  of  God's  method, 


and  has  thus  justified  it — practically  declared 
it  a  right  method  ;  and  in  their  examjde  every 
reasonable  beholder  has  the  evidence  that  it 
was  wisdom  that  so  planned.  Thus  wisdom 
was  justified  by — more  exactly,  "from,"  in 
consequence  of,  "by  reason  of,''  all  her  chil- 
dren, from  the  beginning,  whether  gained  by 
the  ministry  of  John,  or  by  that  of  Jesus. 
Matthew  has  in  the  parallel  passage,  "her 
works,"  according  to  the  text  of  Tischendorf, 
and  Westcott  and  Hort,  her  accomplished  re- 
sults, as  equivalent  to  "the  believing  and  obe- 
dient disciples  she  has  won." 

The  wisdom  here  celebrated  lies,  it  will  be 
noticed,  in  the  association  of  the  forerunner 
with  Chri.st  in  the  plan  of  God.  This  may 
warrant  us,  before  parting  finally  with  the 
account  of  that  hero  of  the  faith,  iti  recall- 
ing, summarily,  the  leading  aspects  of  his 
service  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 

Remarks  on  the  Mission  of  John  the 
Baptist.  Given  such  a  moral  and  religious 
tate  as  that  of  the  Jews,  "in  the  day  of  John's 
shewing  unto  Israel,"  to  reveal  effectually  to 
the  people  God's  doctrine  of  salvation  for 
them — this  was  the  problem  then  to  be  solved. 
A  salvation  from  sin,  of  the  stain  or  burden 
of  which  they  were  not  conscious;  consisting 
in  spiritual  conformity  to  God's  Spirit,  of 
which  they  had  no  conception  ;  of  sincere 
and  spontaneous  obedience  of  the  heart  to 
him,  instead  of  mere  outward  works,  in  com- 
pliance with  rules  laid  down  hy  men  who  had 
usurped  the  place  of  the  divine  Law-giver. 
It  was  a  problem  to  drive  the  wisest  of  men  to 
his  wit's  end.  Of  this  problem,  John  in  his 
work  enacted  the  solution. 

1.  Its  first  word  was  repentance.  Repent 
ye.  It  had  often  been  said  by  prophets  of  the 
earl3'  days,  from  Joel  down,  in  reference  to 
particular  acts  of  transgression,  and  passing 
states  of  alienation  from  Jehovah,  and  some- 
times with  a  transient  success.  But  even  in 
Malachi  we  witness  a  prevalent  condition  of 
mind  to  which  the  idea  would  be  strange;  and 
ever  since  the  favored  people  have  gone  fur- 
ther and  further  away  from  it.  John  found 
them  puffed  uj)  with  pride,  resting  on  birth- 
right,  as  thougl),  because  they  were   phj'si- 


138 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VII. 


cally  descended  from  faithful  Abraham,  they 
were  sure  of  heaven,  without  regard  to  their 
own  faithlessness  and  departure  from  the 
teachings  of  their  prophets.  They  were  sunk 
in  a  soulless  formality,  content  with  an  anxi- 
ous routine  of  outward  performances,  some 
of  which  had  once  made  a  part  of  the  skeleton 
of  a  preliminary  system  of  religion,  but  were 
now  mere  scattered  dry  bones.  On  points  of 
dispute  as  to  these  minutise,  they  divided  into 
sects,  each  thinking  itself  holier  than  others,  all 
careless  of  the  weightier  matters,  judgment, 
mercy,  and  righteousness  toward  the  help- 
less poor  and  ignorant  among  them.  Now  the 
solitudes  of  the  wilderness  and  the  deep  ravine 
of  the  Jordan  reverberate  with  the  voice  of 
one  calling  aloud,  Kepent,  ye!  What  he 
memt  was,  as  people  soon  found,  that  they 
must  humbly  recognize  their  sinfulness,  and 
change  for  the  better  their  views  of  God  and 
of  themselves — change  their  purposes,  their 
conduct,  their  lives.  They  must  attain  to  a 
devotion  of  the  heart  to  God,  and  this  must 
prove  itself  in  dispositions  of  equitj' and  kind- 
ness toward  fellow-men.  This  announcement 
was  sounded  out  by  such  a  voice,  and  with 
such  accompaniments  of  character,  cere- 
monial, and  scenery,  as  roused  the  minds  of 
the  nation,  like  an  electric  shock,  to  a  con- 
sideration of  the  nature  of  acceptable  service 
to  God;  that  is,  of  religion  worthy  of  the 
name. 

2.  He  gave  concentration  and  point  to  the 
vague  expectation  of  a  Messiah,  by  declaring 
his  kingdom  "at  hand  "  The  previsions  of 
him  described  in  the  Biblical  prophets  appear 
to  have  been  forgotten  or  overlooked  in  the 
popular  religious  literature  of  the  people  for 
some  centuries.  We  sean^h  the  Greek  apoc- 
ryphal books  (properly  so  called),  without 
finding  an  indubitable  trace  of  Messianic  hope. 
Josephus  gives  no  intimation  of  such  a  thing 
in  all  his  writings.  But  in  2  Esdras  (not 
found  in  Greek,  but  brought  down  into  our 
English  apocrypha  from  Latin  and  other 
translations),  the  Book  of  Enoch,  the  Psalms 
of  Solomon,  etc.,  we  see  that  speculation  was 
rife,  before  John's  time,  concerning  a  won- 
derful Avenger  and  Deliverer,  who  was  to 
come  for  the  rescue  and  glorification  of  Israel. 
The  views  concerning  him  were,  at  times, 
expressed  in  apocalyptic  images,  suggested, 
))prhaps,  by  the  Book  of  Daniel,  and  of  a  mys- 
tical wildness   and  indistinctness  of  purport, 


to  which  the  visions  of  our  New  Testament 
Revelation  are  transparency  itself.  These 
were  well  calculated  to  excite  deeply  the 
popular  imagination,  and  give  occasion  for 
infinite  diversity  of  particular  expectations. 
In  the  Targums,  or  Chaldee.  translations 
(more  properly,  paraphrases)  of  parts  of  the 
Old  Testament,  a  more  rational  presentation 
of  views  like  those  of  the  true  prophets  must 
have  been  at  this  time  somewhat  widely 
known.  The  result  of  it  all  was  that,  while 
a  very  extensive  perturbation  of  thoughts 
existed  about  a  great  Anointed  One,  ere  long 
to  make  his  appearanee,  there  was  little  defi- 
niteness  of  anticipation,  with  no  helpful  in- 
fluence on  the  conduct  of  those  who  enter- 
tained it,  and  in  the  case  of  great  multitudes 
no  interest  at  all. 

On  an  age  so  situated  fell  the  proclamation 
of  John  the  Baptist:  "Repent  ye;  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  h  nt  hand."  At  first  no 
mention  is  separately  made  of  the  King.  But 
he  would  be  suggested  as  a  matter  of  course. 
And  that  he  was  at  hand!  Thousands  who 
had  scarcely  believed  in  him  even  while  they 
dreamed  and  talked  of  him,  would  find  the 
conception  taking  the  distinctness  of  a  reality, 
when  awakened  by  the  summons:  Repent, 
for  the  kinfjdorn  is  at  hand.  Its  nearness 
would  inspire  an  unwonted  interest  as  to  its 
character,  and  the  qualifications  for  citizen- 
ship therein.  But  we  may  be  certain  that  all 
the  Jews  who  were  really  least  fit  for  it  would 
be  most  sure  of  their-  right  to  it,  simply  as 
Jews.  This  delusion  it  was,  as  we  have  seen, 
John's  fir.st  object  to  scatter;  and  he  soon 
caused  it  to  be  understod  that  there  was  but 
one  way  into  that  kingdom,  namely,  repent- 
ance and  the  confession  of  sin.  A  Jew,  not 
less  than  if  he  were  a  Gentile,  Pharisee  and 
publican  alike,  must  submit  to  this  condition, 
publicly  professing,  in  the  sacred  immersion, 
his  need  of  moral  purification,  and  pledging 
himself  to  a  diflTerent  life.  And  this,  without 
distinct  mention  of  the  king,  but  only  of  the 
kingdom.  But,  "as  John  fulfilled  his  course," 
he  said,  "there  cometh  one  mightier  than  I, 
and  of  a  dignity  which  I  am  not  worthy  to 
serve."  This  was  his  initial  definition  of  the 
Christ.  And  he  added  such  description  of  the 
Messianic  oflfice  as  was,  indeed,  little  adequate 
to  a  full  approciat'on,  but  all  that  was  neces- 
sary to  prepare  for  his  reception,  with  those 
who    were    waiting    for    his    salvation.     Or. 


Oil. 

VII.] 

LUKE. 

139 

35  « 

would 
house 

And  one 

eat  with 
and  sat  ( 

of  the  Pharisees 
liiiu.    And  he  we 
own  to  uicat. 

desired   him  that  he    36      And  one 
nt  into  the  Pharisee's         would  eat  w 

of  the 
ith  hiiu 

Pharisees 
And  he 

desired   him   that  he 
entered  into  the  Phar- 

a  Matt. 

26 :  6 ;  Mark  U :  3 

John  11 :  2. 

finally,  if  such  persons  queried  how  they 
could  obtain  through  the  future  King  and 
Judge,  that  pardon,  purity,  peace,  and  holi- 
ness which  they  felt  distressingly  needful,  he 
pointed  to  Jesus  {)assing  by,  one  day,  and  said  : 
"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world." 

8.  He  gained  to  his  ministry  a  number  of 
disciples,  who  were  so  prepared  in  heart  and 
und(?rstanding,  as  to  be  comparatively  ready 
for  the  call  of  Christ  to  come  with  him,  and 
to  constitute  the  nucleus  of  that  unique  soci- 
ety which,  once  begun,  was  to  spread  over  all 
lands,  continue  throughout  all  time,  and  in 
eternity  still  to  subsist  as  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven.  True,  Jesus  received  them  little 
advanced  toward  completeness  of  disciple- 
ship  with  him.  They  would  still  need  much 
care  and  teaching,  much  patient  training  and 
apprenticeship  to  his  service;  but  nothing 
that  they  had  learned  from  John  would  have 
to  be  unlearned;  they  would  only  require 
that  additional  tuition  and  supply  of  the 
Spirit,  which  their  Master  himself  had  been 
conscious  of  lacking,  in  the  presence  of  Jesus. 
Five,  at  least,  of  the  twelve  were  thus,  as  we 
know,  made  ready  for  the  Lord  by  bis  herald  ; 
and  it  is  highly  probable  that  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  remainder  had  been  first  with 
John,  and  that  the  same  was  true  in  regard 
to  the  whole  of  his  converts. 

4.  John  continued  to  the  last  to  lend  the 
weight  of  his  testimony  to  the  support  of 
Jesus  as  his  successor  and  superior,  "at 
^Enon,  near  Salim";  even  in  his  last  de- 
si)ondent  emV)assy  he  sent  to  him  as  the  one  to 
whom  he  might  apj)ly  for  decisive  explana- 
tion; and  that  his  trust  in  Christ  remained 
throughout  his  life,  we  have  touching  evi- 
dence in  the  report,  that  when  he  was  dead, 
"his  disciples  went  and  told  Jesus."  That 
death  so  moved  the  mass  of  the  people  that 
Josephus,  laying  aside  his  studied  reticence 
concerning  the  whole  gospel  history,  tells  us 
they  thought  it  the  occasion  of  God's  dis- 
]ileasure  against  Herod,  his  murderer,  as 
manifested  long  afterward  in  a  bloody  defeat 
of  the  latter  in  a  battle  with  king  Aretas,  his 
former  father-in-law. 

So   deep  was   the   im]>ression    of    a   divine 


mission  on  John's  part  that,  at  the  very  close 
of  Christ's  life,  the  proudest  magnates  of 
Jerusalem  dared  not  question  it;  and  long 
afterward,  in  the  remote  regions  of  Pisidia, 
Paul  could  hope  to  gain  interest  in  his  mes- 
sage concerning  Jesus,  by  reminding  his 
hearers  of  John's  precursory  testimony  in 
his  behalf. 

In  all  the.se  respects,  his  public  life  was  a 
work  of  leveling  the  way  of  the  Christ,  and 
making  his  paths  straight.  Very  diflferent, 
we  repeat,  would  have  been  the  task  of  the 
Master,  if  his  servant  had  not  helped  power- 
fully to  make  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the 
Lord. 

36-50,  Jesus,  in  thk  House  ok  a  Phar- 
ISKE,  Forgives  a  Penitent  Woman's  Sins. 
This  is  one  of  the  precious  revelations  con- 
cerning Jesus  as  the  Saviour  of  the  outcast, 
for  which  we  are  indebted  entirely  to  the 
narrative  of  Luke.  And,  while  we  would 
refrain  from  asserting  what  was  the  connec- 
tion in  the  evangelist's  mind  of  the  .several 
topics  of  which  he  treats,  we  think  it  not 
unlikely  that  this  incident  is  placed  here  as 
a  finishing  evidence  of  the  Messiahship  of 
Jesus.  He  who  had  healed  the  centurion's 
servant  with  a  word,  raised  the  widow's  soti, 
given  John  i)roof  that  he  was  the  Coming 
One,  now  demonstrates  his  exercise  of  the 
highest  functions  of  the  Son  of  man  in  for- 
giving sins  also.  True,  he  had  before  for- 
given the  sins  of  the  paralytic,  as  he  had 
before  healed  many;  but  just  as  we  saw  the 
cure  of  the  centurion's  servant  to  be  a  grade 
above  the  previous  healings,  so  this  for- 
giveness was  an  act  of  mercy  purely  to  the 
soul's  need  of  a  peculiarlj'  guilty  woman,  the 
ver3'  type  of  "a  sinner,"  apart  from  all  con- 
nection with  bodily  ailments,  which  might 
before  have  disguised  the  character  of  the 
act. 

Although  the  name  of  his  host  here  was 
the  same  as  that  of  the  proprietor  of  the 
bouse  mentioned  (Joim  is :  i  tr),  where  also  a  wo- 
man anoints  him  in  th<;  course  of  a  meal; 
still  the  circumstances  of  the  two  men  (one 
a  Pharisee,  the  other  a  leper),  and  the  char- 
acter and  relations  of  the  two  women  (a 
sister  of   Lazarus,    "a  sinner"),    forbid   our 


140 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIL 


37  And,  behold,  a  woman  in  the  city,  which  was  a 
siuuer,  when  she  knew  tliat  Jennis  sat  at  meat  in  the 
Pharisee's  house,  brought  an  alabaster  box  of  oint- 
ment, 

38  And  stood  at  his  feet  behind  him  weeping,  and 
began  to  wash  his  feet  with  tears,  and  did  wipe  them 
with  the  hairs  of  her  head,  and  kissed  his  feet,  and 
anointed  them  with  the  ointment. 


37  isee's  house,  and  sat  down  to  meat.  And  behold,  a 
woman  who  was  in  the  city,  a  sinner;  and  when 
she  knew  that  he  was  sitting  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's 
house,  she  brought  i  an  alabaster  cruse  of  ointment, 

38  and  standing  behind  at  his  feet,  weeping,  she  began 
to  wet  his  feet  with  her  tears,  and  wiped  them 
with  the  hair  of  her  head,  and  2  kissed  his  feet,  and 


ak 2  Gr.  kissed  muck. 


thinking  the  two  accounts  to  refer  to  the 
same  occasion. 

36.  And  one  of  the  Pharisees  desired 
{asked)  him  that  he  would  eat  with  him. 

This  incident  belongs,  chronologically,  to  a 
period  when  the  attitude  of  the  Pharisees 
had  not  yet  become  so  flagrantly  hostile  to 
the  Lord  as  to  prevent  some  friendly  inter- 
course between  them.  Nor,  indeed,  need  we 
suppose  that,  even  later,  ever3'  one  bearing 
the  name  of  Pharisee  was  so  inflamed  with 
their  characteristic  hatred  of  Jesus  as  per- 
sonally to  wish  him  harm,  or  to  destroy  hope 
in  the  latter  of  some  benefit  to  the  Pharisee. 
The  meal  here  treated  of  was  not  apparently 
a  formal  and  elaborate  entertainment;  but 
there  were  other  guests  present  (ver.  49).  Sat 
down  to  meat  (  reclined  at  table ).  It  is 
necessary,  in  order  that  what  follows  may  be 
clearly  intelligible,  to  bear  in  mind  that  the 
custom  among  Greeks,  Romans,  and  Orien- 
tals, in  Christ's  day,  was  to  recline  at  table, 
leaning  on  the  left  elbow,  extended  at  full 
length  on  a  broad  couch  or  settee,  witli  the  face 
toward  the  table,  and  the  feet  sloping  back- 
ward, across  the  couch,  so  as  to  be  easily 
reached  by  one  approaching  from  the  rear. 

37.  And,  behold — a  notable  fact  is  to  be 
reported.— A  woman  in  the  city,  which 
was  a  sinner  (the  Revision,  rightly,  a  ivo- 
man  which  was  in  the.  city,  a  sinner).  There 
is  thus  brought  suddenly  before  us  a  woman 
who  was  known  in  the  city  as  being,  in  the 
worst  sense, "a  sinner."  That  she  could  ap- 
proach the  table  in  a  respectable  house, 
especially  the  house  of  a  scrui)ulous  Phari- 
see, is  to  be  explained  only  from  the  free- 
dom, elsewhere  brought  to  view  in  the  Gos- 
pels, with  which  people  went  in  and  out  of 
the  abodes  of  their  neighbors,  and  observed 
what  was  taking  place  in  them.  The  .same 
custom  frequently  surprises  and  annoys  trav- 
elers in  the  East  at  the  present  day.— When 
she  knew  that  Jesus  snt  at  meat  (reclined, 
as  in  ver.  30),  brought  an  alabaster  box, 
etc.     She   knew  something   about   Jesus   be- 


fore, and  must  have  been  instructed  by  his 
teachings,  melted  by  his  gracious  sympathy 
with  sinners,  and  moved  to  ])rofound  repent- 
ance and  desire  for  the  assurance  of  pardon. 
This  we  see  from  what  follows.  The  ala- 
baster box  is  called  in  the  Revision  "a 
cruse,"  which  is  better;  but  the  original  sim- 
ply says,  "an  alabaster."  This  was  the 
name  of  a  vessel,  made  of  that  material — a 
vase,  jar,  or  broad-mouthed  bottle,  suitable 
for  holding  the  fragrant  cosmetic  here  called 
ointment.  It  was  much  in  vogue  at  that 
time  among  all  more  civilized  peoi)les,  as 
promotive  of  health,  and  pleasant  to  the 
senses  of  sight  and  smell,  and  so  an  indis- 
pensable accompaniment  of  banquets  and  all 
festive  occasions.  It  was  used  oii  the  hair 
and  face  in  great  profusion,  compared  with 
anything  familiar  now,  and,  probably,  with 
a  much  greater  outlay  of  expense. 

38.  And  stood  at  his  feet  behind  him, 
weeping. — His  feet  were  bare,  according  to 
custom;  for,  even  if  men  wore  sandals  on  the 
street,  these  were  laid  aside  on  entering  a 
house;  and,  regularly,  the  feet  were  washed 
by  a  servant,  as  the  first  act  of  hospitality  to 
a  visitor.  This  was  also  a  sort  of  necessity, 
in  order  that  they  might  not  soil  the  carpets, 
or  the  cushions  on  which  they  reclined  at 
the  table.  What  was  said  above  of  the  man- 
ner of  this  reclining  shows  h(»w  she  could 
best  reach  Christ's  feet  standing  behind  him. 
— Weeping — from  sorrow  on  account  of  her 
sinful  life;  partl}^  also,  with  thankfulness 
and  complacency  toward  him  who  had  led 
her  to  amendment,  and  opened  to  her  a  pros- 
pect of  peace  and  hope. — And  began  to 
wash  (loeJ)  his  feet  with  (hrr)  tears. 
Wash  is  not  warranted  by  the  Greek,  but 
wet  or  "moisten."  This  may  have  been 
unintentional,  although  it  was,  more  prob- 
ably, an  act  symbolic  of  the  most  humble 
devotion  to  his  service.  Washing  another's 
feet  was  performing  a  menial  office,  and 
would  be  voluntarily  undertaken  only  as  a 
sign  of  afl^ectionate  regard.     The  same  sen- 


Cfi.  VII.] 


LUKE. 


141 


39  Now  when  the  Pharisee  which  had  hidden  liini 
saw  r7,  he  spake  within  liiniselt,  saying,  "  This  man,  if 
he  were  a  prophet,  wo'ild  liave  known  wlio  and  wliat 
manner  of  woman //(i.v  14' that  toucheth  him:  for  slie  is 
a  sinner. 

40  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him,  Simon,  I 
have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee.  And  lie  .saith,  Mas- 
ter, say  on. 

41  There  wa-s  a  certain  creditor  wliich  had  two  debt- 
ors: the  one  owed  five  liundred 'ponce,  and  tlie  other 
fifty. 

42  And  when  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  he  frankly 
forgave  them  liotli.  Tell  me  therefore,  which  of  them 
will  love  him  most  ? 


W  anointed  them  with  the  ointment.  Now  when  the 
Pharisee  that  had  bidden  him  saw  it,  he  spake 
within  himself,  saying,  This  man,  if  he  were  i  a  pro- 
phet, would  have  perceived  wli«  and  what  manner  of 
woman  this   i.s   that   toucheth    him,    that   .she    is   a 

40  sinner.  And  .lesus  answering  said  unto  him,  Simon, 
I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee.     .\nd  he  .saith, 

41  ••i.Ma.ster,  say  on.  A  certain  lender  had  two  deb;<>rs: 
the  one  owetl  live  hundred  ^shillings,  and  the  other 

42  filty.  When  they  had  not  w/nTi-iri/h  to  |)ay,  he 
forgave  them  both.    Which  of  them  therefore  will 


ach.  15:  2 b  See  M:tti.  16:  '^8,- 


-1  Some  ancipiii  iiuthoriiics  read,  the  prophet.    See  Joha  I:  21,  25 2  Or,  Teacher 3  See 

ni»rgiu:4l  uuie  ou  Man.  18:  28. 


timent  was  furthet-  expressed  by  her  next 
act. — And  did  wipe  them  with  the  hairs 
of  her  hetid,  and  kissed  his  feet,  etc.  In 
putting  her  hair  to  such  a  use,  she  literally 
laid  that  which  is  the  glory  of  a  woman 
(1  Cor.  It:  15)  at  the  Saviour's  feet.  The  verb 
kissed  is  a  compound  in  the  Greek,  denot- 
ing special  tenderness  of  regard,  and  the 
tense  of  this  and  the  following  verb  shows 
that  the  actions  were  continued  and  repeated, 
as  though  she  could  not  desist.  The  ointment, 
which  she  would  not  venture  near  to  pour  on 
tiie  head,  as  was  usual,  she  lavished,  as  a 
treasure  of  respect,  on  her  Saviour's  feet. 
It  was  a  very  unusual,  and,  to  the  Pharisee, 
we  may  suppose,  an  astounding,  a  horrifying 
scene. 

39,  Ho,  ditlering  from  many  members  of 
liis  sect,  was  too  courteous  to  remurk  upon 
it  to  Jesus;  but  he  spake  within  himself, 
sayin!r,This  man,  if  he  were  a  prophet, 
would  have  known  [imidd  know)  who,  etc. 
The  Pharisee  finds  no  fault  with  the  morality 
of  the  Saviour,  but  thinks  he  must  bo  mis- 
taken, and  so  incurs  contamination,  which  ho 
would  not  do  if  he  were  a  prophet.  The 
prophet  shares  divine  knowledge;  Jesus, 
therefore,  d()es  not  deserve  the  reputation 
which  he  widely  enjoys. 

40.  His  conclusion  must  have  been  .shaken 
when  the  latter,  answering  the  unsi)oken 
thought  of  his  ht-sirt,  proceeded  to  explain  the 
meaning  of  his  conduct. —  Simon — a  name 
very  common  among  the  Jews,  originating 
in  the  Hebrew  for  Simeon,  slightly  changed 
to  assimilate  it  to  a  familiar  Greek  ))roper 
name. —  I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto 
thee.  With  this  "jiolite  introduction,"  as 
Bengel  well  styles  it,  the  Saviour  begins  one 
of  those  easy  and  familiar  specimens  of  dis- 
course, which,  particularly  in  t  he  Gospel  of 
Luke,   betray  a  character  of  geniality— one 


might  almost  say,  of  humor,  colloquial  free- 
dom, and  gentle,  good-natured  seriousness, 
as  distinct  as  that  of  Socrates  in  the  Apology 
and  Crito. 

41.  A  certain  creditor  (lender)  which 
had  two  debtors.  Two— the  one  represent- 
ing tiie  guilty  woman,  the  other,  the  Phari- 
see, in  their  relation  to  God. — The  one 
owed  five  hundred  pence,  and  the  other 
fifty.  The  "penny"  of  our  Gospels  (Greek, 
Srtvdpiov,  nearly  an  exact  transliteration  of  the 
Lat.  denarius),  is  estimated  in  the  margin  of 
our  Bibles  (Mmt.  i8:28),  at  .seven  and  a  half 
pence  English  (the  Revision  more  exactly, 
eight  and  a  half),  or  about  seventeen  cents 
of  our  money.  This  is  correct,  measuring  by 
the  weight  of  silver  contained  in  the  Ro- 
man coin,  at  the  price, of  silver  in  our  coins. 
But  if  we  measure  it  by  its  equivalent  in  la- 
bor, and  in  the  products  of  labor  at  that  day, 
its  value  was  very  much  greater— as  much 
as  a  dollar,  or  nearly  an  English  crown.  Thus, 
it  was  the  pa3-  for  a  day's  work  in  a  vineyard 
(Mnit.20:2),  for  a  day's  entertainment  of  an  in- 
valid at  an  inn  (i.uiieio:S5),  and  (wo  hundred 
pennyworth  of  bread  was  thought  of  as  suffi- 
cient for  a  lunch  of  "five  thousand  men,  be- 
sides women  and  children"  (Mnrks:  .it).  The 
proper  translation  of  such  words  occasions 
special  difficulty;  but  we  .shall  not  err  from 
the  intention  of  our  Saviour's  apologue  here, 
if  we  substitute  "dollars"  in  place  of  "pence."' 
42.  And  (omit  and)  Avhen  they  had  noth- 
ing to  pay  (the  Revision  is  more  correct),  he 
frankly  forgave  (freely  gave  it  to)  them 
both — on  consideration  simply  of  their  pov- 
erty and  helplessness. — Tell  me,  therefore, 
(omit  this  and  read)  which  of  them  there- 
fore— in  consequence  of  such  favor  received 
(See  Greek  Text)  will  love  him  most?  "With 
great  skill  Jesus  obliges  the  Pharisee  to  pass 
judgment  on  himself,  which  the  latter  seems 


142 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VII. 


43  Siiuon  answered  and  said,  I  suppose  that  he,  to 
■whom  he  forgave  most.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou 
hast  rightly  judged. 

44  And  he  turned  to  the  woman,  and  said  unto 
8iiuon,  Seest  thou  this  woman?  I  entered  into  thine 
house,  thou  gavest  me  no  water  for  my  feet:  hut  slie 
hatli  waslicd  my  feet  with  tears,  and  wiped  lliem  with 
the  hairs  of  her  head. 

45  Thou  gavest  uie  no  kiss:  but  this  woman,  since 
the  time  I  came  in,  hath  not  ceased  to  kiss  my  feet. 

46  "My  head  with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint:  but  this 
woman  hath  anointed  my  feet  with  ointment. 

47  'Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  Her  sins,  which  are 
many,  are  forgiven  ;  for  she  loved  much  :  but  to  whom 
little  is  forgiven,  the  scmie  loveth  little. 

48  And  he  said  unto  her,  «Thy  sins  are  forgiven. 


43  love  him  most?  Simon  answered  and  said,  He,  I 
suppose,  to  whom  he  forgave  the  most.     And  he  said 

44  unto  him.  Thou  bust  rightly  judged.  And  turning 
to  the  woman,  he  said  unto  Simon,  Seest  thou  this 
woman?  I  entered  into  thine  house,  thou  gavest  me 
no  water  for  my  feet:  but  she  hath  wetted  my  feet 

4.5  with  her  tears,  and  wiped  them  with  her  hair.  Thou 
gavest  me  no  kiss :  but  she,  since  the  time  I  came 

4G  in,  hath  not  ceased  to  i  kiss  my  feet.  My  head  with 
oil  thou  didst  not  anoint,  but  she  hath  anointed  my 

47  feet  with  ointment.  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  Her 
sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven;  for  she  loved 
much:  but  to  whom  little  is  forgiven, Me  same  loveth 

48  little.    And  he  said  unto  her,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven. 


1  P.s.  23:  5 b  1  Tim.  1:  14 c  Matt.  9:2;  Mark  2:  5. 1  Gr.  kiss  much. 


already  to  suspect,  by  his  hesitation,  in  ad- 
mitting an  obvious  truth. 

43.  I  suppose  that  he,  to  whom  he  for- 
gave (the)  most.  This  answer  prepares  the 
way  for  the  application  of  the  supposed  case 
to  the  conduct  of  the  two  actual  debtors  to- 
ward God.  This  follows  in  ver.  44-47,  in 
such  manner  as  to  show  that  the  woman  it 
is,  compared  with  him,  who  has  loved  most 
her  gracious   benefactor. 

44-46.  Seest  thou  this  woman?  The 
question  intimates  at  once  that  she  was  as 
the  greater  debtor,  and  that  he  loves  less. 
Thou,  she,  often  repeated,  keep  up  the  com- 
parison. The  water  for  the  feet,  the  kiss 
of  salutation,  the  beautifying  and  refreshing 
cosmetic  oil  for  the  head,  are  referred  to  as 
ordinary  tokens  of  hospitality,  the  omission 
of  which,  especially  of  the  feet-washing,  ap- 
pears more  like  a  cold  indifference  to  Christ 
than  the  narrative  otherwise  would  lead  us 
to  imagine.  Simon's  deficiency  the  grateful 
woman  had  done  her  best  to  supply.  For 
the  lacking  water,  she  had  given  her  tears; 
for  the  towel,  her  hair;  for  the  kiss  of  .saluta- 
tion on  the  cheek,  multiplied  kisses  of  tender 
gratitude  on  his  feet;  for  the  mere  oil  for  his 
head,  she  had  lavished  a  costly  unguent  on 
his  feet. 

47.  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  Her 
sins,  which  are  many — many  as  they  are  — 
etc.  Wherefore  (on  account  of  which)  must 
be  connected  with  I  say,  and  not  with  "her 
sins  are  forgiven."  Grammatically  it  antici- 
pates the  appositional  clause,  "because  she 
loved  much."  He  does  not  declare  that  her 
sins  are  forgiven  on  account  of  this  practical 
love  which  she  has  exhibited;  but  that,  on 
account  of  this  he  is  warranted  in  declaring 
that  her  sins  are  forgiven.  Rather  have  been 
forgiven;  for  the  verb  in  Greek  is  in  the  per- 


fect tense.  She  has  been  forgiven.  It  may 
be  known  from  the  fact  that  she  loves.  Were 
one  to  pre.ss  the  force  of  the  preterit  sense, 
"she  loved,"  he  might  find  in  it  a  shred  of 
argument  for  her  love  as  tlie  antecedent 
ground  of  her  pardon.  But  it  need  be 
thought  of  as  antecedent  only  to  the  conduct 
she  has  just  exhibited.  She  loved  before  she 
came  in;  and  love  it  is  which  shows  forth  in 
all  these  actions.  We  need  not  hesitate  to 
think  that  the  Saviour  might  hove  said  that 
her  forgiveness  came  in  consequence  of  her 
love,  love  itself  being  only  a  phase  of  faith; 
but  the  order  of  the  words,  the  perfect  tense 
of  the  verb,  the  drift  of  the  parable  where  the 
debtors'  love  is  consequent  on  their  forgive- 
ness, and  the  explicit  declaration  in  ver.  <J0, 
all  warrant  the  conclusion  that  here  also,  as 
everywhere  else,  in  all  the  Scripture,  he 
recognizes  her  faith  as  the  condition  of  that 
forgiveness  which  her  love  bespeaks.  Be- 
cause she  loved  much.  The  much  (love) 
is  correlative  to  "the  many"  (sins).  Her 
many  sins  have  been  forgiven,  hence  she 
loved  m.uch,  which  explains  the  remarkable 
demonstration  of  gratitude  and  reverence 
she  has  now  made.  But  ta  whom  little  is 
forgiven — he  who  is  not  conscious  of  having 
been  forgiven  much  — the  same  loveth 
little — the  debtor  who  owed  fifty  pence. 
Even  he  would  love  somew.hat;  and  lovir.g 
somewhat  would  make  some  demonstration 
of  it.  "Much  forgiveness  much  love,  little 
forgiveness  a  little  love,"  warrants  the  infer- 
ence: No  love,  no  forgiveness.  And  to  the 
Pharisee,  Christ  had  said:  I  entered  into  thy 
house,  thou  gavest  me  no  water,  no  kiss,  no 
ointment  for  my  head.  He  was  left  to  make 
the  application. 

48.    And  he   said  unto  her — not  having 
before  addressed  her  directly— Thy  sins  are 


Ch.  VII.] 


LUKE. 


143 


49  And  they  that  sat  at  meat  with  hiiu  began  to  say 
within  themselves,  "Who  is  tliis  that  I'orgiveth  sius 
also  ? 

50  And  he  said  to  the  woman,  ''  Thy  faith  hath  saved 
thee ;  go  in  peace. 


49  And  they  that  sat  at  meat  with  him  began  to  say 
'  within  themselves,  Who  is  this  that  even  lnrgivelh 

.50  sins?  And  he  said  unto  the  woman,  Thy  I'aith  hath 
saved  thee  ;  go  in  peace. 


a  Matt.  9  :  22  i  Mark  5  :  S« ;  10 :  52 ;  ch.  8 :  4S  ;  18  :  42. 1  Or,  among. 


forgiven.  That  state  of  grace  in  which  her 
love  had  proved  her  to  be,  Jesus  attests 
for  her  assurance  and  comfort.  Blessed 
assurance!  "  Tlien  was  our  mouth  filled 
with  laughter,  and  our  tongue  with  sing- 
ing." 

49.  And  they  that  sat  at  meat  with 
him  (the  Pharisee's  guests)  began  to  say 
within  themselves — in  a  siniihir  spirit  to 
that  at  5:  21,  but  a])parently  with  less  rancor, 
after  the  demonstrations  of  divine  authority 
which  have  now  been  multiplied — Who  is 
this,  etc? 

50.  Jesus,  paying  no  attention  to  their 
carping  thoughts,  continues  liis  word  to  the 
woman. — Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee.  This 
sentence,  wliile  showing  that  the  forgiveness 
of  her  sins  was  her  salvation,  explains  also 
that  the  instrumental  ground  of  the  forgive- 
ness was  her  faith.  This  faith  is  a  peculiar 
exercise  of  the  mind  involving  the  action  of 
the  intellect  and  the  heart  alike,  and  not 
complete  without  a  revolutionary  determina- 
tion of  the  will.  We  maj',  perhaps,  come 
nearer  to  apprehending  its  nature  by  trying 
to  imagine  its  origin  in  her,  than  by  attempt- 
ing an  abstract  definition.  She  had  probably 
se«;n  and  heard  Jesus  before.  Some  word  of 
his  had  opened  to  luir  view  the  folly  of  her 
course  and  tlie  sinfulness  of  her  character, 
so  as  to  fill  her  with  shame  and  anxious  fore- 
bodings. While  thus  led  to  reproach  herself, 
she  saw  further  that  this  teacher  was  not  with- 
out sympathy  for  the  fallen  and  lo.st,  which 
might  reach  even  to  a  case  like  hers.  Some 
things  which  we  know  that  he  uttered,  would 
even  seem  as  if  it  was  indeed  such  as  she,  the 
outcasts  of  respectable  and  sanctimonious  so- 
ciety, that  he  specially  3'earned  to  bless.  She 
may  have  received  some  great  sanative  or 


other  temporal  benefit  at  his  hands.  She 
could  not  fail  to  be  aware  that  he  required 
repentance,  a  radical,  practical,  perpetual 
cessation  from  sin,  and  that  his  whole  invi- 
tation looked  to  a  course  of  arduous  self- 
sacrificing  pursuit  of  a  spirit  and  character 
and  lifelike  his.  This  was  hard;  but  it  was 
right,  and  the  opposite  course  was  abomi- 
nable. In  ills  example  she  saw  how  even  the 
hardness  of  it  was  ghjrified,  its  sacrifices  rich 
enjoyments,  its  losses  true  gains,  its  labors 
rest.  In  him  she  sav;  not  only  a  perfect  and 
encouraging  pattern  of  all  this;  but  one  able 
and  ready  to  aid  and  lead  even  her  into  the 
blessedness  of  a  like  experience.  She  was 
unworthy  to  think  so;  but  she  would  even 
trust.  She  would  mould  her  life  into  con- 
formity with  his  requirements,  and  at  a  dis- 
tance she  would  follow  his  footsteps,  and  hope 
that  at  last  God  would  accept  her  as  one  of 
his  faithful  pupils.  All  thi.s,  and  more  and 
deeper  thoughts  than  this,  we  see  to  have 
been  struggling  within  her,  and  moving  her 
to  show  her  gratitude  and  devotion  in  this 
venturesome  approach  to  his  feet,  merely,  at 
the  Pharisee's  table.  It  was  love  which  burst 
into  tears  at  the  sight  of  him.  It  had  been 
faith  when  she  first  trusted  that  she  might, 
and  decided  that  she  would,  give  her  poor 
life  to  his  direction;  and  let  him  draw  the 
boundary  line  between  the  two  aft'ections 
who  can.  Or,  we  maj'  say  that  it  was  all 
07ie  net  of  repenta)ire,  in  hope  of  the  Kinriihim 
of  God  at  hand. — Go  in  peace.  The  (iret'k 
is  strictly,  "Go  into  peace."  Peace  is  con- 
ceived of  as  a  state  which  one  entering  is  to 
go  forward  in,  so  as  to  realize,  ever  more  and 
more,  that  rest  and  serenity  of  soul  which 
follow  pardon,  and  deepen  finally  into  eternal 
rest. 


144 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


AND  it  came  to  pass  afterward,  that  he  went  through- 
out every  city  and  village,  preaching  and  shewing 
the  glad  tidlngsot"  the  kingdom  of  (jod:  and  the  twelve 
wtrn  witli  him, 

2  And  "certain  women,  which  had  been  healed  of 
evil  spirits  and  infirmities,  xMary  called  Magdalene, 
'out  of  whom  went  seven  devils, 


1  And  it  came  to  pass  soon  afterwards,  that  he  went 
about  through  cities  and  villages,  preaching  and 
bringing  the  'good  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  (iod, 

2  and  with  him  the  twelve,  and  certain  women  who 
had  been  healed  of  evil  spirits  and  infirmities,  Mary 
that  was  called  Magdalene,  from  whom  seven  demons 


a  Mitt.  27  :  55,  56 h  Mark  16  ;  9. 1  Or,  gospel. 


8:  1-3.  Another  Preaching  Circuit 
Through  Galilee. 

1-3.  It  is  probable  that  the  passage  gives 
a  summary  sketch  of  the  activity  of  our 
Saviour  during  what  remained  of  the  Gali- 
lean ministry,  closing  at  ch.  9:  50.  The  pre- 
vious tour,  since  4:  44,  may  have  extended 
only  through  the  nearer  parts  of  the  country, 
as  far  as  to  Nain,  while  this  reached  the 
stranger  territory  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Lake,  and  the  neighborhood  of  Cesarea  Phil- 
ippi  (in  Matthew  and  Mark,  the  borders  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon  also).  Matthew  and  Mark 
make  a  new  excursion  begin  with  the  sending 
forth  of  the  twelve ;  Luke,  to  say  the  least, 
gives  no  decisive  indication  that  he  so  con- 
ceived that  mission;  and  if  we  make  a  di- 
vision in  this  Gospel  at  the  end  of  our  present 
chapter,  we  must  do  it  from  extrinsic  con- 
siderations. It  is  not  easy  to  say  with  what 
special  view  Luke  selected  or  arranged  his 
matter.  If  we  think  the  object  hitherto  to 
have  been  a  practical  demonstration,  fur- 
nished to  the  people,  of  Christ's  Messiahship 
and  of  the  Messianic  character  as  that  of  a 
divine  Saviour  of  lost  souls,  we  may  perhaps 
say  that  the  further  design  here  is,  while 
clinging  to  the  same  thread,  to  show  the  di- 
verse effects  of  this  demonstration  on  the  mass, 
and  on  the  chosen  few;  the  separation  from 
the  world  caused  by  the  reception  of  his 
truth  ;  and  the  necessity  of  making  provision 
for  the  continuance  of  his  work,  when  the 
Messiah — astounding  announcement! — should 
be  violently  cut  off.  The  crowds  drawn  to- 
ward the  Saviour  increase,  but  his  failure  to 
assume  earthly  dominion  chills  mistaken  zeal; 
and  upon  the  first  clear  recognition  of  his 
Christhood  follows  the  first  shocking  predic- 
tion of  his  painful,  dishonored  death.  The 
latter  part  of  the  j^eriod  is  spent  in  ranging 
the  territory  not  Jewish,  adjacent  to  Galilee, 
as  if  intent  on  avoiding  arrest  by  the  ho.stile 
rulers,  until  the  time  for  his  being  received 
/ip  had  fully  come. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass  afterward— that 


is,  after  the  events  just  related,  regarded  as 
closing  up  the  preceding  circle  of  evangelistic 
labors  (4:44,- 7:50j.  The  starting  point  is  not 
named,  but  naturally  to  be  thought  of  as 
Capernaum.  The  "soon"  of  the  Revision  is 
almost  too  specific  an  addition,  yet  the  Greek 
marks  what  follows  as  so  following  that  noth- 
ing comes  between,  and  no  time  is  lost. — 
That  he  {he  himself)  went  throughout 
every  city  and  village  [journeyed  through- 
out by  city  and  village).  The  sentence  de- 
scribes the  Saviour  as  traversing  the  country 
with  the  aim  of  most  completely  reaching  the 
people,  and  es))ecially  making  sure  that  no 
city  Or  village  should  be  neglected.  It  was  as 
though  he  would  not  have  one  soul  left  un- 
visited  by  the  light  of  salvation. — Preach- 
ing and  shewing  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Two  phases  of  the  one 
perpetual  work  of  declaring  the  truth  con- 
cerning salvation.  Preaching,  as  explained 
in  ch.  3:  3,  gives  the  work  according  to  its 
manner;  shewing,  etc.,  according  to  its  sub- 
ject matter  and  its  quality  to  the  recipient 
soul.  Jesus  announced  his  message,  in  an 
important  sense,  as  a  new  thing,  a  message 
which  treated  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  its 
presence,  its  principles,  its  blessedness,  tid- 
ings concerning  which  were  good  news.  — 
And  the  twelve  were  with  him,  viz.,  jour- 
neyed about  with  him.  They  did  not  alwaj'S 
all  accompany  the  Saviour,  or  it  would  hardly 
be  mentioned  in  a  particular  case.  They  were 
serving  their  apjjrenticeship  to  the  work  on 
which  be  would  soon  send  them  forth  alone. 
2,3.  And  (with  him)  certain  women, 
which  had  been  healed  of  evil  spirits 
and  infirmities — that  is,  journeyed  about 
with  him.  This  presents  a  new  phase  in  the 
ministry  of  Jesus,  not  mentioned  by  the 
other  evangelists,  and  helping  us  to  see  more 
clearly  two  things.  1.  The  poverty  of  Christ 
and  his  apottles,  and  how  they  were  enabled 
to  give  themselves  unremittingly  to  the  work, 
involving  as  it  did  considerable  expense  for 
their    maintenance.      Some    of   the    apostles 


Ch.  VIIL] 


LUKE. 


145 


(James  and  John,  Peter  and  Matthew),  may 
be  supposed  to  have  had  some  means;   but 
whetlier,    if   so,    domestic   requirements    left 
them  any  surplus  free  for  the  common  sup- 
port, we  have  no  evidence.     Jesus  could  say, 
not  long  after  this,   "The  Son  of  man  hath 
not  whore  to  lay  his  head."'     But  these  wo- 
men,   as   we  see,   accompanied   him   on   this 
excursion  for  the  purpose  of  giving  support 
and   aid    to   the   company,    as   might   be   re- 
quired.    May  we  not  take  it  as  a  specimen  of 
the  assistance  rendered  at  all  times  by  those 
who  believed  on  him,  when  the  ordinary  re- 
sources of   hospitality   proved   deficient?    2. 
The  superiority  of  Jesus  to  the  prejudice  of 
his  dny  against  women.     We  see  evidence  of 
this   prejudice   in   the  correct   statement,    in 
John  4:  27,  that  his  disciples  "  wondered  that 
he  talked  with  a  woman."     AV'hile  the  Jew- 
ish  Scriptures    and    secular    literature   cele- 
brated the  excellence  of  the  virtuous  woman, 
the   rabbis  of  Christ's  day  thought  it  scan- 
dalous to  speak  to  a  woman  in  public.     But 
our  Saviour  manifested  in  this,   as  in   other 
respects,   a  supreme   indifference  to  distinc- 
tions— of  sex,  as  of  nationality,   rank,  occu- 
pation, character— between  human  beings  in 
the  presence  of  his  gospel.     The  spectacle  of 
his  company  in  their  travels  would  seem  a 
strange  one,   an3'whcre,   at  any  time.     How 
much  more  strange  then,  when,  in  the  syna- 
gogue, the  women  were  latticed  off  in  a  part 
of  the  house  separate  from   men,  and  might 
not  appear  in  the  streets,  unless  when  they 
vailed  all  but  the  eyes.      But  with  the  treat- 
ment of  women  by  Christ  began  a  revolution 
which  has  resulted  in  a  social  and  domestic 
condition    as    different    from    the    best    then 
known  as  it  is  possible  to  conceive.     And  so 
unassailable  was  the  purity  of  his  character, 
that  his  kindness  and  courtesy  toward  women 
appears  not  to  have  raised  a  breath  of  calumny 
against  him  on  the  part  of  those  who  were 
forward  to  urge  every  charge  that  could  im- 
pair his  influeiice,  or  sully  his  name. 

These  women  seem  all  to  have  received 
jpe^ial  benefits  at  the  hands  of  our  Lord,  in 
cures  of  maladies  and  relief  from  evil  spirits; 
and  this  had  naturally  prepared  them  for  the 
effectual  reception  of  his  soul-renewing  mes- 
sage. The  feeling  of  personal  attachment  to 
a  physician  who  has  cured  one  of  .some  sore 
disease,  was  exalted  and  spiritualized  here  to- 
ward one  whom  they  regarded  as-  the  author 


to  them  of  eternal  salvation,  also,  from  the  ills 
which  ruin  a  soul.     The  names  of  a  few  of 
them  are  rescued  from  earthly  oblivion   for 
us;  the  man^'  others  are  well  known  to  God. 
One,  indeed — iWary,  that  was  called  Idag- 
dalene — does  not  appear  here  only.      She  is 
often  mentioned  subsequently  in  connection 
with  the  life,  the  death,   the  resurrection,  of 
our  Lord.     Yet  of  her  previous  history  we 
know  nothing  at  all,  except  what  is  implied 
in  this  sentence.     The  epithet,  Magdalene, 
signifies    that   she  had    lived,   probably  been 
born,  at  Magdala,  Migdal-el,  watch-tower  of 
God,  a  place  on  the  west  side  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  the  present  El-Mejdel,  an  liour's  walk 
south    of    Cajternaum.    •  An    untrustworthy 
tradition,  unfortunately  embodied  in  a  chap- 
ter heading  of  our  Bible,  on  ch.  7,  has  identi- 
fied her  with  the  "  woman  who  was  a  sinner" 
in  that  chapter,  so  that,  although  that  head- 
ing was   without  any  real   autlx^rity,   many 
people  now  are  surprised  to  be  told  that  there 
is  not  a  particle  of  proof  in   favor  of  such  a 
view.     There  had,  indeed,  seven  demons  gone 
out  of  her  through  Christ's  rrterciful   com- 
mand.    That  they  were  spoken  of  as  seven, 
shows  that  the  demoniac  influence  over  her 
had  been  seven-fold  powerful  and  distressing. 
We  must  combine  in  imagination  all  that  we 
know  of  the  helplessaess  of  epilepsij'  and  the 
ravings  of  insaniity,  distinctly  recognized  as 
the  result  of  an  abhorrent  intrusion  into  the 
inmost  centre  of  the  soul,  to  form  anj'  proper 
idea  of  that  from  which  she  had  been  deliv- 
ered.    But  this  did  not  imply  peculiar  guilt. 
Her  case  had  been  ]>itiable,   not  criminal. — 
Joanna  wife  of  Chuza,  Herod's  steward. 
This  man's  office,    manager  of  the   business 
affairs  of  Herod  Antii>its,  was  one  of  high  re- 
spectability, and  it  has  been  conjectured  that 
he  was  the  nobleman  whose'   son  Jesus  had 
miraculously  healed  at  Capernaum  /John  4: 27), 
in  his  early  ministry'.     It  may  have  been  so. 
That  his  wife  should   be  free  to  accf)mpany  . 
her  benefactor,  suits  better  with  the  supposi- 
tion that  she   was   now   a    widow ;  and    that 
she  was  able  thus  to  render  him  aid  prf)ves 
that   not   merely  the  worldly   "poor"   were 
even  then  happ3'  in  their  participation  of  the 
kingdom   of   God. —  Susanna  (the   word   in 
Hebrew  means  "a  lily),  although   her  name 
is  preserved,  is  really  no  more  known  to  us 
than  the  many  others  who  are  not  even  des- 
ignated separately,,  but  "  whose   names  ace 


146 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


3  And  Joanna  the  wife  of  Chuza,  Herod's  steward, 
and  Susanna,  and  many  others,  which  ministered  unto 
him  of  their  substance. 

4  «And  when  luuch  people  were  gathered  together, 
and  were  come  to  him  out  of  every  city,  he  spake  by  a 
parable : 

5  A  sower  went  out  to  sow  his  seed :  and  as  he  sowed, 
some  fell  by  the  way  side;  and  it  was  trodden  down, 
and  the  fowls  of  the  air  devoured  it. 


3  had  gone  out,  and  Joanna  the  wife  of  Chuza,  Herod's 
steward,  and  Susanna,  and  many  others,  that  minis- 
tered unto  '  Ihem  of  their  substance. 

4  And  when  a  great  multitude  came  together,  and 
they  of  every  city  resorted  unto  him,  he  .si)ake  by  a 

5  parable:  The  sower  went  forth  to  sow  his  seed:  and 
as  he  sowed,  some  fell  by  the  way  side ;  and  it  was 
trodden  under  foot,  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  de- 


a  Matt.  13  :  2  J  Mark  4  :  1. 1  Many  aDcient  uuthoiilies  rend,  hin 


written  in  the  book  of  life."— Which  minis- 
tered unto  him  of  their  substance.    We 

may  understand  from  this,  more  specifically, 
that  they  purchased,  with  their  means,  the 
food  and  other  necessaries,  when  needful,  pre- 
pared the  food,  paid  the  expense  of  lodgings, 
and  the  fare  of  boats  across  the  lake.  Imagi- 
nation aids  us  to  see  the  sacred  company  trav- 
eling and  halting  by  turns,  and  listening  or 
aiding,  as  Christ  diligently  accomplished  his 
mission,  in  city  by  city,  and  village  by  vil- 
lage, showing  the  glad  tidings. 

4-15.  Parable  of  the  Sower. 

4.  And  when  much  people  (or,  a  greats 
multitude)  were  gathered  together  (or, 
came  together).  It  was  at  a  point  of  time  when 
the  ministry  of  Jesus  was  still  attracting  great 
attendance,  perhaps  greater  than  before,  in 
consequence  of  this  systematic  and  more  for- 
mal dis.semination  of  the  word,  of  which  we 
have  just  spoken.  The  extraordinary  char- 
acter of  his  retinue  would  make  a  deeper  im- 
pression. The  multitude  now  spoken  of  was 
apparently  the  people  of  the  neighborhood 
where  he  was. — And  were  come  to  him 
out  of  every  city — better,  and  they  were  com- 
ing to  him,  etc.  These  were  the  additional 
crowds  furnished  by  the  several  cities  he  had 
visited.  They  may  well  be  supposed  to  have 
represented  a  great  variety  of  ideas  and  states 
of  heart  concerning  Jesus  and  his  work.  The 
genuine  believer,  whether  more  clearly  en- 
lightened in  his  truth,  or  drawn  to  him  as  yet 
only  by  a  heart-experience  of  the  benefit  of 
his  instruction  and  sympathy,  would  jostle 
the  proud  and  malignant  Pharisee,  while 
around  them  clustered  every  modification  of 
indifference,  curiosity,  or  active  inquiry  touch- 
ing the  great  wonder  of  their  time.  Popular 
enthusiasm  prevailed  through  it  all,  naturally 
occasioning  anxiety,  and  involving  peril,  as 
well  as  encouragement,  to  the  cause  of  Jesus. 
Hence,  he  spake  by  a  parable.  The  Greek 
word  for  parable,  re-appearing  with  little 
change  in  the  Englisli  vocable,  isdcrived  from 
a  verb  which  signifies  to  place  a  thing  beside 


another  for  the  purpose,  among  others,  of 
comparison.  We  have  had  the  noun  already 
more  than  once  in  the  sense  of  a  simile  or 
comparison  (4:23;  5:36;  6:39),  i.  e.,  a  mental 
placing  of  two  things  side  by  side,  that  the 
one  less  clear  may  be  understood  from  a  con- 
sideration of  the  other.  But  here  we  have 
the  first  instance  in  our  Gospel  of  a  parable, 
in  that  special  sense,  in  which  Jesus  fre- 
quently used  it,  at  once  to  veil  and  to  unveil, 
fundamental  truths  concerning  his  kingdom. 
It  is  hard  to  draw  a  definition  of  it,  so  as  to 
comprehend  all  its  features,  and  to  exclude  all 
other  forms  of  illustrative  siuiile.  It  differs 
from  many  similes  in  not  confining  itself  to  a 
single  instance  of  character  or  conduct,  and 
in  not  looking  outside  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 
It  is  an  allegory,  except  that  it  generally  in- 
timates, more  or  less  distinctly,  what  it  is  de- 
signed to  set  forth.  It  always  takes  the  form 
of  a  story,  relating  some  occurrence  consistent 
with  the  customs  of  human  conduct,  or  an 
operation  of  natural  laws,  suited  to  explain 
the  principles  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  its 
claims,  requirements,  promises,  and  its  growth 
See  a  good  definition  in  Grimm's  Clavis  Nov. 
Testamenti,  ed.  2,  (under  the  word  iropa)3oA>}). 

5.  A  (rather  the)  sower  went  out  to  sow 
his  seed.  A  comparison  with  Matthew  and 
Mark  shows  that  the  Teacher,  to  get  out  from 
the  press  of  the  crowd,  had  entered  a  boat, 
and  spoke,  sitting  in  the  boat  at  a  convenient 
distance  from  the  shore.  Neander  supposed 
that  the  use  of  the  article,  the  sower,  was  ex- 
plained by  imagining  Jesus,  as  he  sat,  to  have 
pointed  to  some  farmer  actually  engaged  at 
the  moment  in  sowing  his  field,  on  a  neigh- 
boring slope.  It  is  quite  sufficient,  however, 
to  understand  the  article  as  indicating  the 
representative  of  a  class.  (P.  Buttmann,  Gr. 
Gram.  gl24.  1).— And  as  he  sowed,  some 
fell-  Gr.  one  fell.  Mark  and  Luke  individ- 
ualize the  experience — "one,"  "another," 
"the  other,"  (M:irk4.8),  "the  others,"  while 
Matthew  throughout,  uses  the  plural  number- 
correctly  given  in  the  version  of  the  Ameri- 


Ch.  VIIL] 


LUKE. 


147 


C  And  some  fell  upon  a  rock ;  and  as  soon  as  it 
was  sprung  up,  it  withered  away,  because  it  lacked 
moisture. 

7  And  some  fell  among  thorns;  and  the  thorns 
sprang  up  with  it,  and  choked  it. 

8  And  other  fell  on  good  ground,  and  sprang  up,  and 
bare  fruit  an  hundrwlfold.  And  when  he  nad  said 
these  things,  he  cried,  lie  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear. 

y  "xVnd  his  disciples  asked  him,  saying.  What  might 
this  parable  be? 

lU  And  he  said,  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  God:  but  to  others  ir 
parables  ;  *  that  seeing  they  might  not  see,  and  hearing 
they  might  not  understand. 


6  voured  it.  And  other  fell  on  the  rock  ;  and  as  soon 
as  it  grew,  it  withered  away,  because  it  had  no  moist- 

7  ure.     And  other  fell     aiiiitlst    the  thorns;   anil  the 

8  thorns  grew  with  it,  and  choked  it.  And  other  fell 
into  the  gowl  ground,  and  grew,  and  brought  forth 
fruit  a  hundredfold.  As  he  said  these  things,  he 
cried.  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. 

9  And    his  disciples  asked    him  what   this   parable 
10  might  be.    And  he  said.  Unto  you  it   is  given   to 

know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  (Jod:  but  to 
the  rest  in  parables ;  that  seeing  they  may  not  see, 


a  Matt.  13  :  10  ;  Murk  4 :  10. . .  .6  Ihr.  6:9;  Hark  4:12. 


can  Bible  Union— By  the  way  side— along 
tlie  way,  or  road.  The  Saviour  seems  to  have 
had  in  mind  a  narrow  path,  leading  through 
the  arable  field,  such  as  the  one  in  which  the 
disciples  were  walking  when  they  plucked 
the  ears  of  grain  on  the  Sabbath,  without 
fences  to  define  it,  and  on  which  some  seeds 
would  inevitably  fall,  as  the  .sower  scattered 
them  in  the  vicinity.  Here,  lying  in  plain 
sight  on  the  hard,  worn  surface,  they  would 
be  liable  to  be  trodden  by  passing  men  and 
beasts,  and  to  be  picked  up  by  the  ever- 
present  birds. 

6.  And  some  {another)  fell  on  a  rock 
(lit.  the  Tock),  etc. — Moisture  here,  and  depth 
of  earth  in  the  other  Synoptics,  complement 
each  other,  and  show  that  we  are  to  think 
not  of  a  soil  filled  with  loose  stones;  but 
lying  in  a  thin  layer  over  a  flat  surface  of 
rock.  The  warmth  of  this  bed  would  cause 
the  seed  to  start  more  promptly  than  else- 
where; but  would  also,  after  the  rains  ceased, 
speedily  end  its  growth. 

7.  And  some  {nnother)  fell  among  thorns 
{the  thorns),  i.  e.,  into  places  already  occupied 
by  the  seeds  and  roots  of  thorny  weeds.  These 
springing  up  rankly  with  it,  as  their  nature 
i.s,  would  outstrip  the  more  useful  plant, 
overshadow,   and  stifle  it. 

8.  And  other  (nnother)  foil  on  good  (or, 
into  the  good)  ground— ground  free  from 
weeds,  deep  and  mellow,  of  which  there  was 
a  portion  in  the  field.  And  this  seed  sprang 
up  {(jrein),  and  bare  fruit  a  hundred-fold 
— a  hundred  grains  for  the  one.  The  well- 
known  fertility  of  the  better  .soils  in  Pales- 
tine, would  have  easily  furnished  cases  of 
production  as  great  as  this,  which  is  put 
here,  however,  merely  as  a  vivid  account 
of  a  great  yield. — He  that  hath  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear.     Let  every  one  use  all 


his  faculties  for  understanding  what  I  have 
said. 

9.  And  his  disciples  asked  him  (omit 
saying)  What  might  this  parable  be  i    To 

us,  now,  it  seems  so  plain  that  a  child  would 
scarcely  need  to  ask  its  meaning.  But  if  we 
consider  that  Jesus  had  previously  indicated 
clearly  the  design  of  all  similar  illustrations, 
while,  as  yet,  he  had  here  left  them  with  the 
bare  story  of  a  man  .sowing  a  field,  with  its 
various  incident.*,  we  shall  not  wonder  that 
they  were  perplexed.  From  the  answer 
which  follows,  we  may  see  that  the  question 
was  more  comprehensive  than  as  stated  by 
Luke.  It  included  also,  in  Matthew  and 
Mark,  an  inquiry  why  the  Lord  used  the 
parabolic  mode  of  teaching.  "We  may  well 
suppose  that  the  question  had  a  somewhat 
more  specific  aim.  to  ascertain  why  the  Lord 
used  this  waj'  of  teaching  nov\  when  he  had 
for  a  year  and  a  half,  or  more,  spoken  undis- 
gui.sedly  all  his  thoughts.  The  Saviour  re- 
plies first  to  the  latter,  and  then  explains 
this  particular  parable. 

10.  And  he  said,  Unto  you  it  is  (has 
been)  given  (?".  e.,  l\v  God,  in  awakening  in 
you  a  spiritual  desire  for  the  truth,  and  faith 
in  me  as  your  teacher),  to  know  the  myste- 
ries of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Mysteries 
in  the  New  Testament  mean  generally  deep 
truths  concerning  .salvation,  which,  having 
boen  hitherto  concealed  from  human  under- 
standing, at  most  only  shadowed  forth  in  dark 
sayings  and  enigmatic  rites  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, are  now  plainly  displayed  in  the  proc- 
lamation of  the  gospel.  The  sum  of  this 
parable  was  one  of  the  mysteries,  and  the 
fact  that  those  disciples  had  been  prepared 
through  grace  to  know  them,  made  it  appro- 
priate and  pleasant  for  Jesus  to  impart  to 
them    the    desired    explanation.  —  But    to 


148 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


11  "Now  the  parable  is  this:  The  seed  is  the  word  of  ]  11  and  hearing  they  may  not  understand.    Now  the 


God. 

12  Those  by  the  way  side  are  they  that  hear;  then 
Cometh  the  devil,  and  taketh  away  the  word  out  of 
their  hearts,  lest  they  should  believe  and  be  saved. 


12  parable  is  this:  The  seed  is  the  word  of  God.  And 
those  by  the  way  side  are  they  that  have  heard  ;  then 
Cometh  the  devil,  and  taketh  away  the  word  from 
their  heart,  that  they  may  not  believe  and  be  saved. 


I  Matt.  13  :  18  ;  Mark  4  :  14. 


others  (better,  the  rest)  in  parables  (is  the 
truth  exhibited);  that  seeing  they  might 
not  see,  etc.  The  rest  are  the  indifl'erent  and 
morally  insusceptible  mass.  The  truth  should 
be  put  before  them  in  forms  of  expression 
which,  if  they  really  desired  to  feel  its  power, 
would  contain  light  and  life  to  them  also. 
They  should  look  on  its  embodiment  in  the 
character  and  life  of  the  Lord.  But  through 
their  worldly  self-satisfaction  they  should  i 
catch  no  glimpse  of  the  life  in  him,  and  the 
most  vital  teachings  should  convey  no  in- 
tended sense  at  all.  Such  a  course  was  spe- 
cially appropriate,  not  to  say  indispensably 
necessary  now.  The  suspicion  and  ill-will  of 
the  Pharisaic  magnates,  of  which  we  saw 
nothing  during  the  first  period  of  his  Gali- 
lean ministry,  had  passed  into  the  stage  of 
murderous  hostility.  They  were  watching 
every  utterance  of  his,  not  with  the  slightest 
intention  or  desire  of  profiting  thereby;  but 
that  they  might  catch  from  him  some  word 
which  they  could  wrest  into  a  ground  of  ac- 
cusation against  him.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  readiness  of  the  turbulent  multitude  to 
become  excited  about  his  Messiahship,  as 
equivalent  to  an  earthly  royalty  promising 
gratification  to  their  carnal  aspirations,  made 
it  important  for  him  to  weigh  his  words,  and 
to  dispense  the  truth  in  such  form  as  Avas 
best  suited  to  convey  it  to  the  conscience  and 
heart  of  earnest  inquirers.  Others  might  see 
it,  and  seeing,  not  perceive  (Mark4:r2).  It  is 
their  own  fault.  They  choose  not  to  interest 
themselves  in  the  ends  which  they  are  aware 
Christ's  words  propose.  The  continuance  of 
such  refusal  increases  their  inability,  by  the 
regular  operation  of  a  natural  law  under 
which  God  has  placed  men,  and  the  result, 
therefore,  may  truthfully  be  said  to  be  de- 
signed by  him.  This  is  the  force  of  that  in 
the  sentence:  "in  order  that"  seeing  they 
might  not  see.  The  parables  have,  for  one 
object,  to  hide  the  most  important  truth  so 
that  those  who  wish  not  to  see  it  shall  become, 
while  they  so  wish,  more  blind,  and  those 
who  long  for  the  truth  shall,  at  the  same 
time,  see  it  more  brightly. 


11.  Now — answering  the  question  expressed 
in  ver.  9 — the  parable  is  this.  Every  one 
will  notice  in  the  explanation  following, 
with  what  rhetorical  boldness  Jesus  disre- 
gards the  exactness  of  respondence  between 
his  exegesis  and  the  terms  of  the  parable, 
contenting  himself  with  such  statements  as 
should  certainly  guide  the  popular  apprehen- 
sion to  his  meaning. — The  seed  is  the  word 
of  God.  He  leaves  us  to  infer  that  the 
sower  with  whom  he  began  is  himself  pri- 
marily, and  secondarily  his  disciples,  con- 
tinuing and  extending  his  work. 

12.  [And)  those  by  the  wayside  are  they 
that  hear  (better,  those  roho  have  heard). 
The  sense  is  more  forcibly  expressed  than  if 
he  had  stopped  to  say,  "  The  hard-trodden  soil 
of  the  path  in  the  parable  represents  some 
hearts  on  which  the  word  of  the  gospel  falls 
without  making  the  least  impression."  It 
will  be  noticed  also  that,  by  the  same  felici- 
tous carelessness  of  rhetoric,  our  Lord  makes 
the  men  whose  hearts  are  soil  into  which  the 
truth  is  planted,  themselves  the  plants  that 
spring  up  from  it.  Again,  one  seed  was  speci- 
fied in  the  parable  in  each  soil,  while  a  plu- 
rality of  men  now  take  its  place.  They  have 
heard;  the  sounds  entered  their  ears,  and 
have  excited  the  sense  which  is  naturally  at- 
tached to  them  in  their  earthly  apnlications. 
But  meeting  no  desire  for  religious  under- 
standing and  impulse;  encountering,  rather, 
a  stateof  mind  entirely  absorbed,  and  satisfied 
with  what  occupies  it,  the  true  intent  of  the 
communication  made  is  utterly  lost.  It  is  as 
if  birds  picked  up  the  seed,  or  a  heavy  foot 
crushed  it.  This  again  results  from  criminal 
carelessness.  Of  this  Satan  takes  advantage, 
and  employs  all  his  influence  to  encourage 
such  fatal  indiflTerence  to  the  truth.  Such, 
doubtless,  were  a  large  part  of  our  Lord's 
hearers,  as  they  are  the  largest  part,  at  ordi- 
nary seasons,  of  every  congregation  where  the 
word  of  Christ  is  now  proclaimed.  And  it  is 
still,  no  doubt,  true:— Then  cometh  the 
devil — little  suspected,  and  apparently  little 
needed  in  the  )iri'-determined  stolidity  of  the 
mass. — And  taketh  away  the  word  out  of 


Cu.  VIII.] 


LUKE. 


149 


13  They  on  the  rock  are  they,  which,  when  they  hear, 
receive  the  word  with  joy;  and  these  haVe  no  root, 
which  for  a  while  Iwlieve,  and  in  time  of  temptation 
fall  away. 

14  And  that  which  fell  among  thorns  are  they, 
which,  when  they  have  heard,  go  forth,  and  are 
choked  with  cares  and  riches  and  pleasures  of  IhU  life, 
and  bring  no  fruit  to  perfection. 


13  And  those  on  the  rock  are  they  who,  when  they 
have  heard,  receive  the  word  with  joy;  and  these 
have  no  root,  who  for  a  while  believe,  and  in  time 

14  of  temptation  fall  away.  And  that  which  fell  among 
the  thorns,  these  are  they  that  have  heard,  and  as 
they  go  on  their  way  theyare  choked  with  cares  and 
riches  and  pleasures  of  Midlife,  and  bring  no  Iruil  tu 


(rather, /rom — it  had  not  effectually  entered) 
their  heart.  He  has  only  to  amuse  them 
with  scenes  of  imaginary  pleasure,  or  occupy 
them  with  any  worldly  memories  or  expecta- 
tions, to  hinderail  legitimate  religious  advan- 
tage.— Lest  they  should  (or  that  they  may 
not)  believe  and  be  saved.  Should  they 
give  even  thoughtful  attention  to  Christ's 
truth,  their  interest  in  it  miglit  be  e.xcited, 
their  consciences  might  be  roused,  their  desires 
for  pardon,  peace,  and  a  more  worthy  life 
be  kindled;  they  might  take  Jesus  as  their 
guide,  and  be  led  to  real  welfare  for  time  and 
eternity. 

13.  They  on  the  rock,  etc.— (rather,  Aiid 
those  on  the  rock).  The  second  class  of  hear- 
ers, wiiose  heart  is  symbolized  by  the  rock  with 
a  light  coating  of  mellow  soil,  differs  from  the 
preceding  in  certain  respects.  They  have 
some  curiosity,  at  least,  concerning  the  word. 
They  give  some  attention.  They  form  an  idea 
of  advantages  to  be  gained  by  adherence  to 
Christ;  desire  them,  asthey  conceive  of  them  ; 
th'nk  they  accept  them  on  Christ's  terms;  re- 
joice in  this  thought.  But  when  removed 
from  the  influences  which  encouraged  them, 
they  find  that  the  new  course  involves  trials; 
that  the  repentsince  required  i.s  a  constant 
mortification  of  all  evil  desires;  they  find 
stumbling-blocks  in  all  difficultie- ;  forget 
their  transient  joys,  and  fall  away  as  quickly 
as  they  embraced  the  truth.  The  plant  of 
faith  uprnnff  up  in  them,  but  could  not  strike 
a  tap-root. — The  time  of  temptation — is  any 
state  of  outward  circumstances  which  puts  the 
staying  power  of  faith  to  the  test,  and  offers 
allurements  to  give  it  up.  Everj-  experienced 
observer  knows  that  instances  of  such  super- 
ficial and  transient  discipleship  are  sadly  com- 
mon still ;  but  will  be  surprised,  perhaps,  that 
the  Master  ascribes  to  such  "belief."  even 
for  a  while.  But  they  do  believe  some  part 
of  the  truth,  but  not  all ;  and  not  the  main 
things,  and  hence  not  anything  long. 

14.  And  that  which  fell  amonf;  {the) 
thorns,  these  are  they,  which,  when  they 
have  heard,  etc.  Notice  the  differont  form 
of  expression,  and  more  correct,  rhetorically 


in  the  first  clause.  Still  our  Lord  goes  for- 
ward in  the  second  as  if  he  had  said,  "those 
who  fell."  The  vital  point  of  comparison  in 
all  these  instances  is  of  the  hearers  to  the  soils. 
And  here  we  have  to  think  it  out.  "The 
ground  which  received  the  seed,  is  an  emblem 
of  those  souls  which  received  the  word  into 
the  midst  of  distracting  cares,"  etc.  This 
class  differ  from  the  second — first,  in  that  the 
growth  of  faith  proceeds  somewhat  furtiier. 
It  is  supposed  that  the  seed  of  truth  has  sprung 
up  in  them,  and  gone  on  almost  to  a  mature 
plant.  Secondly,  the  causes  of  barrenness 
now  are  internal ;  not  as  before,  outward  on- 
sets of  persecution  or  temptation ;  but  the 
truth  has,  in  some  apparently  fortunate  mo* 
ment,  found  lodgment  in  a  heart  ordinarily 
occupied  with  cares  and  riches  and  pleas* 
ures  of  this  life  {this  should  be  omitted). 
Of  life,  qualifies  all  the  preceding  nouns. 
The  cares  of  life  are  the  anxieties  and  solici- 
tudes, from  whatever  cause,  harassing  the 
mind  in  the  experiences  of  daily  life.  The 
riches  of  life  are  worldly  wealth,  regarded  afl 
engrossing  much  thought;  and  the  pleasures 
of  life  are  mentioned,  both  because  they  satisfy 
the  ordinary  desires  of  men.  and  dull  the  ca- 
pacity for  higher  ambitions  and  enjoyment.*. 
The  heart  already  occupied  with  either  of 
these  kinds  of  experience,  and  especially  if 
occupied  by  them  all,  mingled  or  in  succes- 
sion, has  no  room  for  the  hospitable  enter- 
tainment of  purposes  and  activities  involving 
improvement  in  holiness,  and  reaching  out 
toward  eternity.  These  may  find  partial 
place,  for  a  season,  but  they  lack  air  and 
light,  and  the  natural  disposition  not  being 
suppressed,  are  finally  stifled,  before  the  fruits 
of  earnest  struggle  with  sin,  and  a  Christ-like 
love  to  others  are  developed.  Go  forth,  in  the 
Common  Version,  is  rightly  transposed  and 
rendered — A.t  they  poon  their  way,  i.  e.,  in  the 
progress  of  their  life,  as  opportunity  is  given 
for  the  operation  of  the  discordant  principles 
within  them — they  are  choked — in  respect 
to  their  more  promising  tendencies — and 
bring  no  fruit  to  perfection.  It  is  the  case 
of  an  experience  where  there  has  been  such  an 


150 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


15  But  that  on  the  good  ground  are  they,  which  in 
an  honest  and  good  heart,  having  heard  the  word,  keep 
it,  and  bring  lorth  Iruit  with  patience. 

1(5  "No  uian,  when  lie  hath  lighted  a  candle, covereth 
it  with  a  vessel,  or  piitteth  i(  under  a  bed;  but  settcth 
il  on  a  candlestick,  that  they  which  enter  in  n:ay  see 
the  light. 


15  perfection.  And  that  in  the  good  ground,  these  are 
such  as  in  an  h';nest  and  good  heart,  having  hoard 
the  word,  hold  it  last,  and  bring  forth  fruit  with 
patienee. 

16  And  no  man,  when  he  hath  lighted  a  lamp,  cover- 
eth it  with  a  vessel,  or  putteth  it  under  a  bed  ;  hut 
putteth  it  on  a  stand,  that  they  that  enter  in  may  see 


I  Mutt.  5:  15;  Markl:  21:  cli.  11:33. 


effect  of  gospel  truth  as  to  give  indications  like 
those  of  a  true  conversion,  and  not  afterward 
so  plainly  falsified  as  entirely'  to  forbid  hope 
that  there  may  be  a  better  principle  lingering 
within,  while  j'et  carking  cares,  the  love  of 
money,  and  rampant  self-indulgence,  in 
whatever  forms,  are  so  indubitably  present, 
that  clear  and  decided  evidences  of  a  gracious 
state  are  never  seen. 

15.  Those  compared  to  the  excellent 
ground  into  which  a  seed  fell,  these  are 
they,  which  (such  as)  in  an  honest  and 
good  heart,  etc.  Honest  stands  for  a 
Greek  adjective,  meaning,  properly,  "beau- 
tiful," suited  to  represent  outwardly  that 
which  is  inwardly  good.  So  we  speak  of  a 
"handsome"'  character  =  noble,  excellent, 
fine;  a  beautiful  soil,  as  the  ground  is  here 
called.  The  heart  here  described  following 
in  the  series  of  those  already  characterized  by 
comparison  to  the  soils,  is  honest,  or  honor- 
able, or  beautiful,  and  good,  in  that  it  is 
mellow  for  the  ready  reception  of  the  truth, 
deep  to  give  the  springing  plant  permanent 
standing  room,  vacant  of  unfriendly  growth 
to  allow  ample  expansion  and  undivided 
nutriment.  Apart  from  metaphor,  the  good- 
ness and  moral  beauty  of  the  heart  here  de- 
scribed lies  in  its  desire  to  know  the  truth, 
its  candor  in  recognizing  God's  word  con- 
cerning sin  and  redemption  as  the  truth,  and 
its  readiness  and  earnestness  to  give  thtit 
truth  due  influence  over  the  conduct  and 
dispositions  which  make  up  the  life.  Such 
hearts  having  heard  the  word,  and  em- 
braced the  truth  with  faith  and  love,  keep 
it,  i.  e.,  hoid  it  fast,  not  allowing  it  to  be 
snatched  away  by  the  devil,  nor  dried  up 
with  the  first  heat  of  temptation,  nor  choked 
by  more  cherished  purposes  and  habits  of  life. 
— And  bring  forth  fruit.  The  plant  comes 
to  complete  development  of  itself,  and  bears 
grain  in  corresponding  abundance. — With 
patience — endurance  through  all  hindrances 
and  trials;  constancy  which  yields  to  no  temp- 
tation to  desist;  perseverance  which  stops  not 
until  the  end  is  reached.     This  is  what  none 


of  the  other  plants  had.  The  first  made  no 
start;  the  second  barely  started  ;  the  third  at- 
tained a  somewhat  protracted,  but  sickly  and 
inefficient  life  ;  the  fourth  continued  through 
all  the  normal  stages,  and  held  out  till  the  full 
ripening  of  the  crop.  The  Siiviour  saw  all 
these  classes  of  hearers  before  him  when  he 
spoke  the  parable;  and  we  would  fain  hope 
that  he  sees  some  of  the  last  class  also  even 
yet. 

The  parable  of  the  Sower,  the  most  compre- 
hensive in  its  range  of  instruction  of  all  the 
parables,  suggests  many  questions  which  it 
leaves  to  be  answered,  on  a  comparison  of 
other  Scripture,  by  an  enlightened  theology. 
What  is  the  explanation  of  the  difference  in 
the  quality  of  hearts  here  signified?  What 
the  relation  between  the  operation  of  the 
human  powers  and  of  God  in  his  grace,  in 
determining  the  results  of  the  presentation 
of  truth  in  each  case?  As  Ciirist  contents 
himself  with  setting  forth  the  actual  facts 
everywhere  attending  the  publication  of  his 
truth,  "the  glad  tidings  of  the  kingdoin,"  we 
need  notice  only  that  the  fundamental  char- 
acter of  the  announcement,  as  requiring  re- 
pentance, and  offering  forgiveness,  and  ex- 
pecting gratitude,  forbids  our  ascribing  any 
particle  of  merit  to  any  heart  tliat  receives  it. 
We  may  add,  that,  so  far  as  appears,  the  less 
beautiful  hearts  needed  only  to  employ  and 
direct  aright  their  capacities  for  receiving 
and  appropriating  the  word,  in  order  to  bring 
forth  fruit  also.  Finally,  the  seed  of  divine 
truth  germinates,  when  it  does  germinate, 
and  springs  up,  and  grows,  and  brings  fruit 
to  perfection,  only  through  the  vivifying  in- 
fluence of  God's  genial  Spirit,  operating  and 
empowering,  at  the  start,  through  every  stage 
of  increase,  and  in  the  final  harvest.  This  is 
as  the  warmth,  the  sun,  the  air,  the  shower, 
to  the  growth  of  the  grain. 

16-18.  Jesus  Appends  to  the  Parable 
AN  Admonition  to  Spread  the  Knowl- 
edge Afforded  by  His  Parable. 

16.  And  (or,  but)  no  man  Avhen  he  hath 
lighted  a  candle  {lamp),  etc.     The  connec- 


Ch.  VIII.] 


LUKE. 


151 


17  "For  nothing  is  secret,  that  shall  not  be  made 
nianiTest;  neither  any  Iking  hid,  that  shall  not  be 
known  aud  come  abroad. 

18  Take  heed  therefore  how  ye  hear:  '  for  whosoever  i 
hath,  to  him  shall  be  given;  and  whosoever  hath  not,  [ 
from  him  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he  seemeth  to  j 
have. 

19  «Thcn  came  to  him  his  mother  and  his  brethren,  ; 
and  could  not  come  to  him  for  the  press.  1 

20  Aud  it  wa-s  told  him  by  certain  which  said,  Thy  ' 
Mio'her  and  thy  brethren  stand  without,  desiring  to  | 
see  thee.  I 


17  the  light.  For  nothing  is  hid,  that  shall  not  be  made 
manifest;  noro;i.i/M(«c/ secret, that  shallnot  tjeknown 

18  and  come  to  light.  Take  heed  therefore  how  ye 
hea"-:  for  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given; 
and  whosoever  hath  not,  from  liim  shall  be  takcD 
away  even  that  which  he  '  thinketh  he  hath. 

19  And  there  came  to  him  his  mother  and  brethren, 

20  and  they  could  not  come  at  him  for  the  crowd.  And 
it  was  told  him,  Thy  mother  and  thy  brethren  stand 


aM.'Ut.  10:26;  ch.  12:2....b  Matt.  13:  12;  25:  29;  cb.  19:26....c  Malt.  12:  46;  Hark  3:  :<l. i  Ot,  leemethto  have. 


tion  with  the  preceding  is,  I  have  opened  to 
you  in  ])rivftte  the  nij-stery  of  the  kingdom, 
through  the  explanation  of  the  parable.  But 
this  knowledge  in  you  is  as  a  light,  kindled 
in  order  that  it  may  shine  abroad  ;  and  you 
are  with  all  earnestness  to  diffuse  it  as  widely 
as  possible. — The  candle  is  not  mentioned  in 
antiquitj';  lamps  of  a  rude  idea,  although 
often  graceful  in  form,  were  used  instead. 
The  candlestick  (rather,  stand)  was  a  holder 
for  the  lamp,  analogous  to  our  candlestick. — 
Bed  means  a  couch  or  divan  at  the  side  of 
the  room,  a  seat  b^'  day,  and  sleeping-place 
at  night. 

17.  For  nothing  is  secret  (or,  hid),  etc. 
All  that  is  now  a  mystery  to  the  worldly 
crowd  is  ojtened  to  those  prepared,  for  the 
very  purpose  that  they  ma^'  i)ubli5h  it  to  all 
who  will  receive  it,  that  it  maj'  in  the  end  be 
univers.'illy  understood. 

18.  Take  heed  therefore — seeing  it  is  your 
high  offico,  as  liglU-bearers  for  the  benighted, 
to  dispense  tiie  truth  from  me — how  ye 
hear — that  ye  hear  attentively,  understand- 
ingly,  appreciatively,  that  all  who  resort  to 
you  may  see  the  light  as  I  give  it  forth. — For 
whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given. 
A  stintulus  to  such  careful  ai>i)r()priation  of 
divine  truth.  No  one  has  this  who  does  not 
accept  it  with  reverence,  love,  and  obedience. 
Even  a  little  thus  api>ropriated  assures  in- 
crease, as  in  the  principles  of  all  science  and 
art. — And  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him, 
etc.  Tlie  teacher  who  assumes  to  know — 
seemeth  to  have  (thuikrfh  he  hath) — what 
he  has  not  learned  at  the  right  source,  nor  in 
the  way  of  due  reflection  and  })ractical  use, 
will,  so  continuing,  become  manifest  even  to 
himself  as  an  itnpostor. 

19-21.  Hk  Gives  Prkfkrkxck  to  His 
True  Disciples  Over  Natural  Kindred. 
(Comp.  Matt.  VI:  4()-.j0;    Mark  81-35.) 

19.  20.  Then  [and  there)  came  to  him 
his   mother  and   his  (omit  his)  brethren. 


IThe  same  occurrence,  we  may  assume,  a.s 
that  recorded  in  Matthew  and  Mark.  The 
brothers  of  Jesus  (their  names  are  given  in 
Matt.  13:  bb),  who  frequently  appear  in  com- 
pany with  his  mother,  were,  doubtless,  sons 
of  Joseph  and  Mary,  born,  as  well  as  .some 
sisters  (Matt.  i3:56),  after  him.  This  view  agrees 
perfectly  with  previous  intimations  (Mmt.  i:25: 
Luke  2: 7),  and  with  every  mention  of  them,  as 
well  known  to  his  fellow  townsmen  (Matt.  i3:55; 
Mark 6: 3),  as  not  for  a  time  believing  in  him 
(jotin7:5),  bui  afterward  among  his  disciples 
(Acui:i«),  where  Mary  is  again  associated  with 
thenu  The  existence  of  any  supposition  coun- 
ter to  this  is  due  to  the  superstitious,  not  to 
say  blasphemous,  honor  which  very  early  be- 
gan to  be  as(-ribed  to  Mary,  and  to  the  utterly 
unhebraic,  antichristian,  and  irrational  no- 
tion of  the  sui)eri()r  .sanctity  of  celibacy.  In 
view  of  the  matured  fruit  of  both  these  germs 
of  error,  we  are  not  favorably  impressed  with 
any  oi)inion  to  which  they  have  given  origin. 
But  after  the  first  hint  of  the  perpetual  vir- 
ginity of  Mary  had  been  imagined,  there 
began  to  he  a  necessity  to  put  some  non- 
natural  sense  on  the  texts  concerning  Christ's 
brothers  and  sisters,  a1)ove  cited.  Hence  the 
baseless  conjectures  that  they  were  children 
of  .Joseph  by  a  former  wife,  or  by  a  supposed 
levirate  marriage  of  .Joseph  with  a  supposed 
widow  of  his  suppo.sed  brother  Clopas;  or 
that  they  were  cousins,  as  being  children  of 
this  Clopas  and  a  sister  of  >[ary.  Any  one 
who  desires  to  puzzle  himself  with  the  in- 
tricate tangle  of  guesses  in  supjmrt  of  the.se 
theories,  may  consult  Smith's  Diet,  of  Bible, 
Art.  Brothers,  where  their  vanity  is  exp<)sed, 
as  it  is  also  by  Meyer,  Godet,  Farrar,  Alford, 
McClellan,  and  others.  But  any  one  content 
with  the  plain  intimations  of  Scripture,  that 
Marj'  had  other  children  (Matt,  i:  20;  Luke 2: 7); 
and  that  tho.se  among  whom  .Jesus  and  his 
brothers  had  gn)wn  up  thought  it  strange 
that   he  should  be  so  unlike  them  (nothing 


152 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VII I. 


21  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  My  mother 
and  my  brethren  are  these  which  hear  the  word  of 
(iod,  and  do  it. 

22  "  Now  it  came  to  pass  on  a  certain  day,  that  he 
went  into  a  ship  with  his  disciples:  and  he  said  unto 
them.  Let  us  go  over  unto  the  other  side  of  the  lake. 
And  they  launched  torth. 


21  without,  desiring  to  see  thee.  But  he  answered  and 
said  unto  them.  My  mother  and  my  brethren  are 
these  who  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  do  it. 

22  Now  it  came  to  pass  on  one  of  those  day.s,  that  he 
entered  into  a  boat,  himself  and  his  disciples ;  and  he 
said  unto  them,  Let  us  go  over  unto  the  other  side  of 


a  Matt.  8:  23;  Mark  4:  35. 


strange,  if  they  were  more  distant  relatives) ; 
and  that  no  instance  is  adduced  to  show  that,- 
in  Greek,  cousins,  as  such,  were  ever  called 
brothers;  and  that  all  four  evangelists  speak 
of  them,  repeatedly,  precisely  as  if  they 
thought  them  his  own  brothers,  Luke  also  in 
the  Acts,  and  Paul  in  1  Cor.  9:5;  and  that 
no  important  reason  is  apparent  why  they 
should  not  have  be-:n  such — no  one  consider- 
ing these  things  will  have  occasion  to  seek 
further. 

The  object  of  their  present  attempt  to  reach 
Jesus  appears,  from  Mark  3 :  21,  to  have  been 
to  take  him  in  charge,  perhaps  put  him  under 
restraint,  as  not  in  his  right  mind.  When 
they  saw  the  great  commotion  made  among 
the  people  by  his  preaching  and  works,  they 
went  out  to  lay  hold  on  him;  for  "  they  said, 
He  is  beside  him.self "  (Compare  ver.  31  ff.) 
This  does  not  necessarily  breathe  hostility,  but 
<mly  an  honest  fear  that  he  was  going  crazy, 
and  needed  to  be  taken  care  of  But  it  does, 
of  course,  show  that  they  lacked  proper  in- 
sight into  the  plan  of  their  brother,  and  sym- 
])athy  with  the  spirit  of  his  work.  Their  mis- 
take was  less  excusable  than  that  of  Festus 
concerning  Paul  (Acts 26:94 f).  Whether  Mary 
shared  the  error  of  her  sons,  cannot  be  posi- 
tively affirmed.  Some  think  she  had,  like 
John  the  Baptist,  become  seriously  perplexed 
by  his  failure  to  realize  her  conception  of  his 
destined  course;  (comp.  John  2:  31).  But  it 
is  equally  probable  that  she  may  have  accom- 
panied her  sons  only  in  sympathy  with  Jesus, 
and  to  inoderate  their  attempts  upon  him. — 
And  could  not  come  at  him  for  the  press 
(or,  crowd).  The  crowd  itself,  .such  as  it  was, 
might  confirm  their  supposition  that  fanati- 
cism or  frenzy  was  at  work  in  him.  Luke 
(and  Matthew)  gives  no  account  of  the  place. 
Mark  (  ■■':2o),  shows  that  it  was  in  a  house. 
They  had  to  content  themselves  with  sending 
•word  through  the  multitude  that  they  were 
outside,  and  desired  to  speak  with  him.  Had 
he  not  understood  their  disposition  towards 
him,  and  probable  design  in  coming,. we  should 
expect  him  to  have  given  more  attention  to 


their  request.  In  no  view  can  we  make  his 
course  seem  consistent  with  that  worshipful 
reverence  which  Romanists  and  their  copyists 
profess  for  Christ's  mother.  Over  him,  as  if 
absorbed  in  delight  that  some  before  him  were 
receiving  his  word  into  honest  and  good  hearts, 
all  natural  attachments  lost  their  power. 
Common  interest  in  the  Kingdom  of  God  was 
a  closer  and  more  tender  tie. 

21.  And  he  answered  .  .  .  My  mother 
and  my  brethren  (brothers)  are  these  which 
hear  the  word  of  God,  and  do  it.  Spirit- 
ual relationship  is  more  to  me  than  flesh  and 
blood.  A  noble  privilege,  that  the  believer 
may  feel  himself  nearer  to  the  blessed  Lord, 
than  if  he  were  merely  a  son  of  the  same 
mother,  or  even  that  hajjjjy  mother  herself,  in 
the  mere  natural  relationslii]). 

22-25.  He  Stills  a  Tempkst  on  the 
Lake.  (Comjjare  Mattiiew  8:  23-27;  Mark 
4:  35-41.) 

22.  On  a  certain  day — literally.  On  one 
of  those  days — namely,  those  occupied  by  that 
preaching  tour  which  Jesus  was  now  accom- 
plishing. Mark  enables  us  to  see  that  it  was 
the  day  on  which  he  had  spoken  the  parable 
of  the  Sower. — He  went  into  a  ship  (or,  a 
boat),  etc.  At  what  point  he  embarked  is  not 
certain,  but  it  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake. 
Did  the  former  fishermen  among  his  disciples 
retain  some  interest  in  a  boat,  which  thej' 
could  command  ?  Did  Zebedee  favor  his  sons 
and  their  Master  with  the  use  of  one?  Had 
they  to  pay  the  fiire  in  one,  out  of  the  slender 
remnant  of  some  private  resources,  or  by  the 
liberality  of  helping  men  and  women?  We 
cannot  tell.  It  seems  to  have  been  the  only 
way  in  which  our  Master's  tiresome  pedes- 
trianism  was  ever  relieved,  until  he  crossed 
Olivet,  and  entered  Jerusalem  riding  on  an 
ass. — Let  us  go  over  unto  the  other  side^ 
etc.  East  of  the  Lake  of  Gennesaret  lay  a 
region  rough  and  wild,  which,  although  with- 
in the  bounds  of  the  Promised  Land,  had  been 
scarcely,  more  tiian  in  name,  possessed  by 
Israel,  and  was  now  occupied  by  a  hetero- 
geneous and  comparatively  barbarous  popu- 


Ch.  VIII.] 


LUKE. 


153 


2.3  But  as  they  sailed,  he  fell  asleep:  and  there  caiue 
down  a  storm  of  wind  on  the  lake;  and  they  were  tilleil 
with  wii/t'r,  and  were  in  jeopardy. 

24  And  they  came  to  him,  and  awoke  him,  saving, 
Master,  Master,  we  perish.  Then  he  arose,  and  re- 
buked the  wind  and  the  raging  of  the  water:  and  they 
ceased,  and  there  was  a  calm. 

2.')  And  he  .said  unto  them.  Where  is  your  faith?  And 
they  being  afraid  wordered,  saying  one  to  another. 
What  manner  of  nian  is  this!  for  he  conimandeth  even 
the  winds  and  water,  and  they  ohey  him. 

26  "And  they  arrived  at  the  country  of  the  Gada- 
renes,  which  is  over  against  Galilee. 

a  Matt.  8  :  28 :  Murk  5  :  1. 1  Muuy  anciont  auihoritiei 


23  the  lake:  and  they  launched  forth.  But  as  they 
sailed  he  fell  asleep:  and  there  came  down  a  storm 
of  wind  on  the  lake ;  and  they  were  tilling  iri>h  water, 

24  and  were  in  jeoi)ardy.  And' they  came  to  him,  and 
awoke  him,  saying,  blaster.  Master,  we  perish.  And 
he  awoke,  and  rebuked  the  wind  and  the  raL'ing  of 

25  the  water:  and  they  ceased,  and  there  was  a  calm. 
And  he  said  unto  them.  Where  is  your  faith?  .\nd 
being  afraid  they  marvelled,  saying  one  to  another, 
Who  then  is  this,  that  he  coi'umandeth  even  the 
winds  and  the  water,  and  they  obey  him? 

26  And  they  arrived  at  the  country  of  the '  Geraseues, 


lation.  Only  a  few  villages  and  strongholds 
were  .scattered  near  the  eastern  shore.  The 
Saviour  desired  to  give  them  also  the  benefit 
of  his  teaching  and  of  h'is  salutary  works. 
He  wished  that  no  dark  spot  within  the  field 
of  his  permitted  labors  should  be  left  unblest 
with  the  heavenly  light. 

23.  As  they  sailed,  he  fell  asleep.  The 
day  had  been  a  .bu.-sy  one,  and  was  now  far 
advanced.  Mark,  indeed,  strongly  intimates 
that  the  disciples  hurried  him  away,  just  "as 
he  was  in  the  ship,"  where  he  had  been 
through  the  day's  preaching,  and  without 
waiting  for  further  preparation,  in  order  that 
he  might  rest.  Once  away  from  the  waiting 
crowds,  the  natural  desire  for  sleep  would 
come  upon  him ;  and  he  lay  down  on  a  bench 
at  the  stern,  with  a  cushion  for  a  pillow,  and 
was  presently  sound  asleep.  How  sound, 
appears  from  what  follows;  and  herein  we  see 
a  striking  evidence  of  the  Saviour's  full  par- 
ticipation with  us  in  the  experiences  of  hu- 
manity.— And  there  came  down  a  storm 
of  wind  on  the  lake — an  occurrence  still 
very  common,  and  easily  accounted  for,  by 
the  difterence  in  elevation  and  temperature 
between  the  deei>ly  depressed  and  sultry  sea- 
level,  and  the  cool  sutnmits  of  the  steep,  sur- 
rounding hills.  Gullying  ravines  guided  the 
currents  of  cold  air  from  the  snow-clad  moun- 
tains at  the  ncjrth,  down  to  supply  the  place  of 
the  rarefied  air  above  the  water.  The  eflTect 
on  the  little  lake  is  often  exceedingly  formid- 
able. The  waves  rise  to  heights  which  would 
hardly  seem  possible  on  so  limited  a  surface. 
(See  Sea  of  Galilee,  by  Capt.  Wilson,  R.  E., 
p.  265,  in  Recovery  of  JeruRalern,  ed.  by  Wal- 
ter Morrison.  The  same  in  Our  Work  in  Pal- 
estine, p.  185  f.  See  also  MacGregor,  Rob  Roy, 
on  the  Jordan,  p.  380,  and  p.  408  f)  Imme- 
diately there  was  danger  to  the  little  bark. 
— They  were  filled  t hrrowinc/  filled)  with 
water,  and  were  in  Jeopardy.  The  water 
was  probably  breaking  over  already  into  the 


rend,  Gergesene* ;  others,  Uadarenea  :  au<\  so  in  ver.  37. 

boat  in  places. — Master,  Master — the  same 
peculiar  term  spoken  of  on  5:  5.  Both  their 
haste  and  their  confidence  in  the  Saviour's 
judgment  and  will,  appear  in  the  brevity  of 
their  statement. — We  perish.  What  a  con- 
trast is  recognizable  in  the  deep  composure  of 
the  sleep  of  Jesus  and  the  angry  turbulence 
of  the  storm  ;  between  the  frightened  excite- 
ment of  his  followers  and  the  quiet  self-pos- 
ssession  with  which  he,  being  waked,  re- 
buked the  wind  and  the  raging — surge — 
of  the  water,  addressing  them  as  though 
they  were  intelligent  creatures,  or  under  the 
control  of  such.  (Compare  4:  39;  Ps.  lOG:  9.) 
— And  there  was  a  calm.  More  suddenly, 
even,  than  it  rose,  the  tempest  ceased. 

25.  Where  is  your  faith?  He  implies 
that  they  had  faith,  at  least  had  had  it;  but 
what  is  become  of  it?  This  is  surely  an  occa- 
sion when  it  ought  to  be  at  hand,  and  in  use. 
They  probably  took  little  heed  of  the  rebuke 
to  them  at  the  moment;  but  they  took  a  new 
lesson  of  the  power  of  their  M:ister,  which 
might  profit  .them  another  time. — And  they 
being  afraid,  wondered  (marveled).  The 
gigantic  tumult  of  the  elements,  and  their  own 
consternation,  prepared  them  for  an  impres- 
sion of  Christ's  majesty  at  this  moment, 
greater  than  was  occasioned  by  his  raising 
the  widow's  son  to  life. — What  manner  of 
man  (or,  U'/io  t/irn—soo'ing  that  he  does  such 
things)  is  this  I  for  (or,  t/iat)  he  command- 
eth  even  the  winds,  etc.  That  =  seeing 
that — more  appropriately  than  "for,"  justifies 
their  hushed  inquiry.  The  form  of  direct 
command  to  the  powers  of  nature,  rather 
than  this  silent  exercise  of  his  will,  had  been 
peculiarly  suited  to  impress  their  thoughts. 

The  boat,  with  Christ  and  his  disciples  in 
the  midst  of  an  angry  sea,  has  been  recog- 
nized as  a  fit  emblem  of  his  church  in  trouble, 
through  all  her  history. 

26-39.  The  Demoniac  at  Gerqesa. 
(Matt.-  8  :  28-34;  Mark  5:  2-20.) 


154 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


27  And  when  he  went  forth  to  land,  there  met  him 
out  of  the  city  a  certain  man,  which  had  devils  long 
time,  and  ware  no  clothes,  neither  abode  in  any  house, 
but  in  the  toitbs. 

26.  And  they  arrived  at  (Greek,  sailed 
into)  the  country  of  the  Gadarenes  (or, 
Gergesenes),  etc.  There  is  peculiar  difBculty 
in  determining  what  the  nume  of  these  people 
was  in  the  Gospel  as  first  written.  We  have 
respectable  authority  in  each  of  the  three 
Gospels,  for  all  the  three  names — Gergesenes, 
Gadarenes,  Gerasenes.     Gadara  is  supposed  to 


be  represented  by  the  ruins  found  at  Um-keis, 
or  Mkes,  ten  or  twelve  miles  southeast  of  the 
Lake  of  Gennesaret ;  and  Gerasa,  by  the  place 
now  called  Gerash,  some  fifty  miles  from  the 
lake  in  the  same  direction.  It  is  evident  that 
the  "country"  must,  in  either  case,  have 
borne  the  name  of  the  prominent  city  for  a 
long  distance  around,  even  to  the  shores  of 
the  lake.  It  is  reported  farther  by  travelers 
that  there  is  no  place  on  the  eastern  shore 
where  a  herd  could  run  down  the  slope  di- 
rectly into  the  sea,  except  near  the  remains  of 
a  small  town  about  southeast  of  Capernaum, 
now  called  Kersa  (see  chap,  above).    This  led 


27  which  is  over  against  Galilee.  And  when  he  was 
come  forth  upon  the  land,  there  met  him  a  certain 
man  nut  of  the  city,  who  had  demons;  and  for  a  long 
time  he  had  worn  no  clothes,  and  abode  not  in  any 

Dr.  Thomson  [The  Land  and  the  Book;  and 
Porter,  Handbook  of  Syria  and  Palestine,  p. 
401  f.,  Wilson  in  Recovery  of  Jerusalem,  p.  286 
f.,  and  MacGregor,  p.  324  and  p.  409  f.),  to  the 
very  probable  conclusion  that  here  was  an- 
ciently the  town  called  Gergesa;  at  all  events 
that  near  it  must  have  occurred  the  events 
relating  to  the  demoniac,  and  that  this  was 
"thecity"  (vei-.34).  On  this  supposition  we  may 
conjecture  that  the  comparative  obscurity  of 
this  town,  perhaps  its  destruction  in  the  de- 
vastating wars  soon  after,  led  early  copyists,  in 
their  perplexity  about  the  place,  to  vary  be- 
tween names  drawn  from  the  two  better 
known  cities,  Gadara  aud  Gerasa,  and  that 
from  Gergesa.  This  last  is  adopted  in  our 
passage  by  Tischendorf,  "Gergesenes,"  and 
we  think  rightly,  although  Westcott  and  Hort 
sustain  the  Revision  in  "Gerasenes." — Over 
against  Galilee.  The  course  of  their  voyage 
had  been  (towards  Kersa)  nearly  east.  Here 
Jesus  landed  among  rude,  half-heathen  people, 
amotig  whom,  however,  the  Jews  might  have 
such  a  preponderant  influence  that  his  errand 
would  still  be  to  "the  lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel." 

27.  And  when  he  went  forth  to  (upon 

the)  land.  As  it  was  late  in  the  day  when 
they  sailed,  we  may  suppose  that  Jesus  and 
his  company  spent  the  night  on  the  boat,  and, 
whether  so  or  not,  that  the  incident  about  to 
be  mentioned  took  place  not  until  the  next 
morning. — There  met  him  out  of  the  city 
a  certain  man — viz.,  of  Gergesa.  A  man 
out  of  the  city,  in  the  sense  that  he  had  be- 
longed there  when  he  was  fit  to  live  among 
people. — Which  had  devils  {demons),  and 
the  most  miserable  specimen  of  that  unhappy 
class  presented  to  us  in  the  Gospels.  (See  in 
regard  to  them  on  4:  33.)  The  words  long 
time  belong  to  the  next  clause.  And  for  n 
long  time  he  ware  no  clothes — Greek,  "he 
did  not  put  on  an  outer  garment."  It  was  a 
horrible  apparition,  not  unlike,  in  appear- 
ance, the  most  dreadful  cases  to  be  met  with  in 
our  asylums,  who  frequently  tear  off  their 
clothing.— Neither  abode  in  any  house, 
but  in  the  tombs.  Being  driven  from  the 
habitations  of  men,  and  with  no  such  place  of 
refuge  as  Christian  charity  has  made  common 
in  its  time,  the  vacant  and  unused  tombs,  so 


Ch.  VIIL] 


LUKE. 


155 


28  When  he  saw  Jesus,  he  cried  out,  and  fell  down 
before  him,  and  with  a  loud  voice  said,  What  have  I  to 
do  with  thee,  Jesus,  thuu  .Son  of  God  most  high?  1  be- 
seech I  hue,  torment  me  not. 

29  (For  he  had  coiumanded  the  unclean  spirit  to 
come  out  of  the  man.  For  oftentimes  it  had  caught 
him:  and  he  wa.s  kept  bound  with  chains  and  in  fet- 
ters; and  he  brake  the  bands,  and  was  driven  of  the. 
devil  into  the  wilderness.) 

30  And  Jesus  asked  him,  saying,  What  is  thy  name? 
And  he  said,  Legion:  because  many  devils  were  en- 
tered into  him. 


28  house,  but  in  the  tombs.  And  when  he  saw  Jesus, 
he  cried  out,  and  fell  ("own  before  him,  and  with  a 
loud  voice  said.  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus, 
thou  Son  of  the  .Most  High  (iod?     I  beseech  thee, 

29  torment  me  not.  For  he  was  commanding  the  un- 
clean spirit  to  come  out  from  the  man.  For  '  often- 
times it  had  .seized  him:  and  he  was  kept  under 
guardj  and  bound  with  chains  an<l  letters;  and 
bieaking  the  bands  asunder,  he  was  driven  of  the 

30  demon  into  the  deserts.  And  Jesius  askiil  him.  What 
is  thy  name?    And  he  said,  i..egion;  for  many  de- 


I  Or,  of  a  long  time. 


frequently  met  with,  especially  on  hill-sides,  in 
Palesti;:e,  and  of  which  many  are  said  to  re- 
main in  the  vicinity  of  the  spot  Kersa  (see 
MacGregor,  Rob  Roy  on  the  Jordan,  p.  410), 
w«JuUl  furnish  him  a  fit  and  acceptable  lair 

28.  Wlion  he  saw  Jesus,  he  cried  out — 
a  verb   is  used   wliich   signifies,  specifically, 
"to  croak,"  "to  give  a  hoarse  scream,"  "to 
shout  vociferously."     It  was  at  first  the  in- 
articulate expres.sion  of  his  rage  and  hatred 
and  fear,  at  the  sight  of  one  whose  presence, 
he   instinctively   felt,   foreboded   no  good   to 
him. — And  fell  down  before  him — nut  as  a 
man,  but  its  one  dctnonized;  to  denote,  in  his 
conscious    inferiority,    abject    deprecation. — 
What  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  etc.=Why 
shouldest  thou  ineddle  with   me?     Why  not 
leave  me  alone?    This  is  the   prayer  of  his 
unholy  dread,  in  the  presence  of  self-reveal- 
ing  holiness   and    divine   authority. — Jesus, 
thou  Son  of  the  most   Hi§rh  tiod.     That 
he  should   recognize  the  per.son    before   him 
as   Jesus,    does    not    oblige   us  to   iiscribe   to 
him  superntitural  discernment.   Althougii  our 
Lvtrd  had   never,  so  far  as  appears,   been  in 
that  neighborhood  before,  yet  the  place  was  | 
easily  in  sight  of  the  shore,  not  si.x  miles  oil*  I 
where  most  of  his  mighty  works  had  been 
done,   including  the   expulsion  of  many  de-  [ 
mons.     Doubtless,  there  had  been  much  talk  \ 
of  this  within   the   hearing  of  the  possessed  I 
suflTerer,  and  nuich  discussion  held  as  to  tlie  , 
Messiahship  of  the  mighty  adversary  of  8a-  ' 
tan.     And  in  calling  him  Son  of  the  most 
high    Ciod,  we   cannot  be    certain   that  the 
demon,    speaking  through   the    man,    meant 
otherwise  than  to   use  a  title  understood  to  ' 
characterize   the   Messiah.      No  one  at  that  ; 
time  gives  evidence  of  having  more  than  an 
incipient  apprehension  of  the  unfathomable 
depth  of  truth  which  spiritual  reflection  W(juld 
gradually  discover  in  it. — I  beseech  thee,  ; 
torment  me  not.     Send  me  not  to  the  place  \ 
of  torment.      The  demon   felt  that   Christ's  : 


presence  threatened  punishment  to  him.  In- 
deed, already  the  notice  had  been  served 
upon  him. 

29.  For  he  has  commanded  (rather,  irrz.9 
commanding)  the  unclean  spirit,  etc.  We 
may  note  here  that  Christ  s])eaks  as  though 
he  conceived  the  spirit  to  be  one.  Coniijare 
the  form  of  the  address  in  Mark. — For— in- 
dicating the  reason  for  Christ's  command — 
oftentimes  it  had  cnu^ht  (or  seized)  him; 
and  he  was  kept  bound  with  ch.iins  and 
in  fetters — like  a  case  of  chronic  insanity, 
of  the  most  violent  and  even  dangerous  type. 
Not  only  like  such  a  case,  but  one  where  the 
Satanic  power  had  actually  produced  such 
bodily  di.sorder  as  necessitated  extreme  de- 
rangement of  the  mind.  This  description 
applies  to  him  while  yet  retained  in  the  town 
—  '\u  chtun'i  and  nnder  guard. — And  he  brake 
the  bands — perhaps,  more  than  once — and 
was  driven  of  the  devil  into  the  wilder- 
ness (better,  f>7/  the  demon  into  the  de.sert.'i) — 
deserted,  solitary  places,  where  he  met  Jesus 
(comp.  "dry  places,"  11:24).  Such  was  the 
case  which  had  engaged  Chri.st's  compassion- 
ate concern. 

30.  And  Jesus  asked  hlni,  sa>ing,What 
is  thy  name?  The  most  cflTfctua!  way  im- 
aginable to  call  into  exercise  what  fragment 
of  reason  might  be  in  the  man,  and  to  soothe 
the  excitement  under  whicli  he  labored. — 
And  he  said,  Le*.: ion,  etc.  Legi<>n  in  the 
Roman  tnilitiiry  organization  was  analogous 
to  regiment  or  brigade,  with  us.  This  name 
may  have  been  assumed  by  the  man,  to  sig- 
nify his  persuasion,  not  only  that  he  was 
possessed  by  a  multitude  of  evil  spirit*  (a 
Legion  consisted  normally  of  six  thousand 
men),  but  that  their  fiendish  power  over  him 
was  as  rigorous  and  irresistible  as  that  of  the 
Roman  arms  over  her  conijuered  provinces. 
We  have  noted  above  in  the  case  of  ^lary 
Magdalene  («:»),  that  the  severity  of  the  dis- 
order resulting  from  possession  was  explained 


156 


LUKE, 


[Ch.  VIII. 


31  And  they  besought  him  that  he  would  not  com- 
muud  them  to  go  out  "  into  the  deep. 

32  And  there  was  there  a  herd  of  many  swine  feed- 
ing on  the  mountain:  and  they  besought  him  that  he 
would  suffer  them  to  enter  into  them.  And  he  suffered 
them. 

33  Then  went  the  devils  out  of  the  man,  and  entered 
into  the  swine :  and  the  herd  ran  violently  down  a 
steep  place  into  the  lake,  and  were  choked. 

34  When  they  that  fed  Ihem  saw  what  was  done,  they 
fled,  and  went  and  told  it  in  the  city  and  in  the 
country. 

35  Then  they  went  out  to  see  what  was  done ;  and 
came  to  Jesus,  and  found  the  mau,  out  of  whom  the 
devils  were  departed,  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
clothed,  and  in  his  right  mind:  and  they  were  afraid. 


31  mens  were  entered  into  him.  And  they  intreated 
him  that   he   would  not   command  them  to  depart 

32  into  the  abyss.  Now  there  was  there  a  herd  of 
many  swine  feeding  on  the  mountain  :  and  they  in- 
treated  him  that  he  would  give  them  leave  to  enter 

33  into  them.  And  he  gave  them  leave.  And  the  demons 
came  out  from  the  man,  and  entered  into  the  swine: 
and  the  herd  rushed  down  the  steep  into  the  lake, 

34  and  were  drowned.  And  when  they  that  fed  them 
saw  what  had  come  to  pass,  they  fled,  and  told  it  in 

35  the  city  and  in  the  country.  And  they  went  out  to 
see  what  had  come  to  pass ;  and  they  came  to  Jesus, 
and  found  the  man,  from  whom  the  demons  were 
gone  out,  sitting,  clothed  and  in  his  right  mind,  at 


a  Rev.  20:  3. 


by  the  number  of  alien  spirits,  and  on  that 
principle  this  man  feels  himself  the  abode  of 
•A  legion  of  them.  Jesus  had  treated  the  Sa- 
tanic power  as  one  (ver.  ag),  and  so  the  Evan- 
gelists had  spoken  of  it;  but  from  this  point 
it  will  be  observed  that  the  account  proceeds 
on  the  man's  own  supposition  that  they  were 
many.  The  man's  view  would  chime  with 
that  generally  entertained  at  the  time;  and 
the  Saviour  might  well  forego  the  attempt 
to  correct  an  error  on  this  incidental  point, 
in  those  circumstances. 

31.  And  they  hesoiight  him  that  he 
would  not  command  them  to  go  out  into 
the  deep  (or  a6^ss  =  "the  bottomless  pit"  of 
Rev.  9:  1,  11;  11:7).  Anything  was  pref- 
erable to  the  infernal  state. 

32.  And  there  was  there  a  herd  of 
many  swine  feeding.  —  This  proves  the 
heathen  character  of  portions  of  the  popula- 
tion in  that  neighborhood.  The  mountain 
was  that  which  api)ears  in  the  pictures  of  the 
Sea  of  Galilee,  as  we  look  across  from  the 
western  shore.— And  they  besought  him, 
etc.  The  unclean  animal  would  suit  the  un- 
clean nature,  and  here  seemed  an  escape 
from  being  sent  back  to  perdition.— And  he 
suffered  them — granted  their  prayer,  and 
disapp(»inted  their  aim. 

33.  Then  went  the  devils  out  of  the 
man — (better,  And  the  demons  came  out  from 
the  man).  In  a  subject  so  entirely  outside 
the  limits  of  ordinary  human  experience,  no 
authoritative  explanation  can  be  added  to 
the  simple  statement  of  the  word.  Whether 
the  view  on  which  the  Saviour  has  spoken  to 
the  demon  in  the  man  as  a  single  being,  was 
the  correct  one,  or  the  man's  crazed  imagi- 
nation that  he  was  possessed  by  an  army 
of  them,  we  cannot  properly  understand. 
the  effect  on  the  swine — "they  were  about 


two  thousand"  (Maik5:i3).  The  possession  of 
dumb  brutes  by  one  or  many  rational,  but 
infernal  spirits,  must  remain  a  mystery  to 
us.  Godet,  on  the  passage,  declares  that 
"the  influence  exerted  by  the  demons  on  the 
herd  was,  in  no  sense,  a  possession.  None 
but  a  moral  being  can  be  morally  possessed." 
But  might  there  not  be  a  possession  in  the 
case  of  the  swine  that  was  not  moral  ?  He 
seems  to  think  of  some  panic  of  terror  started 
in  some  way  at  that  time,  which  was  believed 
by  those  who  shaped  the  popular  narrative  to 
be  the  result  of  the  transfer  of  the  demoniac 
power  to  them.  This  is  fitr  from  satisfactory, 
as  are  the  other  conjectures  which  have  been 
hazarded  to  clear  up  the  mystery.  Enough, 
that  the  man  was  completely  rescued,  and  the 
unclean  spirit,  in  being  allowed  his  desire, 
was  most  effectually  remanded  to  the  ab3'ss. 

34.  And  when  they  that  fed  them  saw, 
etc.  As  they  were  "a  great  way  off"  from 
the  position  of  Jesus  (M..tt.  s:  jo),  the  panic 
among  the  swine,  and  their  total  destruction, 
must  have  come  as  a  prodigious  surprise. — 
They  fled  —  ran  away  from  the  scene  in 
terror,  reporting  everywhere  in  town  and 
country,  the  loss  of  the  property,  and  the 
almost  miraculous  circumstances  attending  if. 

35.  The  people,  tims  aroused,  wont  in 
numbers,  of  course,  to  the  scene,  and  came 
to  Jesus  —  perhaps  having  heard  nothing 
about  him  in  connection  with  the  matter — 
and  found  the  man,  out  of  whom  the 
devils  were  departed,  sitting — (the  word, 
sitting,  belongs  here);  this  itself  was  wonder- 
ful in  the  case  of  one  who  had  been  so  un- 
ceasingly restless  and  violent,  ready  for  mis- 
chief, "so  that  none  could  pass  through  that 
way"  (Matt. 8:28*. — Clothed — this  was  another 
proof  of  change  (comp.  ver.  27);  now  some 
one  had  furnished  him  necessary  garments 


Ch.  VIII.] 


LUKE. 


157 


36  They  also  which  saw  i7  told  them  hy  what  means 
be  that  was  possessed  of  the  devils  was  healed. 

37  "Then  the  whole  multitude  of  the  country  of  the 
Gadareues  round  about 'besought  him  to  depart  fr.  m 
them;  for  they  were  taken  wilh  great  fear:  and  he 
went  up  into  the  ship,  and  returned  back  again. 

M  Now  'the  man  out  of  whom  the  devils  were  de- 
parted besought  him  that  he  might  be  with  him:  but 
Jesus  sent  him  away,  saying, 

:i'J  Return  ti>  thine  own  house,  and  shew  how  great 
things  (iod  hath  done  unto  thee.  And  he  went  his 
way,  and  published  throughout  (he  whole  city  how 
great  things  Jesus  had  done  unto  him. 


36  the  feet  of  Jesus:  and  they  were  afraid.  And  ther 
that  saw  it  told  them  how  he  that  was  po.-^sessed  with 

37  demons  was  '  made  whole.  And  all  the  people  of 
the  country  of  the  (jerasenes  round  about  asked  him 
to  depart  from  them;  for  they  were  holden  with 
great  fear:  and  he  entered  into  a  boat,  and  returned. 

38  Hut  the  man  from  whom  the  demons  were  gone  out 
prayed  him  that  he  might  be  with  him:  but  he  sent 

39  him  away,  saying,  Return  to  thy  house,  and  declare 
how  great  things  (jod  hath  done  lor  thee.  And  he 
went  his  way,  publishi;ig  throughout  the  whole  city 
how  great  things  Jesus  had  done  for  him. 


1  Malt.  8:«4 6  Acts  16:  39 c  Mark  5:  18.- 


and  he  wore  them  like  other  men. — In  his 
right  mind,  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  This  is 
the  Greel<  order  of  the  hist  clause,  and  closes 
the  series  of  facts  according  to  their  ascend- 
ing importance  in  the  history  of  the  affair- 
quiet,  clothed,  mentally  sane,  and  employing 
his  restored  faculties  in  reverently,  thankfuUj' 
waiting  upon  the  teachings  of  his  benefactor. 
— And  they  were  afraid.  Another  instance 
of  the  awe  and  dread  produced  in  minds  con- 
scious of  sin,  by  the  manifestation  of  Ciirist's 
divine  character  and  power. 

36.  They  also  which  saw  it — a  different 
set  from  the  swine-herds  who  had  carried 
away  the  report;  the  disciples,  and,  perhaps, 
otliers  with  them. —Told  them  by  what 
means  (or  hoio)  he  that  was  possessed  of 
the  devils  (or  with  demons)  was  healed 
(Greek,  saved).  Here  how  is  emphatic. 
The  swine-herds  had  borne  some  word  about 
the  demoniacs  (Mati.  8:33),  but  apparently  no- 
thing about  Christ's  relation  to  them.  This, 
we  should  naturally  suppose,  would  have 
awakened  in  them  a  thankful  interest  in 
him,  and  opened  the  way  for  fruitful  labors 
there  on  his  part.  A  great  deliverance  had 
been  mercifully  and  miracuouslj'  granted  to 
an  afflicted  countryman  and  neighbor,  and 
the  vicinitj'  cleared  of  a  great  burden  and 
danger.  But  with  this,  they  now  learned  of 
Ciirist's  connection  with  the  drowning  of  the 
swine,  which  alone  awakened  any  interest  in 
their  minds,  and  that  in  the  way  of  repulsion 
to  Jesus. 

37.  Then  (or  And)  the  whole  multitude 
— of  the  community,  without  distinction  of 
Jew  and  Gentile— besousiht  (askfd)  him  to 
depart  from  them  ;  for  they  were  taken 
(holden)  with  great  fear.  Not  now  a  holy, 
or  even  religious  awe.  but  a  selfish,  worldly, 
niercenarj',  fear.  This  was  their  prayer  to 
him  who,  as  they  knew,  only  waited  for  a 
desire  from  them  to  heal  their  sick,  and  save 


their  lost  souls.  Their  prayer  was  heard,  and 
the  only  opportunity  ever  to  be  afforded 
them  for  blessings,  directly  at  the  hands  of 
Jesus,  was  lost.  And  he  went  up  into  the 
ship  (entered  into  a  boat)  and  returned. 
It  is  not  improbable,  as  we  have  seen  on  ver. 
27,  that  Christ  had  passed  the  night  after  the 
storm,  on  board  the  boat,  so  that  the  cure  of 
the  demoniac  would  have  taken  place  early 
the  next  morning,  and  this  return  have  begun 
before  noon. 

38.  One  touching  and  instructive  incident 
occurred  as  he  was  leaving.  The  saved  man 
besought  (or, prntjtd)  him  that  he  might 
be  with  him.  Every  disciple  of  Ciirist  can 
enter  into  the  feeling  with  which  he  would 
plead  not  to  be  deprived  of  that  company  in 
which  he  had  found  a  boon  more  precious 
than  life.  How  could  his  faith  stand,  if  he 
were  soon  left  to  himself  ?  What  a  comfort, 
if  he  could  bask  at  all  times  in  the  light  of 
that  life-beaming  face!  His  prayer,  too,  was 
doubtless  answered — heaven  will  show — yet 
not  as  he  had  conceived  it. — Jesus  sent  him 
away  from  his  bodily  presence,  although  he 
had  called  others  to  leave  all  and  go  with 
him.  He  wished  his  disciples  in  many  spheres 
and  places.  Those  whom  he  did  not  take  with 
him,  however,  were  still  to  serve  him  as  trulj' 
as  those  whom  he  took.  And  all  alike  mi<rht 
be  "with  him"  in  the  closest  sympathy  while 
they  were  engaged  in  promoting  his  work  in 
the  world. 

39.  Return  to  thine  own  (or,  thy)  house, 
and  shew,  declare,  (or,  relate,)  etc.  "We  see 
thus  that  a  privilege  was  granted  him  which 
had  been  withheld  from  many  who  seemed 
more  favored.  They  were  forbidden  to  speak 
of  Christ's  mercies.  The  reason  probably  was 
that  there  was  no  danger  in  the  Gergesene 
country  of  an  unhealthy  excitement,  and 
there  was  no  other  way  of  spreading  the  gos- 
pel  news    there.      The    redeemed    man   was 


158 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


40  And  It  came  to  pass,  that,  when  Jesus  was  re- 
turned, the  people  gladly  received  him  :  for  they  were 
all  waiting  lor  him. 

41  "And,  behold,  there  came  a  man  named  Jairus, 
and  he  was  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue:  and  he  fell  down 
at  Jesus'  feet,  and  besought  him  that  he  would  come 
into  his  house : 

42  For  he  had  one  only  daughter,  about  twelve  years 
of  age,  and  she  lay  a  dying.  But  as  he  went  the  people 
thronged  him, 

43  ''And  a  woman  having  an  issue  of  blood  twelve 
years,  which  had  spent  all  her  living  upon  physicians, 
neither  could  be  healed  of  any, 


40  And  as  .Tesus  returned,  the  multitude  welcomed 

41  him ;  for  they  were  all  waiting  for  him.  And  be- 
hold, there  came  a  man  named  Jairus,  and  he  was  a 
ruler  of  the  synagogue:  and  be  fell  down  at  Jesus' 

42  feet,  and  besought  him  to  come  into  his  house;  for 
he  had  an  only  daughter,  about  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  she  lay  a  dying.  But  as  he  M'ent  the  multitudes 
thronged  him. 

43  And  a  woman  having  an  issue  of  blood  twelve 
years,  who  i  had  spent  all  her  living  upon  physicians, 


aMatt.  »:18:  Mark  5:  22.,.. ft  M:iw,  9-20,- 


-1  So 


ritieg  omit,  had  spent  all  her  living  upon  physicians  and. 


allowed  to  do  for  Jesus  what  the  latter  could 
not  do  for  himself,  heing  driven  out  of  the 
country. — And  he  went  his  way,  and  pub- 
lished {or,  publishi,ng)— not  only  in  his  house, 
but — throughout  the  whole  city — and  (ac- 
cording to  Mark,  ver.  20),  in  Decapolis,  a  dis- 
trict of  country  named  as  possessing  ten  cities 
— how  great  things  Jesus  had  done  unto 
him.  The  man  might  not  have  been  compe- 
tent, in  the  Master's  judgment,  for  a  mission- 
ary work  abroad,  or  for  doing  anywhere  the 
work  of  a  teacher  and  defender  of  the  faith, 
while  yet  admirably  fitted  to  do  the  common 
work  of  Christians,  in  a  private  and  familiar 
sphere,  the  work,  namely,  of  testifying  to  his 
own  happy  experience  of  God's  saving  power 
and  mercy.  Notice  that  he  understands  what 
God  had  done  for  him  to  have  been  done  by 
Jesus. 

40-56.  Return  to  the  West  Side  of 
THE  Lake,  and  Some  Remarkable  Works 
There.     Matt.  9:  18-'22;   Mark  5;  21-34. 

40,  When  Jesus  returned  (omit  was), 
the  multitude  gladly  received  him.  It  is 
doubtful  whether  welcomed  is  preferable  to 
"gladly  received"  of  the  Common  Version. 
— For  they  were  all  waiting  for  him — this 
intimates  that  the  place  was  Capernaum, 
where  he  had  left  many  people  gathered.  He 
meets  a  great  change  in  the  attitude  of  the 
people  from  that  of  those  he  had  left  scarcely 
an  hour's  sail  away,  and  no  doubt  welcome 
to  himself,  even  though  he  found  so  much 
of  mere  earthly  interest  in  their  expectation 
of  healing  and  outward  benefit  to  themselves 
and  their  friends.  Some  would  also  be  con- 
cerned about  tidings  of  the  kingdom.  Scarcely 
had  he  reached  the  throng  of  people  on  the 
shore,  when  his  aid  was  in  demand. 

41.  And  behold,  there  came  a  man 
named  Jairus,  etc.  The  interjection  noti- 
fies us  that  there  was  something  surprising  in 
it.  To  contemporaries  the  name  itself  might 
suggest  the  explanation,  but  the  fact  of  his 


being  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue  there,  and 
that  he  approached  Jesus  with  the  most  hum- 
ble reverence,  and  with  unmistakable  signs  of 
confidence  that  he,  and  he  alone,  could  do  him 
a  favor  of  the  greatest  importance,  was  well 
suited  to  attract  general  attention.  As  one  of 
the  rulers  of  the  synagogue,  Jairus  belonged 
to  the  highest  class  of  the  community.  That 
class  were  generally  now  so  excited  against  our 
Lord,  that  we  must  suppose  this  man  to  have 
been  unusually  exempt  from  their  prejudices, 
or  to  have  been  driven  by  mere  stress  of  parental 
solicitude  for  a  dying  child,  to  suppress  them. 
In  either  case  his  conduct  proves  a  real  con- 
viction in  his  mind  of  a  truly  divine  power 
in  Jesus  to  relieve  suffering  and  heal  disease. 
His  need  was,  indeed,  a  sore  one. 

42.  He  had  one  only  daughter — when 
Nathan  would  express  the  extremity  of  the 
poor  man's  tenderness  for  his  one  ewe  lamb, 
he  said,  it  "was  unto  him  as  a  daughter" — 
about  twelve  years  of  age— old  enough  to 
have  found  a  deep  place  in  a  father's  heart — 
and  she  lay  a  dying.  Truly  his  agony 
might  well  get  the  better  of  much  pride  and 
reluctance,  to  secure  the  only  possible  help  for 
him  on  earth.  How  many  thousands  of  dis- 
tressed parents  have  since  wished  that  their 
Saviour  were  accessible  to  them,  as  he  was  to 
men  when  he  was  on  the  earth,  well  assured 
that  he  could  not  then  refuse  them  aid!  But 
he  can  give  comfort  even  now.  We  do  not 
need  to  be  told  that  the  praj'er  of  the  ruler, 
that  Jesus  should  come  into  his  house,  was 
granted.  They  are  on  the  way.  The  multi- 
tudes previously  collected,  now  following  him 
and  growing,  might  have  impeded  their  pas- 
sage through  the  most  ample  streets;  but  in 
the  contracted  ways  of  an  Oriental  town,  they 
thronged— literally, "choked" — him  in  their 
close  packed  mass.  This  gave  opportunity  for 
another  miracle  within  a  miracle — a  miracle 
by  stealth. 

43,  44.   A  woman  having  an  issue  of 


Ch.  VIII.] 


LUKE. 


159 


44  Came  behiriJ  hhii,  and  touched  the  border  of  his 
garment :  and  imiuodiately  her  issue  of  blood  stanched. 

45  And  Jesus  said,  Who  touched  lue?  When  all  de- 
nied, Peter  and  they  that  were  with  him  said,  Master, 
the  multitude  thmuf;  tliee  and  press  thi:e,  and  sayest 
thou,  Who  touched  me'.' 

46  And  .lesus  said,  Homebody  hath  toucVed  me:  for  I 
perceive  that  ■>  virtue  is  gone  out  of  me. 

47  And  when  the  wciiiian  saw  that  shf  was  not  hid, 
she  cauie  trfmblinR,  and  falling  down  before  him,  she 
declarrd  unto  him  before  all  the  people  for  what  cause 
she  had  touched  him,  and  how  she  was  healed  imme- 
diately. 

48  And  he  said  unto  her,  Daughter,  be  of  good  com- 
fort: thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole;  go  in  peace. 


44  and  could  not  be  healed  of  any,  came  behind  him, 
and  touched  the  border  of  his  garment :  and  imme- 

45  diately  the  issue  of  her  blood  stanched.  And  Jesus 
said,  Who  is  it  that  touched  me'.'  .\nd  when  all  de- 
nied, Peter  said,  'and  they  that  were  with  him,  Mas- 

46  ter,  the  multitudes  press  thee  and  crush  Mw.  Hut 
Jesus  said,  .Some  one  did  touch  me:  fori  perceived 

47  that  power  had  gone  forth  from  me.  And  when  the 
woman  saw  that  she  was  not  hid,  .she  came  Irem- 
blin;;,  and  falling  down  l)efore  him  declared  in  the 
presence  of  all  the  people  for  what  cause  she  touched 

48  hiui,  and  how  she  was  healed  immediately.  And  he 
said  unto  her.  Daughter,  thy  faitli  hath 'i made  thee 
whole  ;  go  in  peace. 


I  Mari{  5  :  30  ;  ch.  6 :  19. 1  Some  iiceieiit  iiuthoi-itIe.i  omit  and  they  that  were  with  him 2  Or.  aaved  thee. 


blood  twelve  years,  and  in  such  a  case  that, 
after  spending  all  her  living  on  physicians, 
she  was  worse  than  ever,  came  behind  him. 
She  must  have  worked  her  way,  following  the 
human  current,  so  as  to  reach  him  without 
being  seen — at  least,  as  she  supposed.  She 
might  have  thought  he  would  deem  her 
touch  pollution,  yet  believed  that  she  must 
touch  him,  to  receive  any  help.  Thus  she 
'was  able  to  touch  the  border  ("hem,"  or 
"fringe")  of  his  garment,  that  is,  of  his 
outer,  shawl-like  mantle.  This  robe  was  re- 
quired by  the  law  (Num.  is :  38  f.)  to  be  made 
with  a  fringe  of  the  depending  threads  of 
the  warp  (the  cloth  being  further  secured 
from  raveling  by  a  narrow  blue  ribbon), 
which  the  Jew  was  required  to  wear  as  a 
distinctive  badge.  The  robe  being  folded 
with  care,  so  that  it  would  fall  in  two  corners 
in  front,  and  two  behind,  the  woman  touched 
it,  probably  at  one  of  these  corners,  behind 
him.  We  may  suppose  it  to  have  been  true 
humility,  in  jjart,  that  led  her  to  seek  the 
boon  secretly,  which  she  believed  Jesus  able 
to  impart,  and  partly,  the  influence  of  super- 
stition, and  regard  for  the  customs  of  her 
time.  Even  such  faith  should  not  fail  of  suc- 
cess.—  Immediately  her  issue  of  blood 
stanched.  She  was  conscious  that  after  so 
many  years  of  mortifying  pain,  fruitless  ex-  | 
penditures,  and  disapjiointed  hopes,  she  was 
again  well. 

45.  But  she  had  not.  as  she  supposed, 
stolen  a  cure.  Jesus  said,  Who  (or.  Who 
is  it  that)  touched  me?  He  was  aware  of 
the  seizure  of  his  garment,  and  in  the  man- 
ner of  it  recognized  the  touch  of  faith,  which 
he  had  answered  with  the  healing  influence. 
But  he  would  know  more  distinctly  who  was 
the  person  that  had  received  the  blessing,  in 
order  to  the  moral  advantage  of  that  person, 
and  to  show  to  all  that  there  was  no  magical 


efflux  of  power  from  his  person  All  about 
him  denied  that  they  had  touched  him,  in 
the  sense  of  intentit>nally  taking  hold  of  him ; 
and  the  disciples  thought  it  quite  impractic- 
able, in  such  a  jam,  to  find  out  who  in  par- 
ticular had  come  in  contact  with  hi  mi. 

46.  But  Jesus  insisted.  Somebody  hath 
touched  me  (did  touch) — designedly  took 
hold  of  me;  and  the  touch  was  efficacious — 
for  I  perceive  that  virtue  is — read,  as  in 
Revision:  I  perceived  that  virtue,  here=heal- 
ing  power,  had  gone  out  from  me.  This  is 
adduced  as  a  reason  of  his  knowledge  of  the 
touch.  The  full  explanation  would  involve 
an  understanding  of  the  mystery  of  Christ's 
person,  beyond  what  we  possess.  Enough 
that  we  see  it  was  not  by  any  magical  virtue 
in  his  garments,  or  his  body  itself;  but  from 
the  centre  of  his  si)iritual  being,  and  in  an- 
swer to  faith  in  him  as  the  Physician,  that 
the  power  had  gone  forth.  Mark  tells  us 
that  he  was  meanwhile  looking  around  to 
see  "who  she  was  that  had  done  it."  This, 
strictly  taken,  shows  that  he  knew  the  person 
was  a  woman.  Jesus  had  to  learn  many 
things  like  other  men,  by  inquiry,  experi- 
ment, and  search. 

47.  And  when  the  woman  saw  that  she 
was  not  hid,  (that  what  she  had  done  and 
experienced  was  known),  she  came  trem- 
bling— in  her  new-found  happiness,  recall- 
ing the  precept  of  the  law  (Lev.  is-.  19.  w),  and 
the  cruel  horror  of  women  on  the  part  of  the 
Rabbis;  (see  Geikie.  1:  630),  and,  perhaps, 
fearing  that  she  had  actually  committed  a 
theft  of  what  was  to  her  more  precious  than 
rubies — and  falling  down  before  him,  de- 
clared, etc.  Thus  she  furnished  to  the  whole 
multitude  a  new  mode  of  proof  of  the  un- 
failing abundance  of  grace  in  Christ,  to  meet 
the  need  of  every  sufl^erer. 

48.  And  he  said  unto  her — instead  of  the 


160 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


49  "While  he  yet  spake,  there  conieth  one  from  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue's  house,  saving  to  hiiu,  Thy 
daughter  is  dead;  trouble  not  the  Masier. 

50  But  when  Jesus  heard  il,  he  answered  him,  say- 
ing, Fear  not:  believe  only,  and  she  shall  be  made 
whole. 

51  And  when  he  came  into  the  house,  he  suffered  no 
man  to  go  in,  save  Peter,  and  James,  and  John,  and 
the  father  and  the  mother  of  the  maiden. 

52  And  all  wept,  and  bewailed  her:  but  he  said, 
Weep  not ;  she  is  not  dead,  'but  sleepeth. 

53  And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn,  knowing  that  she 
was  dead. 

54  And  he  put  them  all  out,  and  took  her  by  the 
hand,  and  called,  saying.  Maid,  <^  arise. 


49  While  he  yet  spake,  there  cometh  one  from  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue's  h.uiisi'.,  saying.  Thy  daughter 

50  is  dead  ;  trouble  not  the  '  Master.  But  Jesus  hearing 
it,  answered  him,  Fear  not:    only   believe,  and  she 

51  shall  be  "  made  whole.  And  w  hen  he  came  to  the 
house,  he  sutfered  not  any  man  to  enter  in  with  him, 
save  Peter,  and  John,  and  James,  and  the  father  of 

52  the  maiden  and  her  mother.  And  all  were  weeping, 
and  bewailing  her:  but  he  said,  Weep  not;  lor  she 

53  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth.     And  they  laughed  him  to 

54  scorn,  knowing  that  she  was  dead.    But  he,  taking 


a  Mark  5:  35 i  John  II:  11,  13.  ...c  ch.  7  :  14  ;  Johu  11:  43. 1  Or,  Teacher ...  .2  Or,  saved. 


reproof  which  she  had  feared,  or  severer  pen- 
alty— Daughter — the  unwonted  kindness  of 
this  address  must  itself  have  scattered  her 
fears— thy  faith  hath  saved  thee — it,  not  any 
outward  contact,  is  what  has  secured  for  you 
this  great  deliverance  at  my  hands. — Go  in 
(unto)  peace  (comp.  7:  50). 

49-56.  The  Case  of  Jairus'  Daugh- 
ter Kesumed. 

49.  While  he  yet  spake,  there  cometh 
one  from  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue's 
house,  etc.  Some  delay  had  taken  place, 
and  meantime  the  child  had  died.  Matthew 
(ver.  18),  overlooking  this  second  message  in- 
cluded by  anticipation,  the  substance  of  both 
in  the  father's  original  statement.  The 
thought  of  the  messengers  now  was  that,  as 
the  child  was  dead,  there  was  no  longer  scope 
for  the  power  of  Jesus. 

59.  But  when  Jesus  heard — hearing,  but 
"not  heeding"  (Mark  5:  36  Revision) — he 
answered  him — met  his  despairing  thought. 
— Fear  not,  believe  only.  It  would  require 
of  him  a  higher  exercise  of  faith  indeed  ;  but 
he  may  understand  that  all  things  are  possible 
to  him  that  believeth. — And  she  shall  be 
niaue  whole  (Greek,  be  saved,  to  wit,  from 
death). 

51.  And  when  he  came  into  the  house, 
etc.  Into  the  house  means  probably  into  the 
court,  or  yard,  of  the  house;  but  possibly  we 
might  substitute  "unto  the  house;"  while 
to  go  in,  has  reference  to  the  apartment  of 
the  house,  in  a  strict  sense,  where  the  child 
lay. — Except  Peter,  etc. — enough  to  serve 
as  witnesses  of  the  state  of  the  child,  and  of 
her  restoration,  but  not  a  throng  to  disturb 
the  solemnity  befitting  the  scene.  The  pa- 
rents represented  the  general  community,  the 
three  apostles  the  body  of  the  disciples.  On 
four  difl^'erent  occasions  the  Saviour  made  such 
a  distinction  among  the  apostles,  and  in  every 


case  it  was  this  same  three,  here,  at  the  Trans- 
figuration (9: 28 par.),  in  Gcthsemane  (Matt. 26:37 
par.),  and  (with  the  addition  of  Andrew)  on  the 
Mount  of  Olives  (Mark  13:3) — that  were  favored 
with  his  more  intimate  association.  It  is  prob- 
able that  not  merely  priority  in  the  line  of 
their  discipleship,  but  also  greater  congeni- 
ality of  character,  and  ability  to  profit  by  his 
more  intimate  intercourse,  determined  this 
uniformity  of  selection.  Are  there  like  rea- 
sons of  difference  still  ? 

52.  And  all — those  about  the  couch  of  death 
— wept,  etc.,  (better,  were  weepini/  and  bewail- 
ing) her.  So  soon  had  the  usual  practices  of 
mourning  etiquette  begun  ;  strange  indeed  to 
us,  yet  whether  more  unreasonable  than  much 
with  which  we  are  fiimiliar,  would  require  an 
impartial  observer  to  decide.  Tlie  weeping 
was  a  dolorous,  rather  than  tearful,  series  of 
ejaculations,  and  the  wailing  was  beating  of 
the  breast,  rending  the  outer  garment,  tearing 
out  the  hair,  with  outcries,  in  which  neighbors 
joined.  Professional  mourners  were  also  hired 
to  go  through  the  requisite  performances.  All 
this  our  Saviour  now  rebuked,  saying — Weep 
not;  she  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth.  That 
he  meant  this  figuratively  (comp.  John  11:11; 
1  Cor.  15:  6,  51 ;  1  Thess.  4:  13),  is  scarcely  to 
be  doubted  from  ver.  49,  52,  esp.  55,  and  from 
the  whole  spirit  of  the  narrative.  It  was  natu- 
ral that  he  should  so  sjjeak  here,  both  because 
he  purposed  to  restore  her  immediately  to  life, 
and  to  signify  the  impropriety  of  the  din  and 
uproar  they  were  making.  They,  understand- 
ing him  literally,  ridiculed  his  saying,  little 
knowing  that  they  were  contributing  to  a 
more  unquestionable  proof  of  his  divine  power. 

54.  We  learn  from  both  Matthew  and  Mark 
that  he  had  them  removed  from  the  room. — 
And  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  called, 
saying,  Maid,  arise.  The  clause — And  lie 
put  them  all  out— is  to  be  omitted.     Mark 


Ch.  IX.] 


LUKE. 


161 


55  And  her  spirit  caiue  again,  and  she  arose  straight- 
way :  and  he  couiuiauded  to  give  her  meat. 

56  And  her  parents  were  astonished:  »  but  he  charged 
them  that  they  should  tell  no  man  what  was  done. 


55  her  by  the  hand,  called,  saying,  Maiden,  arise.  And 
her  spirit  returned,  and  she  rose  up  immediately: 
and  he  commanded  that  .somrlhing  be  given  her  to 

56  eat.  And  her  parents  were  amazed  :  but  he  charged 
them  to  tell  no  man  what  had  been  done. 


THEN  » he  called  his  twelve  disciples  together,  and 
gave  them  power  and  authority  over  all  devils, 
and  to  cure  diseases. 

2  And  'he sent  them  to  preach  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  to  heal  the  sick. 

S  •'And  he  said  unto  them,  Take  nothing  for  t/our 
journey,  neither  staves,  nor  scrip,  neither  bread, 
neither  money  ;  neither  have  two  coats  apiece. 

4  «  And  whatsoever  house  ye  enter  into,  there  abide, 
and  thence  depart. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

1     And  he  called  the  twelve  together,  and  gave  them 


power  and  authority  over  all  demons,  and  to  cure 

2  diseases.     And   he  sent   them  forth   to   preach   the 

3  kingdom  of  Go<l,  and  to  heal  '  the  sick.  And  he  said 
unto  them.  Take  nothing  for  your  journey,  neither 
start',  nor  wallet,  nor  bread,  nor  money  ;  neither  have 

4  two  coats.    And  into  whatsoever  house  ye  enter, 


;»::«;  Mark  5:  ^....J  Matt.  10:  1  ;  Mark  3:U;  6:  7....C  Matt.  10:7,  8;  Mark  6:12:  cli.  10:  1.9 d  Matt.  10: 

.M.irk6:  f)  ;  eh.  \0 :  i  ;  22  :  35 e  Mult.  10:  11 ;  Mark  6:  10. 1  Some  uDcieai  uuiboritlus  oniii,  (Ae  <ic<:. 


gives  the  very  Aramsean  phrase  which  he 
used,  Tnlitha  citmi.  Luke  gives  the  transla- 
tion. The  taking  her  by  the  hand,  we  suppose 
to  have  been  just  a  token  of  the  affectionate 
interest  which  Jesus  felt  in  a  child  cut  down 
as  a  flower,  and  whom  he  would  restore  to 
life.  His  simple,  vernacular  words  pierced 
the  dull,  cold  ear  of  death,  and  the  first  object 
of  her  returning  consciousness  would  be  the 
image  of  her  Restorer,  holding  her  by  the 
hand. 

55.  And  her  spirit  cHmeas,a.\n  {returned), 
etc.  The  historical  reality  of  the  whole  trans- 
action, and  the  calm  reasonableness  of  Jesus 
in  it  all,  appear  from  his  natural  concern 
about  her  sustenance,  in  directing  that  there 
should  be  given  her  to  eat. 

56.  Anil  her  parents  were  astonished. 
Mark  gives  a  very  strong  expression  of  their 
surprise.  They  probablj'  had  seen  nothing 
previously  of  such  mighty  works  of  Jesus;  and 
although  the  father  had  gone  to  entreat  frotn 
him  a  miracle,  the  actual  occurrence  of  it 
could  never  cease  to  be  wonderful. — But  he 
charged  them  to  tell  no  man  Avhat  was 
(had  been)  done.  Contrast  thi.'?  with  vcr.  30, 
and  see  note  on  5:  14.  An  additional  reason 
for  reticence  now,  as  in  some  other  cases,  might 
be,  the  injury  to  the  character  of  the  person 
saved,  if  she  became  the  subject  of  great  noto- 
riety and  corresponding  attention. 


1-6.  The  Twelve  Apo.<<tles  Commis- 
sioned AND  Sent  Forth.  (Matt.  10:  1,5-16; 
Mark  6:  7-1 S.) 

1,  2.  The  place  from  which  the  apostles 
were  sent  forth  is  not  indicated.  In  Mark, 
Nazareth  appears  to  be  the  last  preced- 
ing note  of  locality.  They  had  now  been 
long  enough   with   the   Master,   sharing   his 


special  instruction,  to  warrant  their  being 
sent  abroad  by  themselves,  on  a  kind  of  trial 
tour,  partly  to  prove  them  for  the  work  which 
must  before  long  devolve  wholly  on  them, 
and  partly  to  reach  the  inhabitants  of  Galilee 
more  thoroughly  in  their  pitiable  need  (Matt. 
9:36),  than  Jesus  could  himself  do  before  he 
must  leave  that  favored  region  forever. — 
Then  (rather,.4«(^)  he  called  his  (i'/ie)  twelve 
disciples  (omit  disciples)  together — sepa- 
rating them  from  other  disciples  and  .strangers. 
— And  gave  them  power  and  authority. 
The  power  was  intrinsic  authority  to  meet  all 
Satanic  agencies  and  the  maladies  of  men, 
while  authority  was  the  libertj'^  and  full  per- 
mission to  use  this  ability  as  the  occasions 
which  Christ  specified  should  ari.se. — Over 
all  (Me)  devils  (literally,  c?cwows);  mentioned 
first  to  make  conspicuous  their  antagonism  to 
the  devil,  his  emissaries,  and  all  his  work. — 
And  to  cure  diseases.  They  were,  like 
their  Master,  to  care  for  the  health  of  both 
body  and  soul.  The  former,  as  reallj'  as  the 
latter,  was  a  matter  of  deep  concern  to  our 
Lord ;  and  although  we  trul3'  say  that  his 
chief  and  ultimate  aim  was  benefit  to  souls, 
no  one  can  set  limits  to  what  he  would  have 
done  simply  to  relieve  men  from  bodily  v/oe. 
For  the  sake  of  mutual  support  and  comfort, 
the  di.sciples  were  sent  in  pairs  (M.irk6:7),  and 
the  means  put  into  their  hands  to  use  were  the 
preaching  of  the  kingdom,  the  antidote  to 
all  spiritual  disorders,  and  actual  healing  of 
the  sick,  according  to  the  power  which  had 
been  impsirted  (ver. 2). 

3,  4.  The  special  precepts  enjoined  in  these 
verses  have  all  one  intention,  to  fix  the  care  of 
the  apostles  exclusively  on  the  accomplish- 
ment of  their  task,  while  they  left  themselves 
entirely   to   God's  providence,  which  would 


162 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


5  "And  whosoever  will  not  receive  you,  when  ye  go 
out  of  that  city,  'shake  off  the  very  dust  from  your  feet 
for  a  testiuioiiy  against  theui. 

6  «And  theydeparted,  and  went  through  the  towns, 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  healing  every  where. 

7  ''Now  Herod  the  tetrarch  heard  of  all  that  was 
done  by  him:  and  he  was  perplexed,  because  that  it 
was  said  of  some,  that  John  was  risen  from  the  dead; 

8  And  of  some,  that  Elias  had  appeared;  and  of 
others,  that  one  of  the  old  prophets  was  risen  again. 


5  there  abide,  and  thence  depart.  And  as  many  as 
receive  you  not,  when  ye  depart  from  that  city, 
shake  otf  the  dust  from   your  feet  for  a  testimony 

6  against  them.  And  they  departed,  and  went  through- 
out the  villages,  preaching  the  gospel,  and-  healing 
everywhere. 

7  Now  Herod  the  tetrarch  heard  of  all  that  was 
done:  and  he  was  much  perple.xed,  because  that  it 

8  was  said  by  some,  that  John  was  risen  from  the 
dead;  and  by  some,  that  Elijah  had  appeared;  and 
by  others,  that  one  of  the  old  prophets  was  risen 


a  Matt.  10:  U.... 5  Acta  13:  51.... c  Mnrk  6 :  12...  d  Matt.  14:  1;  Mark  6:  U. 


provide  for  their  necessary  support. — The 
staves  (staff,  singular),  scrip  (or  wallet), 
bread,  money,  would  all  be  naturally 
thought  needful  for  a  journey;  but  they  were 
to  drop  all  the  solicitude  which  providing 
and  preserving  such  things  would  occasion, 
and  learn  how  entirely  they  could  depend  on 
their  Father  in  heaven. — The  coat  was  the 
under-garment,  at  once  shirt  and  tunic,  or  long 
vest,  covering  the  man  to  the  knees,  or  lower. 
In  particular,  they  were  not  to  be  squeamish 
about  the  kind  of  house  in  which  they  might 
have  transiently  to  lodge.  Any  house  of  hos- 
pitable people  was  good  enough  to  shelter 
them  for  the  time,  and  there  they  were  to  re- 
main while  they  staid  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  thence  depart  when  their  work  there 
was  done. 

5.  But  the  Master  foresaw  that  not  every 
city  or  house  would  receive  his  disciples  in  a 
hospitable  manner.  Their  visit,  like  his  own, 
would  effect  a  moral  discrimination,  a  "judg- 
ment" among  the  people,  by  which  the 
"worthy"  would  be  separated  from  those 
"not  worthy"  of  the  gospel  (Matt  lo:  u,  is). — 
When  leaving  those  of  the  latter  class,  Jesus 
commands  them — Shake  off  the  very  (omit 
very)  dust  from  your  feet  for  a  testimony 
against  them.  The  action  would  be  a  most 
expressive  token  of  their  utter  alienation  from 
the  Kingdom  of  God,  whose  heralds  thus  re- 
fused to  carry  with  them  on  their  sandals  so 
much  as  a  particle  of  the  dust  from  their 
ground. 

6.  Tliese  directions  they  faithfully  fulfilled, 
and  went  through  the  towns  (better, 
throughout  tlie  villages).  As  no  mention  is 
made  of  cities,  we  may  infer  that,  in  the  cir- 
cuits which  Jesus  had  already  made  through 
Galilee,  the  cities  and  towns  had  been  chiefly 
visited,  and  that  these  messengers  occupied 
themselves  with  the  smaller  places,  in  order 
that  the  glad  tidings  might  reach  every  needy 
.soul. — Everywhere,  is  to  be  understood  with 


the  necessary  and  obvious  limitation  to  Gali- 
lee. It  is  an  instance  of  young  ministers 
being  exercised  and  tested,  first,  on  more  re- 
tired fields. 

7-9.  Perplexity  of  Herob. 

7,  8.  Now  (or.  And)  Herod  the  tetrarch 
heard  of  all  that  was  done  (the  things  that 
were  done).  While  the  six  pairs  of  apostles 
were  prosecuting  their  mission  of  beneficence 
to  body  and  soul  (comp.  Mark  6:  12,  13),  our 
Lord  was  busy  by  himself,  or  with  other  asso- 
ciates, accomplishing  the  work  for  which  he 
was  sent  (<:«).  Ail  this  taking  place  within 
the  narrow  limits  of  a  section  of  the  domin- 
ion of  Herod  Antipas,  lying  about  his  chief 
residence  at  Tiberias,  could  not  fail  to  reach 
his  ears,  and  engage  his  attention.  Very 
naturally  he  was  much  perplexed.  The 
most  superficial  view  of  the  facts  would 
account  for  that,  and  when  we  add  the 
popular  rumors,  the  manifest  excitement  of 
the  mobile  Galileans,  who  held  him  culpable 
(as  Josephus  tells  us)  for  killing  John  the 
Baptist,  we  may  read,  in  Luke's  expression, 
a  still  deeper  significance.  Fear  was  mingled 
with  his  perplexity,  although  this  is  brought 
out  much  more  distinctly  in  the  other  ac- 
counts, while  Luke,  merely  hinting  the  fear, 
makes  the  perplexity  prominent. — Because 
that  it  was  -said  of  (by)  some,  that  John 
w^as  risen  from  the  dead,  and  of  (6?/) 
some,  etc.  Those  who  spoke  of  John,  must 
have  been  persons  unaware  that  he  had  so 
directly  described  Jesus  as  the  one  mightier 
than  he,  who  was  to  come  after  him,  or  they 
would  not  have  needed  to  suppose  John  risen 
from  the  dead,  that  he  should  be  able  to  do 
things  which  he  never  did  in  his  mortal  state 
(Mark  6:  u).  Some,  not  quite  so  deeply  im- 
pressed, thought  that  Elijah  had  ap- 
peared. Appeared,  not  risen — as  he  had 
been  translated,  that  he  should  not  see  death. 
This  view  directly  connected  Jesus  in  their 
minds  with  the  Messiah,  as  about  to  appear 


Ch.  IX.] 


LUKE. 


163 


9  And  Herod  said,  John  have  I  beheaded:  but  who 
is  this,  of  whom  I  liear  such  things?  "And  he  desired 
to  see  liini. 

10  'And  the  apostles,  when  they  were  returned,  told 
hinj  all  that  they  had  done.  '.\ud  he  took  them,  and 
went  aside  privately  into  a  desert  place  belonging  to 
the  city  called  Hethsaida. 


9  again.  And  Herod  said,  John  I  beheaded:  but  who 
is  this,  about  whom  I  hear  such  things?  And  he 
sought  to  see  him. 
10  And  the  apostles,  when  they  were  returned,  de- 
clared unto  him  what  things  they  had  done.  And 
he  took  them,  and  withdrew  apart  to  a  city  called 


ach   2:j:  8 b  Mark  6:  30 c  Matt.  U:  13. 


(comp.  Mai.  4:  5),  and  involved  an  explana- 
tion of  his  miraculous  efficiency.  So,  with 
that  of  tho.se  who  did  not  go  higher  in  their 
conjecture  than  one  of  the  old  (ancient) 
prophets,  .supposed  to  be  risen  to  life  again. 
9.  To  these  diverse  opinions  or  surmises, 
Herod  replies  as  not  satisfied.  John  have  I 
beheaded.  The  sense  is,  "It  cannot  be 
John;  as  for  him,  he  is  certainly  dead,  for  I 
put  him  to  death."  The  /  is  strongly  em- 
phatic. The  idea  of  resurrection  on  his 
part,  or  that  of  the  prophets,  does  not  aftect 
him  much.  And  yet,  if  not  John,  who  could 
it  be?— Who  is  this,  of  (i.  e.,  about)  whom  I 
hear  such  things?  It  is  a  mystery,  and  to 
his  godless,  but  superstitious  disposition,  a 
trouble  as  well  as  a  doubt. — And  he  desired 
(sought)  to  see  him.  So  had  he  been  per- 
plexed about  John,  when  alive  (MarksiM), 
when  he  u.sed  to  hear  him  gladly.  But 
Jesus  evidently  avoided  him,  never  appa- 
rently having  entered  Tiberias,  near  which 
he  spent  so  much  time.  Matthew  and  Mark, 
it  will  be  noticed,  report  a  subsequent  stage 
of  his  reflections,  when  he  had  become  per- 
suaded that  John  was  really  risen  frtun  the 
dead. 

The  passing  allusion  in  ver.  9,  is  all  that 
Luke  gives  us  concerning  the  tragical  end  of 
the  great  forerunner.  Matthew  and  Mark, 
the  latter  most  fully,  relate  the  sad  and 
shameful  particulars.  Melancholy,  indeed, 
was  the  closing  stage  of  that  bold,  energetic, 
and  zealous  career.  If  it  were  the  only  case 
of  the  kind,  we  should  find  in  it  an  im- 
peachment of  the  equity  of  God's  provi- 
dence. But  we  know  rather,  that  it  was  an 
instance  of  a  general  rule  of  providence,  that 
the  greatest  characters,  and  those  that  play 
the  most  important  parts  in  the  history  of 
human  redemption,  must  purchase  their  emi- 
nence by  suffering,  and  end  their  days,  often, 
■with  slight  evidence  of  the  greatness  of  the 
work  they  have  wrought.  Disappointment, 
persecution,  and  worldly  dishonor,  attended 
the  experience  of  prophets,  apostles,  and 
their  Master  himself,  as  well  as  of   exalted 


specimens  of  pious  fidelity  in  the  subsequent 
time,  quite  to  our  day.  But  none  of  them 
would  have  desired  our  pity.  They  were 
happy  even  in  their  sufferings,  and  would 
have  spurned  the  highest  worldly  felicity  as 
an  alternative.  They  had  regard  to  the  re- 
compense of  the  reward;  but  more  moving 
was  the  word:  "Happj'  are  ye,  for  so  perse- 
cuted they  the  prophets  who  were  before  you, 
and  into  whose  company  you  thus  come!  " 

10-17.  Rkturn  of  the  Twelve,  and 
Feeding  of  the  Five  Thousand.  (Comp. 
Matt.  14:  13-23;  Mark  6:  30-44;  John  6: 
1-14.) 

10.  And  the  apostles,  when  they  were 
returned.  How  long  they  were  absent  can- 
not be  told — probably  some  weeks,  but  not 
months.  Told  him  what  things  they  had 
done.  The  Greek  verb  intimates  that  they 
gave  him  a  narrative.  To  have  the  particu- 
lars of  their  report  would  have  been  very 
interesting,  and  surely  instructive.  From 
Mark  6:  12,  18,  we  may  confidently  infer 
what,  for  substance,  it  must  have  been.  We 
are  later  told  (io:n),  what  it  was  which  had 
specially  impressed  the  seventy  in  their  anal- 
ogous experience.  And  he  took  them  and 
went  aside  (icithdrew),  etc.  This,  as  we 
shall  see,  expresses  rather  what  he  desired 
and  aimed  at,  than  what  he  accomiilished. 
His  motive  seems  to  have  been,  partly,  the 
desire  of  rest  for  them,  probably  also  for 
himself  (Mttik6:3i),  and  partly  that  he  might, 
with  them,  consider  deliberately'  their  report 
for  instruction  and  encouragement  to  them. 
For  this  there  was  no  opportunitj',  amid 
the  multitude  of  "comers  and  goers"  (Mark), 
where  they  were. — Privately — the  Revision 
says  "apart,"  which,  in  the  sense  of  "by 
themselves,"  is  correct;  but  the  Common 
Version  gives  the  intention  and  spirit.  They 
went  by  boat,  starting  from  some  one  of  the 
numerous  points  on  the  western  side  of  the 
lake.— The  city  called  Bethsaida.  Putting 
together  this  and  the  "desert  place"  of  Mat- 
thew and  Mark,  we  see  that  the  design  was 
to   reach   the   unoccupied   plain  east  of  the 


164 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


11  And  the  people,  when  they  knew  i7,  followed  hiiu: 
and  he  received  them,  and  spake  unto  them  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  healed  them  that  had  need  of 
healing. 

1^  "And  when  the  day  hegan  to  wear  away,  then 
came  the  twelve,  and  said  unto  him.  Send  the  multi- 
tude away,  that  they  may  go  into  the  towns  and  coun- 
try round  about,  and  lodge,  and  get  victuals:  for  we 
are  here  in  a  desert  place. 

13  But  he  said  unto  them.  Give  ye  them  to  eat.  And 
they  said.  We  have  no  more  but  live  loaves  and  two 
fishes ;  except  we  should  go  and  buy  meat  for  all  this 
people. 

14  For  they  were  about  five  thousand  men.  And  he 
said  to  his  disciples,  Make  them  sit  down  by  fifties  in  a 
company. 


11  Bethsaida.  But  the  multitudes  perceiving  it  fol- 
lowed him:  and  he  welcomed  them,  and  spake  to 
them  oJ  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  them  that  had 

12  need  of  healing  he  healed.  And  the  day  began  to 
wear  away  ;  and  the  twelve  came,  and  said  unto 
him.  Send  the  multitude  away,  that  they  may  go 
into  the  villages  and  country  round  about,  and 
lodge,  and  get  provisions :  for  we  are  here  in  a  desert 

13  place.  But  he  said  unto  them.  Give  ye  them  to  eat. 
And  they  said.  We  have  no  more  than  five  loaves 
and  two  fishes;  except  we  should  go  and  buy  food  for 

14  all  this  people.  For  they  were  about  five  thousand 
men.    And  he  said  unto  bis  disciples,  Make  them 


a  M;itt.  11 :  15  ;  Mark  6 :  35 ;  John  6:1,6. 


mouth  of  the  Jordan,  at  the  northern  end 
of  the  hike.  There,  two  miles  up  the  river, 
hiy  the  new  city  of  Bethsaida,  called  specially 
"Bethsaida  Julias"=Julia's  Bethsaida,  be- 
cause Philip  the  tetrarch  had  built  it  in  honor 
of  the  emperor's  daughter,  Julia.  Some  ruins 
of  it  are  supposed  to  be  recognized  now,  bear- 
ing the  name  Et  Tell.  This  city,  being  east 
of  the  Jordan,  was  in  Gaulonitis,  and  distinct 
from  Bethsaida  of  Galilee  (Job"  12: 21).  Kcland 
(Palaestina,  p.  653  ff.),  completely  established 
the  double  reference  of  the  name.  (See  Jose- 
phus,  Ant,  18:  2,  1 ;  18 :  4,  6;  Wars  of  Jews, 
2:  9,  1;  3:  10,7.)  The  expectation  of  find- 
ing rest  there,  on  the  Saviour's  part,  was  dis- 
appointed. 

11.  And  the  people,  (lit.,  the  multitudes), 
when  they  knew  it — namely,  that  they 
had  sailed  for  Bethsaida  — followed  him 
"on  foot"  (Matt,  and  Mark),  and  reached  the  place 
before  him.  A  glance  at  a  good  map  will 
show  that  the  distance  around  the  curve  of 
the  lake,  was  so  little  in  excess  of  the  straight 
course  of  a  vessel  from  one  of  the  northwest- 
ern harbors,  that  the  pedestrians  might  out- 
walk the  boat  if  it  encountered  a  calm,  or 
an  adverse  wind.  Weary  as  he  was,  and  long- 
ing for  quiet  with  his  disciples,  instructed 
also  as  to  the  vain  curiosity  which  moved 
many  of  them  (John 6: 26),  still  he  received 
(i.e.,  welcomed)  them,  in  hope  of  good  to 
some,  and  spake  unto  them  of  the  king- 
dom of  God.  Here  was  a  text  suggestive 
of  hours  of  discourse,  that  the  truth  m'ght 
be  made  intelligible,  and  sent  home  to  indi- 
vidual hearts ;  and  the  discourse  was  diversi- 
fied by  practical  mercies;  for  them  that  had 
need  of  healing  he  healed.  Thus  a  good 
part  of  the  day  may  have  been  spent. 

12.  Then  came  the  twelve,  and  said 
unto  him,  Send  the  multitude  away,  etc. 


The  solitude  which  would  have  been  an  ex- 
cellent place  for  the  conference  and  rest  of  a 
few,  became  now  an  occasion  of  anxiety  to 
the  apostles.  What  was  this  throng  to  do  for 
food,  and  lodging  for  the  night?  Nothing 
appeared  but  that  they  should  be  got  to  scat- 
ter among  the  neighboring  villages  and  farm- 
houses— what  to  do  there,  perhaps  the  apostles 
did  not  see  clearly  ;  but  the  charge  would,  at 
least,  be  removed  from  them.  They  intimate 
their  opinion  to  Jesus  in  a  tone  as  if,  rather, 
he  had  been  disciple  and  they  the  master. 

13.  Give  ye  them  to  eat.  Ye  is  emphatic. 
Do  not  .send  them  off,  in  an  uncertainty,  to 
others ;  provide  a  meal  for  them  yourselves. 
It  was  one  of  those  paradoxical  precepts  by 
which  Jesus  often  arrested  attention,  and  made 
truth  and  duty  more  impressive.  The  dis- 
ciples were  almost  shocked,  and  thought  they 
proved  the  impossibility  of  compliance,  by 
showing  that  they  had  scarcely  half  food 
enough  for  a  meal  for  themselves. — We  have 
no  more  but  five  loaves  (biscuits)  and  two 
fishes — and  there  was  probably  a  touch  of 
irony  in  the  addition— except  we  should  go 
and  buy  meat  (food)  for  all  this  people. 
This  would  have  required,  as  they  estimated, 
an  outlay  equivalent  to  two  hundred  dollars 
now  (Mark  3:7;  comp.  on  7 :  41).  They  had  a 
treasurer  (Judas),  and  a  common  fund  in  a 
wallet,  to  meet  inevitable  expenses ;  but  we 
may  well  doubt  whether  it  ever  contained  two 
hundred  pence  (denaries)  at  once.  Nothing 
less  would  answer  now. 

14.  For  they  were  about  five  thousand 
men — not  human  beings,  but  men  (dfSpe?),  not 
counting  women  or  children.  Our  Lord  had 
in  mind  not  merely  to  satisf^^  the  natural  want 
of  this  great  throng  for  food,  which  excited 
his  compassion,  but  to  give  also  a  fresh  de- 
monstration of  his  power  over  nature,  while 


Ch.  IX.] 


LUKE. 


IGo 


15  And  they  did  so,  and  made  them  all  sit  down. 

16  Then  he  took  the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fishes, 
and  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  blessed  them,  and  brake, 
and  gave  to  the  disciples  to  set  before  the  multitude. 

17  And  they  did  eat,  and  were  all  filled:  and  there 
was  taken  up  of  fragments  that  remained  to  them 
twelve  baskets. 


IT)  1  sit  down  in  companies,  about  fifty  each.    And  they 

16  did  so,  and  made  them  all '-sit  down.  And  he  took 
the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fishes,  and  looking  up  to 
heaven,  he  blessed  them,  and  brake;  and  gave  to  the 

17  disciples  to  set  before  the  multitude.  And  they  did 
eat,  and  were  all  filled:  and  there  was  taken  up  that 
which  remained  over  to  them  of  broken  pieces, 
twelve  baskets. 


1  Gr.  recline. 


he  illustrated  symbolically  the  destination  of 
his  disciples  to  dispense  spiritual  nourishment 
to  famishing  souls.  Hence  he  makes  them 
the  medium  and  agents  through  whom  this 
great  benefit  shall  be  wrought. — Make  them 
sit  down  =  recline — by  fifties  in  a  com- 
pany (rather,  in  companies — lines  or  rows), 
like  those  at  the  tables  of  a  banquet,  only 
much  more  numerous. — By  fifties  =  fifty  in 
each.  The  preparation  was  deliberate,  or- 
derly, and  becoming  to  a  meal,  even  the 
simplest,  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  They 
were  required  to  recline  on  the  grass,  and  not 
take,  as  might  happen,  whatever  any  one 
could  reach.  Mark,  as  in  so  many  instances, 
pictures  the  scene,  showing  the  people  ar- 
ranged in  "companies"  (Greek,  banquets), 
indicating  that  there  was  a  decorous  breaking 
up  of  the  throng  into  regular  groups,  suita- 
ble for  sociability,  and  convenient  to  be  sup- 
plied. This  may  imply  the  placing  of  each 
group  in  the  form  of  a  three-sided  hollow 
square,  after  the  manner  of  a  festive  table; 
and  such  a  supposition  is  favored  by  the  other 
descriptive  word  in  Mark,  "ranks"  (Greek, 
garden  beds  (a^poo-ioli),  See  Homer,  Odys,  7:  127, 
in  the  garden  <tf  Alcinous). 

15.  The  plan  was  carried  out  by  the  dis- 
ciples, and  we  may  almost  see  them  seated  in 
companies,  of  fifty  each,  on  the  green  grass  of 
early  spring.  MacGregor  (Rob  Roy  on  the 
Jordan),  studying  the  subject  on  the  spot, 
supposes  the  arrangement  to  have  been  in  one 
parallelogram  of  fifty  files,  each  of  one  hun- 
dred men,  making  one  hundred  ranks.  This 
is  less  conformable  to  the  description  given  in 
the  text. 

16.  When  all  were  regularly  seated,  and 
quiet,  Jesus  took  the  five  loaves  .  .  .  and 
blessed.  Blessed,  when  spoken  of  things, 
as  here,  means  thankfully  prayed  that  God's 
favor  might  accompany  the  use  of  them. 
Our  Lord's  habit  of  so  doing  before  meals, 
signified  at  once  his  own  gratitude  for  daily 
supplies,  his  desire  that  all  might  conduce  to 
the  best  accomplishment  of  his  work  in  life, 


and  his  sense  of  the  propriety  of  such  feeling 
and  practice  on  the  part  of  all  who  receive 
God's  gifts. — And  brake,  and  gave  to  the 
disciples  to  set  before  the  multitude. 
The  loaves,  as  we  have  seen,  were  rather 
biscuits,  crackers,  or  pilot-bread,  and  the 
fishes,  probably  salted,  dried,  and  somewhat 
brittle,  so  that  breaking  was  a  natural  way  of 
dividing  them  into  parts. 

17.  And  they  did  eat,  and  were  all 
filled.  Never  had  so  vast  a  satiety  resulted 
from  so  meagre  a  visible  supply.  As  to  the 
manner  of  it,  no  one  can  do  more  than  con- 
jecture, how  the  quantity  in  the  hands  of 
Jesus,  or  from  his  hands,  grew  to  meet  the 
often  returning  baskets,  in  the  hands  of  the 
ministering  disciples  —  perhaps  many  more 
than  the  twelve — until  the  last  rank  of  the 
remotest  company  had  been  visited  once  and 
again,  and  all  had  enough.  Then  the  supply 
on  hand  was  many  times  greater  than  it  had 
been  in  the  first  place. — And  there  Avas 
taken  up  of  fragments  that  remained  to 
them  (rather,  that  which  remained  over  to 
them  of  broken  pieces  —  Revision),  twelve 
baskets.  The  broken  pieces  are  not  so 
well  thought  to  be  "fragments"  left  by  the 
eaters,  as  pieces  broken  by  Christ,  and  ready 
for  them  if  they  had  wanted  more.  Perhaps 
no  one  considered  it  then,  but  the  apostles 
must  often  have  seen  afterwards,  how  they 
had,  on  that  grassy  waste,  been  conveying,  in 
an  emblem,  their  Saviour  himself,  as  they 
were  then  doing  in  reality,  through  his  word 
and  Spirit,  to  the  hungry,  famishing  souls 
of  men.  And  they  were  not  long  in  learning 
that  in  his  one  person  was  provision  appropri- 
ate to  the  needs  of  each  particular  soul,  and 
more  than  ample  for  the  needs  of  all.  Of  that, 
also,  a  store  alwaj's  remains  over,  and  the 
last  heart  that  pants  for  pardon  and  holiness 
will  have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  he  also  may 
eat  and  be  satisfied. 

The  baskets  used  on  this  occasion  were  prob- 
ably such  as  the  Jews  commonly  carried  about 
with  them,  in  heathen  neighborhoods  at  least, 


166 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


18  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  alone  praying,  bis 
disciples  were  with  him:  and  he  asked  them,  saying, 
Whom  say  the  people  that  I  am  ? 


18     And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  praying  apart,  the 
disciples  were  with  him :  and  he  aslied  them,  saying, 


a  Matt.  16  :  13  ;  Mark  8 :  '11. 


perhaps  more  to  make  sure  of  having  unpol- 
luted food  and  clothing,  than  for  any  other 
convenience.  Juvenal,  Sat.  3 :  14,  speaks  of 
the  basket  (using  the  same  word  as  here),  and 
bundle  of  hay,  as  the  characteristic  token  of 
a  Jew,  amid  the  mixed  population  of  Kome. 
The  size,  therefore,  if  indeed  there  was  a  uni- 
form size,  was  not  such  as  to  be  inconvenient 
for  constant  use,  further  than  which  we  have 
nothing  to  guide  our  judgment.  The  four 
Evangelists  employ  the  same  term,  among  the 
several  for  naming  different  kinds  of  baskets, 
and  some  early  Greek  lexicographers,  though 
long  subsequent  to  Christ's  day,  speak  of  the 
cophinus  as  "a  capacious  vessel." 

18-27.  Peter  Declares  Jesus  to  be 
THE  Messiah.  The  Law  of  Disc;iple- 
SHiP.     Compare  Matt.  16:  13-20. 

This  narrative  supposes  a  considerable  time 
to  have  elapsed,  and  space  to  have  been  trav- 
eled, since  the  one  with  which  we  have  just 
been  occupied.  There  we  had  the  parallel 
reports  of  the/ow;-  Evangelists.  Careful  study 
of  the  other  three  shows  that  the  feeding  of 
the  five  thousand  marked  a  very  important 
crisis  in  the  Saviour's  life.  The  mistaken  en- 
thusiasm of  the  multitude  in  favor  of  one  who 
seemed  to  them  repeating  the  wonder  of  Moses 
in  thebestowment  of  the  manna,  would  brook 
no  longer  delay  in  having  him  declare  himself 
the  Messiah  and  deliverer  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. "We  read,  therefore  (John6:i5),  that  he, 
knowing  that  they  are  about  to  come  and 
sei^e  him,  to  make  him  a  Y\n^,  flees  again 
into  the  mountain  himself  alone.  The  other 
Gospels  say  that  before  doing  this  he  compelled 
his  disciples  to  go  on  board  the  vessel,  and 
precede  him  to  the  other  side.  This,  Luke 
passes  over,  as  do  all  the  Synoptics  the  dis- 
course at  Capernaum  the  next  day  (John  6: 22), 
so  important  in  dispelling  the  delusions  of  the 
crowd,  and  thinningtheir  number.  Nor  does 
Luke  allude  to  any  of  the  long  series  of  im- 
portant movements  of  the  Lord,  recorded  in 
Mark  6:  45—8:  26,  and  the  parallel  portions 
of  Matthew.  Some  weeks,  not  improbably 
months,  must  have  passed.  The  Saviour, 
still  seeking  retirement,  had  gone  from  Ca- 
pernaum to  the  country  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  to 
the  west  of  Galilee,  thence  eastward  across  the 


Upper  Jordan,  and  around  through  Decapo- 
lis,  to  the  eastern  border  of  the  lake,  where  he 
again  fed  a  hungry  company  of  four  thousand, 
beside  women  and  children ;  thence  to  the 
southern  or  western  shore,  from  which  he 
next  sails  to  Bethsaida  Julias  once  more,  and 
apparently  on  his  journey  to  the  far  north, 
which  brought  him  where  the  present  section 
of  Luke  again  brings  him  before  us. 

There  is  not  only  an  omission  of  all  this  by 
this  Evangelist,  but  he  does  not  even  name  the 
scene  of  what  he  here  relates.  Both  Matthew 
and  Mark,  however,  inform  us  that  it  was 
"in  the  parts,"  "among  the  villages"  "of 
Cesarea  Philippi,"  which  lay  near  the  sources 
of  the  Jordan,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Hermon, 
the  southern  point  of  the  gigantic  Lebanon 
range. 

18.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was 
alone  praying.  Alom  (Greek,  kotoL  n6va<i, 
on  lonely  [ways])  means  "apart  from  the 
public  view."  The  disciples  were  with 
him — of  his  company,  but  not,  necessarily,  at 
the  moment  close  by  him,  as  at  Gethsemane. 
While  he  courted  solitude,  he  might  well  de- 
sire to  have  them  near.  Great  concerns  were 
on  his  mind.  He  was  about  to  leave  Galilee, 
the  chief  scene  of  his  labors  for  two  years  }>iist 
and  upward,  to  return  to  it  no  more.  He  was 
leaving  it  for  Jerusalem,  that  favored  and 
guilty  city,  outside  of  which  it  was  not  per- 
mitted that  a  prophet  should  die.  The  hos- 
tility of  the  ruling  Jews  had  reached  that 
point  of  decision  and  unscrupulousness, 
which  showed  that  they  would  not  stoj)  short 
of  his  death,  while  the  worldly  motives  and 
the  fickleness  of  the  crowds,  gave  no  promise 
of  a  present  turning  of  the  people  to  him.  He 
himself  was  going  to  Jerusalem  to  die.  And 
on  his  disciples,  now  partially  tested,  must 
devolve  the  task  of  carrying  forward  the  en- 
terprise which  he  had  begun.  This  affecting 
and  testing  truth  must  now  be  reve-aled  to 
them.  How  would  they  endure  it?  How  did 
their  idea  concerning  him  compare  with  the 
popular  view?  And  what  precisely  was  this? 
These  subjects  must  have  lain  weightily  on 
his  heart  in  that  prayer  which  Luke,  alone 
again  of  the  Evangelists,  has  mentioned. 
Close  after  the  prayer  it  probably  was  (Mark 


Ch.  IX.] 


LUKE. 


167 


19  They  answering  said,  <■  John  the  Baptist;  but  some 
xay,  Klias ;  and  others  say,  that  one  ot  the  old  prophets 
is  risen  again. 

20  He  said  unto  them,  But  whom  say  ve  that  I  am? 
*  Peter  answering  said,  The  Christ  of  (joa. 

21  •'And  he  straitly  charged  theu,  and  commanded 
them  to  tell  no  man  that  thing; 

22  Saying, 'The  .Son  of  man  must  suffer  many  things, 
and  be  rejected  of  the  elders  and  chief  priests  and 
scribes,  and  be  slain,  and  be  raised  the  third  day. 


19  Who  do  the  multitudes  say  that  I  am?  And  they 
answering  said,  John  the  Baptist;  but  others  xay, 
Elijah  ;  and  others,  that  one  of  the  old  prophets  is 

20  risen  again.  And  he  said  unto  them.  But  who  say 
ye  that  1  am?  And  Peter  answering  said,  T^e  Christ 

21  of  (iod.     But  he  charged  them,  and  commanded  them 

22  to  tell  this  to  no  man;  saying.  The  Son  of  man  must 
suffer  many  things,  and  be  rejected  of  the  elders  and 
chief  priests  and  scribes,  and  be  liilled,  and  the  third 


I  Mutt.  14 :  2 ;  ver.  T,  8 h  Matt.  16  ■  16  j  John  6 : 


.c  Matt.  16:  20 d  Matt.  16:  21 ;  17:  22. 


says  simply  on  the  way)  that  he  asked  them^ 
saying,  Whom  say  the  people  (who  do  the 

multitude  say)  that  I  am  ?  Momentous  ques- 
tion !  Should  we  not  expect,  after  the  excite- 
ment consequent  on  the  feeding  of  the  five 
thou.sand,  that  the  people  generally  must 
speak  of  him  as  the  Messiah  ?  But  the  spirit- 
ual and  enlightening  di.scourse  in  Capernaum 
(comp.  John  6:  6t))  had  prepared  us  for  the 
answer  which  now  ctunos. 

19.  John  the  Baptist — some  still  rate  him 
so  high  as  to  suppose  that  the  Messiah  is  soon 
to  follow — But  some — giving  him  a  less  ex- 
alted rank  —  say,  Elias  [Elijah) — next  in 
pre-eminence  to  .Fohn — and  others — merely 
— that  one  of  the  old  prophets  is  risen 
again  —  any  one  that  may  chance.  No 
climax,  but  a  regular  descent  from  John 
the  liaptist.  Not  one  voice  reported  from 
among  the  multitude — and  the  disciples  had 
enjoyed  a  wide  opportunity  to  learn  the 
po])ular  views — declared  for  the  Messiah- 
ship  of  Jesus.  Notice  that  this  report  from 
the  "multitude"  does  not  preclude  the  as- 
surance that  in  private  circles,  like  the  home 
of  Lazarus  and  Mary,  a  clear,  though  par- 
tial, recognition  of  Christ's  true  character, 
wrought  its  blessed  effects.  Notice,  also, 
that  the  least  appreciative  did  not  deny  to 
Jesus  the  character  of  a  prophet;  like  the 
honored  ones  of  former  da3's. 

20.  But  it  is  hard  for  us,  following  care- 
fully this  narrative,  to  avoid  the  feeling  that 
it  was  with  a  degree  of  anxiety  that  Jesus 
now  came  home  to  the  twelve  themselves. — 
But  whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  Ye  i,s,  in 
the  Greek,  strongly  emphatic,  as  if  it  read : 
"Ye,  however,  say  me  to  be  whom?"  Per- 
haps he  cared,  after  all,  very  little  about  the 
multitude,  whose  ideas  of  a  Messiah  he  knew 
could  not  correspond  to  him,  but  everything 
about  the  judgment  of  his  apostles,  on  whom 
so  much  depended  in  the  further  presenta- 
tion of  his  work.  If  they  were  right,  all 
would  yet  come  right.    Happily,  their  answer 


was  in  a  different  tone. — Peter,  ansAvering 

— as  usual,  spokesman  for  the  body,  who  had 
all  been  questioned — said.  The  Christ  of 
God.  This  is  the  laconic  sum  of  the  fuller 
reply,  as  reported  in  Matthew,  "The  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God." — The  Christ= 
"the  Anointed  One"="the  Messiah." — Of 
God — foreordained,  promised,  predicted, 
given,  manifested,  by  God.  This  was  enough. 
In  it  lay  the  tiny  seed  which  should  grow  to 
become  a  tree  of  life,  and  spread  until  its 
branches  filled  the  whole  space  under  the 
heavens. 

21.  How  little  matter  it  made,  compara- 
tively, that  the  multitudes  did  not  call  him 
Messiah,  appears  from  the  injunction  which 
follows.  They  themselves  had  not  come  to 
their  conclusion  concerning  him  by  any  pro- 
cess of  natural  reasoning;  it  was  a  revelation, 
not  from  flesh  and  blood,  not  through  the 
operations  merely  of  any  logical  understand- 
ing, but  direct  from  the  Father  of  Jesus  in 
heaven  (M..tt.  is:  i-). 

21.  And  (rather,  hut)h.v,  straitly— strictly 
— charged  them,  and  commanded  them  to 
tell  no  man  that  thing  (better,  tell  this  to  no 
man).  They  might  hear  the  whole  truth  con- 
cerning the  Messiah,  but  to  the  multitude  it 
would  now  be  only  a  stumbling-block.  Grad- 
ually, at  the  best,  and  as  God's  providence 
should  unfold  the  whole  truth,  could  any  of 
these  receive  it.  And  could  even  they,  the 
apostles,  to  whom  God  had  revealed  the  fact, 
could  the^-  bear  the  explanation  of  the  fact? 

22.  This  was  now  to  be  tested,  by  his 
saying.  The  Son  of  man  must  suffer 
many  things,  etc.  His  lot  is  not  to  be,  in 
the  earthly  sense,  a  hajipy  one;  but  a  lot  of 
suffering.  This,  itself,  would  be  a  hard  say- 
ing to  those  who  held  the  ordinary*  views  of 
the  Messiah,  as  a  royal  and  glorious  person- 
age. But  there  was  more  to  be  told  in  the 
same  strain,  and  Jesus  brings  out  the  particu- 
lars in  appallifig  words. — .\nd  be  rejected  of 
the  elders,  etc.     Instead  of  himself  becoin- 


168 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


23  "And  he  said  to  thi'm  all,  If  a.ny  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  lake  up  his  cross 
daily,  and  follow  me. 

24  For  whosoever  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it :  but 
whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  the  same  shall 
save  it. 


23  day  be  raised  up.    And  he  said  unto  all,  If  any  mav 
would  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  am',  take 

24  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me.     For  whosoever 
would  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  but  whosoever  shall 


a  Matt.  10:  38;  16 :  24 ;  Mark  8:  34:  ch.  14:  27. 


ing  popularly  the  source  of  religious  author- 
ity, and  controller  of  the  customs  of  worship, 
he  is  to  he  cast  out,  excommunicated  by  the 
most  highly  esteemed  of  the  nation,  paragons 
of  sanctity  and  righteousness,  as  men  sup- 
posed.—And  be  slain— with  their  approval, 
of  course.  This  he  told  them  as  a  reason  for 
keeping  silent  in  regard  to  his  M^ssiahship, 
to  other  people.  And  although  he  added — 
And  be  raised  the  third  day.  It  was  long 
before  they  even  understood  the  meaning  of 
that,  not  to  speak  of  finding  comfort  in  it. 
How  little  the  multitude  were  as  yet  ready 
for  any  right  acknowledgment  of  Jesus  as  the 
Christ,  according  to  his  true  plan,  appears 
convincingly  when  we  read  in  Matthew  and 
Mark,  that  even  Peter  was  shocked  at  hearing 
him  speak  of  his  future  rejection  and  death, 
and  that  he  felt  at  liberty  to  contradict  and 
rebuke  his  Lord. 

23-27.  The  Law  of  Disciplkship  to 
Christ.    Matt.  16:  24-28;  Mark  8:  34—9:  1. 

23.  The  germ,  at  least,  of  a  great  truth 
was  now  distinctly  lodged  in  their  hearts, 
without  actually  shaking  their  attachment 
to  him;  and  when  they  joined  again  the  out- 
side throng,  from  whom  they  had  tempo- 
rarily withdrawn,  he  said  to  all— to  the 
crowd  as  well  as  to  his  chosen — If  any  man 
will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  him- 
self.— To  come  after  Christ  was  to  become 
his  disciple,  which,  in  typical  cases,  involved 
the  actual  leaving  of  other  interests  to  go 
with  him  wherever  he  went.  In  this  rela- 
tion of  teacher  and  pupil,  he,  as  the  custom 
was,  went  first  in  their  travels,  and  thus  the 
expression  "to  go  after  him"  was  a  literal 
statement  of  the  fact  (comp.  14:  25-27).  Af- 
terward it  became  a  metaphorical  description 
of  attachment  to  Christ,  when  there  was  no 
outward  change  of  place,  but  only  an  inward 
change  of  relation  toward  him.  So  we,  by  a 
natural  transfer  of  ideas,  speak  of  following 
Christ  as  equivalent  to  leading  a  Christian 
life.  This  really  involves  all  that  there  is  of 
it.  But  to  make  explicit  what  might  fail  to 
appear,  he  adds — Let  him  deny  himself. 
This  means  more,  far  more,  than  we  frequently 


intend  when  we  speak  of  denying  oneself; 
the  giving  up  something  we  value,  refraining 
from  something  we  could  desire,  that  some 
more  worthy  or  important  end  may  be  gained 
The  merest  worldling  and  epicurean  may  do 
that,  often  must  do  it,  as  a  prudent  worldling. 
It  means  more  than  that  we  should  subdue 
our  baser  propensities,  and  be  governed  by 
reason  and  conscience  in  all  that  we  do. 
That  is  the  aim  of  philosophy;  and  he  who 
should  have  succeeded  in  it  would  not,  in 
Christ's  sense,  have  denied  himself,  but  only 
indulged  his  better  self.  The  Master  means 
that  one  in  becoming  his  disciple  must  re- 
nounce altogether  the  claim  and  disposition 
to  be  his  own  man  ;  acknowledge  him  as  Pro- 
prietor, Teacher,  Leader,  Lord  ;  giving  him- 
self away  entire,  judgment,  reason,  as  well  as 
passion,  propensity,  desire,  and  will,  to  one 
who  is  seen  to  be  alone  worthy'  to  direct  and 
employ  all. — And  take  up  his  cross  daily. 
Here  again  we  have,  by  speaking  of  the  toils, 
burdens,  disappointments,  and  sorrows  of  life 
as  "our  crosses  which  we  have  to  bear," 
grievously  belittled  the  Saviour's  meaning. 
He  had  these  also,  but  they  were  not  his  cross. 
His  cross  was  the  heavy  stake  which  he  set  out 
to  carry  from  Pilate's  judgment-seat  to  Cal- 
vary, that  he  might  hang  on  it  to  die.  Such 
scenes  all  men  were  familiar  with  where  the 
cruel  punishments  of  Rome  were  known. 
The  expression  now  used  was  probably  pro- 
verbial, and  there  was  signified  by  it  that  the 
true  disciple  must  follow  his  Lord,  ready  to 
yield  life  itself  for  his  cause.  He  .«hould  walk 
— daily — constantly,  with  the  cross,  meta- 
phorically, on  his  shoulder,  devoting  the  body 
of  sin  in  him  to  merited  death,  and  the  nat- 
ural life  to  extinction  when  fidelity  to  Christ 
should  require  it.  And — so  let  him — follow 
me.  This,  and  nothing  less,  is  to  follow  him. 
24.  This  severe  requirement  Jesus  justifies 
and  explains.  For  whosoever  will — wills, 
is  resolved  to — save  his  life  shall  lose  it. 
The  man  that  prizes  the  natural  life  so  as  to 
withhold  it  from  Christ,  who  requires  the  giv- 
ing of  it  up,  may  retain  it  longer  than  other- 
wise here,  but  will  lose  it  as  the  ground  for  the 


Ch.  IX.] 


LUKE. 


169 


25  "  For  what  is  a  man  advantaged,  if  he  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  hiiusell',  or  be  cast  away? 

26  »  For  whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my 
words,  of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when 
he  shall  come  in  his  own  glory,  and  in  his  Father's, 
and  of  the  holy  angels. 

27  '  But  I  teil  you  of  a  truth,  there  be  some  standing 
here,  which  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the 
kingdom  of  God. 


25  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  the  same  shall  save  it.  For 
what  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world, 

2G  and  lose  or  forfeit  his  own  self?  For  whosoever 
shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words,  of  him  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  his 
own  glory,  and  Ike  gloni  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 

27  holy  angels.  Hut  I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  There  are 
some  of  them  that  stand  here,  who  shall  in  no  wise 
taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 


a  Mntt.  16:  2S;  Mark  8:  36 h  Matt.  10  :  33  :  Mark  8:  38;  2  Tim.  2:  12 c  Matt.  16:  28;  Mark  9  :  1. 


eternal  welfare,  the  life  alone  worth  living 
for. — But  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for 
my  sake — yield  it  up  in  the  fulfillment  of  my 
will  concerning  him — the  same  shall  save  it 

— shall  rejoice  eternally  and  the  more  richly 
in  the  blessedness  of  heaven. 

25.  Such  self-sacrifice  is  consistent  with  the 
true  advantage  of  ever^'  man. — For  what  is  a 
man  advantaged  i<>vp7-oJited)  if  he  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  {or  forfeit)  himself. 
A  more  exact  translation  would  be  "  in  having 
gained,"  "in  having  lost,"  etc.  The  Greek 
shows  that  the  Saviour  now  looks  back  on  an 
opportunity  lost,  on  a  ruin  accomplished. 
What  are  we  to  say  of  the  advantage,  when  it 
appears  that  a  man  in  gaining  as  he  did, 
supposably,  the  whole  world,  for  the  space 
of  his  subsequent  stay  on  earth,  has  lost — 
thrown  away,  himself,  or  /o?'/ei^efZ=sufFered 
the  loss  of,  himself— been  mulcted  of  eternal 
life  ?  The  case  of  Dives  in  the  parable  (ch.  la),  is 
a  slight  approach  to  a  parallel.  Excluded 
from  heaven,  what  is  eternal  existence  to  him 
but  endless  bankruptcy  of  joy,  of  proper  life! 

26.  The  principle  stated  on  which  such  dis- 
astrous failure  takes  place — For  whosoever 
shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  etc.  He  is  think- 
ing of  those  within  the  circle  of  gospel  privi- 
lege, and  sees  that  the  root  of  their  refusal  to 
embrace  his  service  lies  in  pride,  or  the  feeling 
of  shame  at  being  reckoned  followers  of  one 
who  has,  and  oflers  so  little,  of  what  the  natu- 
ral mind  esteems.  The  shame  of  such  on  the 
part  of  the  Son  of  man  will  appear  in  his  re- 
fusal to  recognize  them  when  even  they  would 
regard  his  favor  as  an  honor  and  a  blessing. — 
When  he  shall  come  in  his  own  glory. 
Own  is  not  warranted  by  the  Greek. — His 
glory — is  that  impression  of  divine  excellence, 
the  "  form  of  God,"  of  which  he  emptied  him- 
self at  the  Incarnation,  but  which  he  resumed 
with  added  honor  at  his  Ascension,  which  he 
will  wear  at  his  Second  Advent,  and  which  we 
think  of  as  an  ineffable  radiance  or  splendor. 
—And  in  his  Father's— the  tokens  of  dignity 
and  rule  lent  to  him   by  his  Father,  that  he 


may  represent  him  in  the  throne  of  eternal 
judgment. — And— the  glory — of  the  holy 
angels— who  will  constitute  the  celestial  leti- 
nue  with  which  he  will  come  to  receive  his 
faithful  ones  to  himself.  For  the  i)alpabie 
implication  is,  that  by  as  much  as  that  illus- 
trious epiphany  will  bring  shame  to  the  un- 
believers who  have  been  ashamed  of  him, 
will  it  announce  glory  and  recompense  to  all 
who  have  clung  to  him  in  his  humble  earthly 
manifestation 

27.  But  I  tell  you  of  a  truth.  The  re- 
mark i>lain!y  implies  that  an  important  state- 
ment is  to  follow.  The  conjunction  but  stands 
for  a  Greek  particle,  adapted  to  connect  the 
sentence  to  the  preceding  without  sharply  de- 
ciding whether  the  relation  is  one  of  agree- 
ment="and,"  or  of  opposition  =" but."  It 
depends  entirely  on  the  translator's  view  of 
this  relation  whether  he  renders  it  "and"  or 
"but."  "And"  might  be  used  in  this  case, 
unless  it  would  mar  the  train  of  thought.  It 
probably  would  show  more  directly  the  train 
of  thought,  which  seems  to  be,  in  brief,  "and 
some  now  here  will  be  alive  to  see  that  glorious 
coming."  But — suits  better  with  the  suppo- 
sition that  what  is  to  be  said  relates  to  some- 
thing more  or  less  diflTerent  from  the  preced- 
ing. "But  I  say  to  you  truly,  another  kind 
of  a  coming  of  the  kingdom  will  take  place 
sooner."  This  would  be  convenient  for 
the  expositor,  of  our  time,  who  does  not  see 
that  the  predicted  coming  actually  took  place 
before  the  eyes  of  any  then  living.  But  it 
would  greatly  belittle  the  dignity  and  weight 
of  this  closing  declaration  to  assume,  even 
here  in  Luke,  that  it  contemplates  something 
else  than  what  has  just  been  spoken  of.  In 
the  parallel  reports  of  Matthew  and  Mark, 
there  is  no  shadow  of  doubt  that  the  previous 
topic  is  continued. 

"We  thus,  indeed,  meet  a  very  serious  diffi- 
culty of  interpretation,  but  not  more  so  than 
we  often  encounter  in  stud^nng  the  apparent 
dates  avid  chronological  relations  of  events 
announced  in  unfulfilled   prophecy.      Christ 


170 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


speaks  as  a  prophet,  and  reveals  future  facts 
of  great  spiritual  importance,  to  occur  in  an 
increasing,  but  never  completed  development. 
"With  them  may  mingle  other  facts,  also  fore- 
told, which  may  be  described  physically,  and 
which  have  their  distinct  occasions  in  the 
calendar  of  earth.  Hence,  the  perplexity  to 
our  understanding,  and  hence,  the  light  to  our 
faith. — There  be  (are)  some  (of  those)  stand- 
ing here  which  shall  not  (or,  bi/  no  means) 
taste  of  death,  etc.  The  aim  of  this  state- 
ment seems  to  be,  pretty  clearly,  to  cheer  and 
sustain  the  disciples  under  the  present  and 
immediately  threatening  contrast  of  circum- 
stances, to  that  glory  which  shall  yet  be  re- 
vealed to  them.  Be  not  discouraged ;  the 
time  is  not  long.  Not  all  of  you  will  see 
it  during  the  term  of  your  natural  lives,  but 
some  will. — To  taste  of  death — is  "  to  die," 
according  to  the  usage,  familiar  in  Hebrew 
and  in  Greek,  of  employing  "taste"  to  sig- 
nify "experience,"  "be  cognizant  of,"  "have 
a  share  of." — Shall  not — most  certainly  shall 
not. 

Because  all  that  Jesus  had  spoken  of  as  per- 
taining to  his  glorious  advent,  and  ns  bespoke 
of  it,  did  not  take  place  during  that  genera- 
tion, infidel  critics  have  found  our  Lord  not 
a  truthful  foreteller.  For  the  same  reason, 
the  most  reverent  expounders  have  been 
greatly  perplexed,  and  felt  it  necessary  (many 
of  them),  to  force  the  language  of  our  verse 
to  refer  to  something  apart  from  the  glorious 
coming.  Thus,  some  have  contended  that 
the  reference  in  the  prophecy  is  to  the  Trans- 
figuration, occurring  a  week  after  these  words 
were  spoken,  and  related  here,  in  the  next 
paragraph.  This,  if  regarded  as  a  complete 
explanati(»n,  would  not,  indeed, be  incongruous 
with  the  limitation  of  the  vision  to  some  of 
those  standing  there,  as  only  three  of  them 
saw  the  glorified  Saviour;  but  it  was  not  such 
a  coming,  if  any  at  all,  as  involved  the  put- 
ting to  shame  of  those  who  had  refused  Christ. 
Others  think  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ 
from  the  dead,  as  here  foretold  ;  or,  the  be- 
stowment  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  Day  of 
Pentecost;  or,  the  establishment  of  the  Church 
among  Jews  and  Gentiles;  or,  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  regarded  both  as  an  inflic- 
tion of  Christ's  displeasure  against  the  apos- 
tate and  wicked  nation,  and  a  deliverance  of 
the  gospel  from  their  etfective  hostility,  "  con- 
trary to  all  men"  as  they  were.     Generally, 


the  advocate  of  one  of  these  hypotheses  re- 
jects the  rest;  and  in  attempting  to  make  a 
complete  explanation,  becomes  confused, 
strained,  and  inadequate.  Why  may  we  not 
suppose  them  all,  and  whatever  else  was  ex- 
perienced toward  the  realization  of  the  king- 
dom within  the  next  forty  or  fifty  years,  dur- 
ing which  some  of  Christ's  believing  hearers 
would  be  alive  and  remain?  Would  not  all 
this  amount,  according  to  our  Lord's  frequent 
way  of  speaking,  to  such  a  coming  as  would 
answer  to  his  prophecy  here?  That  he  could 
not  have  been  reasonably  understood  as  prom- 
ising that  the  winding  up  of  the  administra- 
tion of  his  cause  on  earth  would  take  place 
within  a  life-time,  we  may  believe  from  the 
fact  that  he  had  already  spoken  parables 
which  presupposed  a  longer  continuance,  and 
afterwards  spoke  still  more  decidedly.  But 
he  knows  that  the  full  consummation  is  to  be; 
and  in  prophetic  vision  he  sees  stages  of  its 
progress  stretching  out  before  him,  with  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  more  definitely 
marked  as  associated  with  the  deliverance  of 
his  friends  and  punishment  of  his  enemies. 
The  accomplishment  of  so  much  may  well 
appear  as  not  only  a  great  progress,  but  as  a 
specimen  and  earnest  of  the  full  work,  though 
this  stretches  on  in  a  further  unfolding  into 
eternity.  Looking  at  the  whole,  Jesus  speaks 
in  the  language  which  we  refer  entirely  to  the 
coining  which  is  to  attend  the  extinction  of 
nature  and  the  consummation  of  this  age. 
When  he  looks  at  a  lesser  portion  of  it,  he 
speaks  of  what  will  be  accomplished  before 
all  his  hearers  see  death. 

To  our  feelings  there  naturally  seems  such 
a  distance  between  this  last-named  modicum 
of  blessedness,  largely  clouded  with  imper- 
fections and  troubles,  that  we  doubt  whether 
it  could  be  called  a  coming  at  all,  in  compari- 
son with  the  remaining  glory.  But  it  might 
not  have  appeared  so  to  the  Saviour,  and 
might  not  appear  so  to  us,  if  we  could  think 
of  the  matter  apart  from  those  physical  images 
of  eflTulgent  splendor,  crowns,  angelic  forms, 
and  archangelic  trumpets,  in  which  it  is  now 
necessary  for  us  to  frame  ideas  of  heaven. 
Peter  (2  Pet.  i:  le-is)  certainly  found,  even  in  the 
Transfiguration,  a  pledge  and  sample  of  the 
heavenly  glory  (the  power  and  coming — 
Parousia)  of  the  Lord  ;  yet  who  can  doubt 
that  he  saw  a  still  more  impressive  glory  in 
the   mediatorial   majesty   displayed    through 


Ch. 

IX.] 

LUKE. 

171 

28  "And  it  came  to  pass  about 
these  sayings,  he  took  Peter  and  J 
weat  up  into  a  muuiitaiu  to  pray. 

an 
uhii 

eiRht  days 
aud  James 

after 
,  and 

28      And  it 
sayings, 

came  to 
he  took 

pass  about 
with   him 

eipht  d 
I'eter 

lys 
>ud 

after  these 
John   and 

a  Matt.  IT  :  1 

;  M»ri  9 :  2. 

the  Holy  Spirit  at  Pentecost,  and  in  all  his 
triumphs  of  that  age.  It  is  not  a  subject  for 
measurements  and  statistics;  but  we  can 
easily  believe  that  to  celestial  vision  the  dif- 
ference between  the  gospel  glory  of  the  last 
years  of  John,  the  beloved  disciple,  and  the 
fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius,  was  more  remark- 
able than  that  between  those  years  and  the 
end  of  the  world.  The  apostles  died  in  hope 
of  something  still  better;  but  they  knew, 
and  had  given  the  proof  to  many,  that  the 
Kingdom  of  God  was  come. 

Some  would  reconcile  the  language  of  our 
verse  with  the  subsequent  facts,  by  assuming 
the  |)romise  to  be  conditioned  on  the  repent- 
ance of  the  Jews  as  a  nation  (and  comp.  Acts 
3:19ff. );  and  others  (to  mention  no  more) 
think  the  words  may  have  been  spoken  on  a 
dift'erent  occasion,  butthen  assigned,  at  an  early 
period,  in  the  common  memoir  of  Christ's 
sayings,  to  this  connection  as  apposite,  and  so 
transmitted  to  us.  "We  prefer  the  view  above 
sketched,  that  he  spoke  in  ver.  27  of  the  same 
manifestation  of  his  kingdom  as  in  ver.  26, 
but  in  an  earlier  stage  of  it,  and  without 
noting  the  chronological  gradation. 

Every  one  may  see  how  this  difficulty  itself 
proves  the  composition  of  the  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels during  the  generation  contemporary  with 
the  Lord. 

28-36.  The  Transfiguration.  Matt. 
17:  1-13;  Mark  9:  2-13. 

28.  And  it  came  to  pass  about  an  eight 
days  after  these  sayings. — All  the  Synop- 
tists  are  particular  to  mark  the  date  of  this 
very  important  event  in  the  life  of  our  Lord, 
and  all,  doubtless,  mean  one  week,  two  ex- 
cluding the  days  of  the  two  events,  and  nam- 
ing six  days,  Luke  including  the  two  and 
naming  eight.  (The  article  an  should  be 
omitted).  As  the  lt)calit3'  of  the  preceding 
discourse  appears  to  have  been  the  same  as 
that  of  Peter's  confession,  which  was  the 
neighborhood  of  Cesarea  Philippi,  we  may 
conclude  that  the  scene  of  the  Transfiguration 
was  some  mountain  in  that  vicinity.  It  is 
thus  natural  to  think  of  some  spur  or  slope  of 
Hermon,  which  Jesus  and  his  disciples  had 
often  gazed  on,  towering  gloriously  in  the  far 


north,  as  they  traversed  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Sea  of  Galilee.     A  tradition  of  little  trust- 
worthiness  designates   Mount  Tabor,  on   the 
southern  border  of  Galilee.     "Were  there  any 
proper  authority  for  this  representation,   six 
days'  time  would  have  allowed  the  journey 
from  the  Upper  Jordan ;  but  the  Saviourseems 
to  be  rather  seeking  retirement,  and  avoiding 
premature  arrest  now,  and  when  Mark  next 
gives  an  indication  of  place   (9  =  30),   he  says, 
j  "coming  out  from    thence,  they  journeyed 
through    Galilee." — He     took     with     him 
Peter     and    John   and  James— the  three 
select  and  often  favored  apo.stles  («:5i).      He 
prob'ibly   desired   the  support  of  their  pres- 
ence, as  at  Gethsemane  (though  now  with  far 
diflferent  feelings),  because  of  the  object  before 
him. — Went  up  into  a  mountain  to  pray. 
This  statement  prepares    us  to  expect   again 
some  important  devek)j)ment  in  tiie  i)rogress 
of  his  mission.     "What  he  had  lately  said  to 
his  disciples,  and  they  to  him,  had  brought 
the  revelation  possible  for  him  to  make  to  theni 
by  word  during   his  earthly  stay,    nearly  to 
completion.     "Toall,"  also,  he  had  laid  down 
the  essential  conditions,  practically  considered, 
on  which  they  must  share  the  Messianic  salva- 
tion.    The  result  would  be  to  excite  a  great 
fermentation  of  thought  in  all  minds  that  were 
not    like   the  hard-trodden    road-bod    to  the 
seeds  of  his  truth.     To  cherish,  enlighten,  and 
guide  the   infant  faith  would   now  be  neces- 
sary; and  to  this  end,  some  jnanifestation  of 
the  true  glory  of  his  reign,  as  opi>osed  to  the 
carnal  splendor  and  majesty  of  which  men 
dreamed,  and  of  the  real  blessedness  of  his 
subjects,   might  powerfully  contribute.     The 
souls  of  the  chief  apostles  being  confirmed, 
would  serve  even  now  as  a  nucleus  of  imper- 
turbable faith  to  the  rest;  and  their  testimony, 
to  be  given  after  the  resurrection,  would  sup- 
ply to  all   what  would  then  be  necessary  to 
sustain  confidence,   and  rouse  enthusiasm,  in 
the    midst    of     self-denial,    and    sacrifice    of 
worldly  aims.     The  Saviour's  prayer,  accord- 
ingly, may  have  had  this  for  its  object,  that  he 
might    himself   have    fresh    evidence  of  his 
Father"  s  approbation  and  support,  in  the  sac- 
rifice of  himself  which   he  had  soon  to  com- 


172 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


29  And  as  he  prayed,  the  fashion  of  his  countenance 
was  altered,  and  his  raiment  tvas  white  and  glistering. 

30  And,   behold,   there  talked   with   him  two  men,  * 
wliich  were  Moses  and  Elias: 

31  Who  apjjeared  in  glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease 
which  he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem. 

32  But  Peter  and  they  that  were  with  him  "were 
heavy  with  sleep:  and  when  they  were  awake,  they 
saw  his  glory,  and  the  two  men  that  stood  with  him. 


29 


James,  and  went  up  into  the  mountain  to  pray.  And 
as  he  was  praying,  the  fashion  of  his  countenance 
was  altered,  and  his  raiment  became,  white  ami  daz- 
zling. Ana  behold,  there  talked  with  him  two  men, 
who  were  Moses  and  Elijah :  who  appeared  in  glory, 
and  spake  of  his  ^  decease  which  he  was  about  to  ac- 
complish at  Jerusalem.  Now  Peter  and  they  that 
were  with  him  were  heavy  with  sleep:  but  2"when 
they  were  fally  awake,  they  saw  his  glory,  and  the 


a  Dao.  8:  18;  10:  9. 1  Or.  departure 2  Or,  having  remained  awake. 


plete;  and,  moreover,  that  his  brethren  might 
be  suitably  strengthened  for  their  share  in  the 
trials  of  which  he  had  apprised  them. 

29.  And  as  he  prayed  (better,  was  pray- 
ing, in  the  very  course  of  his  prayer),  the 
fashion  of  his  countenance  was  altered 
(Greek,  became  an  other).  An  intolerable 
glory  shone  on  the  face  of  Moses,  when  he 
came  down  from  communication  with  Jeho- 
vah in  the  mount.  On  the  face  of  Jesus  now 
shone,  we  may  suppose,  that  brightness  of 
glory,  or  its  counterpart  to  mortal  eyes,  which 
was  the  very  image  of  his  substance,  and  in 
which  angels  had  recognized    "the  form  of 

God"    (Phil.  2:6;  Heb.  1:3;  2  Pet.  1:16).       The    change 

seems  to  have  affected  his  whole  person;  for, 
we  are  told  that  his  raiment  Avas  {or  became) 
white  and  glistering  {i.  e.,  dazzling).  And 
is  absent  from  the  Greek;  dazzling  or  glister- 
ing interpret  the  word  white. 

30.  And  behold  — a  marvelous  fact- 
there  talked  with  him  two  men,  which 
(otTtKc?)  were  Moses  and  Elijah.  From 
the  usual  force  of  the  compound  relative 
rendered  which,  we  might  judge  that  the 
two  attendant  beings  were  known  as  men, 
because  they  were  found  out  to  be  Moses  and 
Elijah=seeing  that  they  were.  But  this  may 
be  one  of  the  rare  cases  in  which  some  authori- 
ties take  the  compound  as  identical  in  sense 
with  the  simi)le  relative=who.  Special  sig- 
nificance might  have  attached  to  the  presence 
of  Moses  and  Elijah.  The  special  lesson  in 
the  appearance  of  just  these  two,  at  this  time, 
lay  in  the  fact  that  they  represented  the  law 
and  the  prophets,  or  the  whole  preparatory 
Dispensation  of  the  national  religion.  Eli- 
jah, in  a  crisis  of  their  history,  had  triumph- 
antly opposed  himself  to  the  idolatrous  per- 
version of  the  true  worship,  and,  by  providing 
for  the  training  and  sup|)ort  of  prophets,  had 
secured  the  continuance  of  a  qualified  line  of 
these  ministers  of  Jehovah,  down  to  Malachi. 
31.  Who  appeared  in  glory — suitable  to 
those  who  should  comnume  with  the  glorified 
Saviour,  and  indicative  of  the  eternal  ffelicity, 


in  the  heavenly  state,  of  those  who  have  faith- 
fully served  God  on  earth.  Their  state  was 
thus  a  great  encouragement  to  those  who  still 
struggle  here  below. — And  spake  of  his  de- 
cease which  he  should  {was  about  to)  ac- 
complish at  Jerusalem.  Christ  in  confer- 
ence with  the  great  law-giver  and  the  typical 
prophet,  about  his  approaching  death !  Their 
theme  was  not,  then,  the  majesty  of  his  des- 
tined reign;  but  the  preliminary  sufferings  of 
the  Christ.  Yet  they  did  not  treat  his  end  as 
death ;  but  a  departure,  a  decease  (efo«os),  a 
cessation  and  going  out  from  that  state  of 
humiliation  to  which  he  had  condescended, 
into  the  blessedness  from  which  they  had  just 
come.  Compared  with  this,  the  pains  and 
earthly  shame  would  be  as  nothing  (comp. 
Heb.  12:  2).  This  was  the  consummation  of 
all  that  the  law  and  the  prophets  had  por- 
tended ;  and  the  disciples  might  well  be  recon- 
ciled to  the  strange  and  shocking  announce- 
ment which  Jesus  had  made  to  them  concern- 
ing his  fate,  v/hen  they  saw  it  recognized  as  the 
result  aimed  at  in  all  the  anterior  revelation 
of  God.  Which  he  was  about  to  accom- 
plish— strictly,  to  fulfill.  It  was  not  merely 
that  he  would  experience  this  departure,  that 
it  would  happen  to  him;  but  that  his  death, 
with  all  that  should  precede  and  follow  on 
earth,  should  fulfill  God's  appointment  of 
humiliation,  pain,  and  shame  for  liim,  as  well 
as  the  consequent  honor  and  reward  in  his 
resurrection  and  ascension  to  glory.  All  this 
was  involved  in  the  thought  of  fulfilling  his 
decease,  or  departure.  (See  Kypkc,  Observ. 
on  the  passage). — At  Jerusalem — a  pathetic 
touch;  the  place  where  he  ought  to  be  hailed 
and  enthroned  as  Zion's  promised  king  (i:i:33). 
32.  But  (or  Now)  Peter  and  they  that 
were  with  him  were  heavy  [had  been 
weighed  down)  with  sleep.  The  verb  is  in 
the  pluperfect,  and  the  statement  has  refer- 
ence to  a  time  prior  to  the  scene  which  they 
had  just  witnessed.  It  is  intended  to  explain 
that  the  disciples  were  not  asleep  at  this  time, 
as  might  naturally  be  suspected,  seeing  that 


Ch.  IX.] 


LUKE. 


173 


3:{  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  departed  from  him, 
Peter  said  uiUn  Jesus,  Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  he 
here:  aud  let  us  make  three  tabernacles;  one  for  thee, 
and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias:  not  knowing 
what  he  said. 

:u  Wliile  he  thus  spake,  there  came  a  cloud,  and 
overshadowed  them:  and  they  feared  as  they  entered 
into  the  cloud. 

."i-T  And  there  cp-me  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  saying, 
"This  is  my  beloved  Son:  *  hear  him. 

:J6  And  when  the  voice  was  past,  Jesus  was  found 
alone.  '.Vnd  they  kept  it  close,  and  told  no  man  in 
those  days  any  of  those  things  which  they  had  seen. 


33  two  men  that  stood  with  him.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
as  they  were  parting  from  him,  Peter  said  unto 
Jesus,  Master,  it  is  goo(i  for  us  to  be  here:  and  let  us 
make  three  Habernacles;  one  for  thee,  and  one  for 
Moses,  and  one  for  Klijah :  not  knowing  what   he 

34  said.  '  And  while  he  said  these  things,  there  came  a  . 
cloud,  and  overshadowed  them:  and  they  feared  as 

35  they  entere<l  into  the  cloud.  And  a  voice  came  out 
of  the  cloud,  saying.  This  is*  my  Sin,  my  chosen: 

36  hear  ye  him.  And  when  the  voice  Scame,  Jesus  was 
fount!  alone.  And  they  held  their  peace,  and  told 
uo  man  in  those  days  any  of  the  things  which  they 
bad  seen. 


a  Matt.  3: 17 &  Acts  3  :  2'2 c  Matt.  17  : 


-1  Or.  hootht.    2 Many  ancient  authorities  read,  my  beloved  son.    See  Matt.  17:5: 
Mark  9:  7.    :i  Or,  wa>  paet. 


it  was  in  the  night  (ver.  37).  It  was  no  dream, 
no  more  vision  ;  they  had  been  drowsy. — And 
when  they  were  awake — rather,  Out  having 
kept  awnke.  (See  Grimm's  Clavis  on  tiie 
sense  of  this  very  rare  verb). — They  saw  his 
glory,  and  the  two  men,  etc.,  in  the  man- 
ner related  in  the  preceding  verse.  The 
manifestation  had  been  intended  for  them  as 
much  as  for  Jesus,  and  they  had  not  to  de- 
pend on  his  report  of  what  occurred;  but  saw 
it  for  themselves,  and  received  the  proper 
impression  which  such  an  occurrence  was 
suited  to  make  (aPet.  i:  iser.). 

33.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  de- 
parted (or  ivere  jiarting)  from  him — before 
Moses  and  Elijah  had  actually  left — Peter 
said  to  Jesus,  Master,  it  is  good  for  us 
to  be  here  (rather,  it  is  a  good  thing  that  we 
are  here). — It  would  seem  that  he  spoke  with 
some  hazy  idea  of  securing  a  longer  stay  of 
the  celestial  visitants.  This  is  indicated  by 
the  close  connection  with  what  follows. — 
And — since  we  apostles  are  here,  and  have 
the  strength  for  it — let  us  make  three  tab- 
ernacles (tents,  Greek  <t«)ji'o«) — here,  proba- 
bly of  branches  of  trees  and  shrubs,  booths. 
It  is  precarious  interpreting  the  language  of 
Peter,  when  we  are  directly  told  that  he  knew 
not  what  he  said;  but  it  is  much  as  if  he  had 
thought,  at  a  flash,  that,  with  suitable  shelter, 
the  company  might  be  continued,  to  the  honor 
of  Jesus  and  the  benefit  of  his  disciples. — 
One  for  thee,  etc.  They  are  quite  content 
themselves  to  remain  in  the  open  air. 

34.  While  he  thus  spake  (literally, 
while  he  said  these  things),  there  came  a 
cloud,  and  overshadowed  them.  The 
descrii>tion  suggests  that  sublime  veil  of 
Jehovali's  majesty  which  rested  over  the 
tabernacle  in  the  ancient  days,  when  it  went 
and  where  it  rested,  like  which,  this  shadow 
of  God  now  enveloi)ed  the  Father.  On  a  | 
moonlight  night,  it  would  still  be  seen  as  a  1 


cloud,  and  in  the  day-time  or  night  we  may 
well  believe  that  the  divine  indwelling  would 
give  a  radiance  that  made  it  "bright"  (Matt. 
17:5).  No  wonder  that  they  feared  —  were 
thrilled  with  trembling,  worshipful  awe — as 
they  entered  into  the  cloud— that  is,  felt 
themselves  embraced  witliin  its  mysterious 
folds. 

35.  What  it  all  portended  was  evident 
when  there  came  a  voice  out  of  the 
cloud,  saying.  This  is  my  beloved  Son 
{the  chosen,  is  probably  the  true  reading); 
hear  (ye)  him.  Thus  is  assured  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  once  more,  and  with  reference  to  that 
stage  of  his  course  which  now  opens,  the  ap- 
probation, and  sympathy  of  God,  his  Father, 
and  to  the  disciples,  a  divine  authority  for 
ail  which  he  declares,  requires,  or  predicts. 

36.  And  when  the  voice  was  past 
(rather,  came),  Jesus  was  found  alone. 
With  the  dying  away  of  that  sound  the 
whole  phenomenon  reached  its  consumma- 
tion. God  had  ratified  the  proposed  fulfill- 
ment of  the  law  and  the  prophets,  in  the 
death  and  glorification  of  Jesus  as  his  Son, 
at  Jerusalem.  The  same  cloud  which  had 
borne  the  voice,  took  back  the  two  messengers 
from  the  world  of  those  who  live  eternally. 
—And  they  kept  it  close  (Greek,  were 
silent),  and  told  no  man  in  those  days, 
etc.  In  those  days  they  did  not  tell 
it,  because  Jesus  (m^u.  i7:9)  commanded  them 
to  .say  nothing  about  this  wonderful  reve- 
lation, until  he  should  have  risen  from  the 
dead.  The  possible  reasons  for  such  an  in- 
junction have  been  spoken  of  in  remarks 
above,  on  ver.  28.  The  disciples  could  only 
wait  for  a  distinct  idea  of  what  was  meant 
by  his  rising  from  the  dead,  but  they  faith- 
fully observed  his  direction.  Meantime,  we 
mny  be  assured  that  their  own  confidence  in 
their  Master,  as  an  all-suflScient  Saviour, 
would  be  greatly  fortified. 


174 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


37  "And  it  came  to  pass,  that  on  the  next  day,  when 
they  were  come  down  Irom  the  hill,  much  people  met 
him. 

38  And,  behold,  a  man  of  the  company  cried  out,  say- 
ing. Master,  1  beseech  thee,  look  upon  my  son:  Jor  he 
is  mine  only  child, 

39  And,  lo,  a  spirit  taketh  him,  and  he  suddenly 
crieth  oul  ;  and  it  tearelh  him  that  he  loameth  again, 
and  bruising  him  hardly  departeth  from  him. 

40  And  I  besought  thy  disciples  to  cast  him  out;  and 
they  c(»uld  not. 

41  And  Jesus  an.swering  said,  O  faithless  and  per- 
verse generation,  how  long  shall  I  be  with  you,  and 
suffer  you?    Bring  thy  sou  hither. 

42  And  as  he  was  yet  a  coming,  the  devil  threw  him 


37  And  it  came  to  pass,  on  the  next  day,  when  they 
were  come  down  irom  the  mountain,  a  great  multi- 

38  tude  met  him.  And  behold,  a  man  from  the  multi- 
tude cried,  saying, 'Master,  I  beseech  thee  to  look 

39  upon  my  son  ;  for  he  is  mine  only  child;  and  behold, 
a  spirit  taketh  him,  and  he  suddenly  crieth  out ,  and 
it-teareth  him  that  he  foanielh,  and  it  hardly  de- 

40  parteth  from  him,  bruising  him  sorely.  And  I  be- 
sought thy  disciples  to  cast  it  out;  and  they  could 

41  not.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said,  ()  faithless  and 
perverse  generation,  how  long  shall   I  be  with  you, 

42  and  bear  with  you?  bring  hither  thy  son.  And  as 
he  was  yet  a  coming,  the  demon  "dashed  him  down, 
and  <tare  him  grievously.  But  Jesus  rebuked  the 
unclean  spirit,  and  healed  the  boy,  and  gave  him 


a  Matt.  17:  14;  Mark  9:  14,  17. 1  Or,  Teacher 2  Or,  eonvuUeth 3  Or,  rent  him 4  Or,  convulsed. 


37-43.  A  Demoniac  Child  whom  the 
Apostles  were  not  Able  to  Cure. 
Compare  Matt.  17:  14-21;  Mark  9:  14  ff. 

In  all  the  Synoptics,  this  event  follows  im- 
mediately upon  the  Tran.sfiguration. 

37.  The  next  day,  when  they  were 
come  down  from  the  hill  {mountain). 
They  finisiied  the  night  there.  Now  they 
passed  suddenly  from  the  glory  and  felicity 
of  heaven  to  the  sins  and  misery  of  earth. — 
Much  people  (a  great  multitude)  met  him. 
From  Mark,  who  gives  this  occurrence  with 
much  greater  detail,  we  learn  that  the  case 
of  the  demoniac  boy,  whom  the  disciples 
could  not  heal,  had  given  the  Scribes  occa- 
sion to  dispute  with  them,  probably  in  rela- 
tion to  the  power,  which  they  and  their 
Master  claimed,  to  cast  out  demons. 

38,  39.  And,  hehold,  a  man  of  the 
company  (literally,  from  the  multitude) 
cried  out  —  in  a  tone  of  great  earnestness 
of  desire,  and  deep  distress  —  saying.  Mas- 
ter =  teacher —  I  beseech  thee,  look  (or, 
to  look)  upon  my  son,  etc.  It  was,  in- 
deed, a  very  pitiful  case — an  only  son,  a  cir- 
cumstance which,  as  we  have  before  seen, 
appealed  powerfully  to  tjie  only  begotten  Son 
of  the  heavenly  Father  (7: 12).  This  child  was 
worse  than  dead,  unless  the  help  of  the  Great 
Physician  could  avail  for  him  also.  He  was 
subject  to  paroxysms  of  epileptic  insanity,  so 
violent  in  their  manifestations,  ps  we  read  in 
ver  39,  that  his  life  must  have  been  a  distress 
to  himself  and  a  heavy  affliction  to  all  his 
friends.  Teareth  =  wrenches  with  convul- 
sions; bruising  =  crami)ing,  crushing. 

40.  And  I  besought  thy  disciples  to  cast 
him  (it)  out;  and  they  could  not.  This, 
according  to  all  the  records,  was  what  moved 
the  Lord  to  the  utterance  of  disappointment 
and  rebuke  in  the  next  sentence. 

41.  O  faithless  =  unbelieving — and  per- 


verse (Greek,  twisted)  generation.  It  does 
not  seem  necessary  to  confine  the  broad  term, 
generation,  with  Meyer,  to  the  groups  of 
disciples,  only  nine  at  the  most,  including 
neither  of  the  most  eminent.  Doubtless,  it 
was  their  failure  which  grieved  him — a  failure 
resulting,  too,  in  great  measure,  from  their- 
weakness  of  confidence  in  that  power  and 
authority  which  they  had  received  from  him 
to  meet  such  demands.  But  where  were  the 
signs  of  faith  among  those  around,  without 
which  Christ  himself  seldom  or  never  at- 
tempted these  mighty  works?  The  feeling, 
therefore,  with  which  he  uttered  his  com- 
plaint, and  the  very  object  addre.s.sed,  was 
wider  than  the  handful  of  derelict  disciples, 
although  with  them  he  was  specially  grieved. 
Their  perverseness  was  the  result  of  obscure 
and  feeble  faith,  and  appeared  in  a  lack  of 
harmony  of  life  and  conduct  with  their  priv- 
ileges and  obligations.  They  must  surely 
have  done  better  in  the  excursion  on  which 
they  had  been  sent  out  (see  ver.  6).  Or,  had 
they  been  so  dependent  on  Peter,  James, and 
John?  —  How  long  shall  I  be  with  you, 
and  suffer  you?  Until  when  must  I  be? 
The  tone  is  as  if  he  had  meant  to  say,  I  can- 
not remain  here  always;  how  long  will  it  be 
before  I  can  lay  the  burden  down,  secure  that 
others  will  bear  it  successfully?  But  it  was 
not  in  the  nature  of  Jesus  to  let  a  suflering 
and  praj'erful  soul  go  unrelieved,  whoever 
might  be  to  blame;  and  he  said  to  the  anxious 
i  father — Bring  thy  son  hither.  This  address 
j  to  him,  as  if  in  continuance  of  the  preceding' 
]  language,  shows  that,  in  Luke,  almost  cer- 
!  tainly,  Christ  did  not  speak  that  to  the  disci- 
ples alone. 

43.  And  as  he  was  yet  a  coming,  the 
devil  {demon)  threw  him  down  (caused  him 
to  fall  as  if  his  bones  were  broken),  and  tare 
(wrenched,  convulsed)   him,  as   if  it  would 


Ch.  IX.] 


LUKE. 


175 


down,  and  tare  him.  And  .Tesu8  rebuked  the  "ndean 
spid";  and  healed  the  child,  and  delivered  h.n.  again  to 

'''4:' And' thev  were  all  an,a.<d  at  the  n.ighty  power  «f 
Ooil  But  wliile  they  wondered  every  one  at  all  tilings 
which  Jesus  did,  he  said  unto  his  di?ciples, 

44  <■  Let  these  sayings  sink  down  into  your  ears,  for 
the  Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of 

""lift  nut  thev  understood  not  this  saying  and  jt  wa« 
hid  from  then,  that  ihey  perceived  it  not:  and  thtj 
fp'ircd  to  ask  him  of  that  saving.  ,  ,  •  u 

4'i  'Then  there  arose  a  reasoning  among  them,  which 
of  them  should  be  greatest. 


43  back  to  his  father.    And  they  were  all  astonished  at 

*'*B.!aThile"ilV"were  marvelling  at  all  the  things 

44  which  he  did,  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  Let  these 
words  sink  into  your  ears;  for  the  N.n  ol  mau  shall 

45  be  delivered  up  into  the  hands  ol  nien.  But  they 
understood  not  this  saying,  and  it  was  concealed 
from  them,  that  they  should  not  perceive  if.  and 
thev  were  afraid  to  ask  him  about  this  saying. 

46  And  there  arose  a  reasoning  among  them,  whica 


;  Maa.n:22....6Ma,k9:32;ch.2:50:  18:3*.... c  Matt.  18:1;  Mark9-.  34. 


rend  him  limb  from  limb.  Mark  gives  an 
intere.sting  conversation  of  the  Saviour  with 
the  poor  father,  suited  to  develop  at  once  his 
sense  of  necessity  and  his  faith;  but  Luke 
and  Matthew  go  straight  to  the  cure.  As  on 
other  occasions,  the  near  presence  of  Christ 
caused  violent  access  of  the  malady,  betraj^- 
ing  special  malignity  on  the  part  of  the  evil 
spirit.  As  if  it  had  been  a  challenge  from 
the  prince  of  the  demons,  the  Son  of  man 
met  it  calmly  with  a  reproof,  not  of  the  child. 
—And  Jesus  rebuked  the  unclean  spirit 
—as  being  the  personal,  conscious,  intentional 
cause  of  all  this  ill-and  healed  the  child- 
even  by  the  rebuke  banished  the  infernal 
trotibler.— Delivered  him  (or,  gave  him  back) 
again  to  his  father.  Compare  the  manner 
of  it  with  that  of  the  restoration  of  the  widow's 
only  son  at  Nain  (7:  is.  ifi). 

42.  And  they  were  all  amazed  at  the 
mighty  power  of  God— his  majesty  (2Pei 
1:16,  Greek),  the  glorious  manifestation  of  his 
power.  The  mouth  of  the  scribes  was  shut 
again,  and  the  truth  concerning  the  divine 
efficiency  of  Jesus  shone  forth  bright  from 
the  cloud  which  the  ill  success  of  certain  dis- 
ciples had  thrown  over  it. 

43-45.  Christ  Again  Predicts  his  Suf- 
FKRINOS  TK  Vaix.  Indeed,  it  would  seem  that 
he  recognized  again,  in  this  outburst  of  ado- 
ration signs  of  an  unhealthy  and  misdirected 
enthusiasm,  whicli  he  instantly  set  himself  to 
correct.— But  while  they  wondered— at  the 
moment  they  began  to  express  their  astonish- 
„n>nt— he  said  unto  his  disciples— they 
being  peculiarly  liable,  after  what  had  re- 
cently occurred,  to  conceive  wrong  expecta- 
tions. 

44.  Let  these  sayings  sink  down  Into 
your  ears— give  them  your  profoundest  con- 
sideration, let  them  reach  your  heart— for 
the  Son  of   man  shall  be  delivered  into 


the  hands  of  men.  Luke  does  not  repeat 
the  saying  fully,  as  do  the  other  Synoi^tists, 
leaving  readers  to  supply  from  the  previous 
prediction  (ver.22),  that  the  result  of  his  being 
given  up  would  be  his  death,  to  be  followed 
by  a  resurrection.  All  this,  as  regarded  the 
Messiah,  was  a  mystery  to  them. 

45.  They  understood  not  this  saying 
—could  attach  no  consistent  sense  to  the  dec- 
laration. Not  only  did  they  not  understand 
it;  it  was  (=had  been)  hid  {concealed)  from 
them  that  they  perceived  it  not  (or,  should 
not  perceive  it).  It  was  afterward  seen  that 
there  had  been  a  divine  purpose  in  this  igno- 
rance and  incapacity  of  theirs,  really  a  con- 
cealment of  tiie  amazing  truth  until  they 
should  be  able  to  receive  it  without  too  great 
a  shock,  and  with  great  benefit  and  joy.— 
And  they  feared  to  ask  him  of  that  (or, 
about  this)  saying.  Although  they  did  not 
understand  it,  there  was  a  disastrous  intima- 
tion in  his  words,  which  awed  them  into 
silence. 

46-48.  Their  Amuition'  Reproved  by 
THE  Example  OF  a  Child.  Matt.  18:  1-5; 
Mark  9:  33-37. 

Mark  expressly  natnes  Capernaum  as  the 
scene  of  this  occurrence,  where  Matthew  also 
(17:24)  places  the  affair  of  the  tribute-money, 
which  immediately  preceded  this.  Then 
there  arose  a  reasoning— an  argument— 
among  them.  Meyer  would  render  this  sen- 
tence, "and  there  came  in  a  reasoning  in 
them";  i.  e.,  in  their  hearts.  This  view  is 
undoubtedly  favored  by  the  fact  that  Jesus  is 
said  in  the  next  verse  to  know  "the  reasoning 
of  their  heart,"  which  seems  as  if  nothing  had 
been  said.  If  Luke  were  our  only  narrator  of 
the  facts,  that  rendering  and  interpretation 
would  hardly  be  objectionable.  ?rom  the 
other  narratives,  however,  we  know  that 
something  was  said,  and  the  translation  in  the 


176 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


47  And  Jesus,  perceiving  the  thought  of  their  heart, 
took  a  chiid,  and  set  him  by  him, 

48  And  said  unto  them,"  Whosoever  shall  receive  this 
child  in  my  name  receiveth  me:  and  whosoever  shall 
receive  me  receiveth  him  that  sent  me :  <>  for  he  that  is 
least  among  you  all,  the  same  shall  be  great. 

49  '•And  John  answered  and  said.  Master,  we  saw  one 
casting  out  devils  in  thy  name ;  and  we  forbade  him, 
because  he  foUoweth  not  with  us. 


47  of  thera  was  the  'greatest.  But  when  Jesus  saw  the 
reasoning  of  their  heart,  he  took  a  little  child,  and 

48  set  him  by  his  side,  and  said  unto  them.  Whosoever 
shall  receive  this  little  child  in  my  name  receiveth 
me:  and  whosoever  shall  receive  me  receiveth  him 
that  sent  me:  for  he  that  is  :i least  among  you  all, 
the  same  is  great. 

49  And  John  answered  and  said.  Master,  we  saw  one 
casting  out  demons  in  thy  name;  and  we  forbade 


text  is  quite  as  likely  to  be  correct.  The  mat- 
ter of  the  rea.soning  was  as  to  which  of  them 
should  be  greatest — or,  more  exactly,  might 
possibly  be  greater.  Matthew  suggests  a  nat- 
ural occasion  for  such  rivalry,  in  the  distinc- 
tion which  had  just  been  given  to  Peter  in  mi- 
raculously catching  the  fish  which  furnished 
the  required  tribute-money.  Luke  makes 
no  reference  to  such  an  incident,  and  simply 
shows  the  disciples  as  engaged  in  a  comparison 
of  their  respective  capacities  for  high  office  in 
the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  The  Greek  com- 
parative "greater,"  not  "greatest,"  implies 
that  the  discussion  was  not  as  to  a  gradation  of 
the  apostles  from  highest  to  lowest,  but  as  to 
fitness  among  them  for  the  chief  place. 
Which  of  them,  over  against  the  rest  as  a  body 
was  greater,  viz.,  than  they  all.  The  final 
eflfect  is  superficially  the  same,  as  he  that  was 
greater  than  all  others  would  be  greatest  of 
all ;  but  the  Greek  point  of  view  was  different. 
The  Greek,  no  more  than  English,  would  use 
a  comparative  when  the  thought  was  of  a  su- 
perlative. (See  "Winer,  Grnmma.tik,  5  Aufl. 
S.  280).  Obviously,  any  reasoning  among 
them  on  this  subject  betrays  a  sad  failure  to 
realize  the  nature  of  true  eminence  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Master.  This,  however,  does  not 
appear  to  have  disheartened  him,  as  did  the 
failure  of  faith  to  heal  the  lunatic  boy. 

47.  Perceiving  the  thought  of  their 
hearts — which  fairly  implies  here  in  Luke, 
that  it  was  expressed  ;  because  how  could  a 
reasoyiing,  of  the  nature  of  a  debate,  enter  in 
simultaneously  in  many  hearts  without  a  word 
spoken?  He  took  a  child  (little  child)  and 
set  him  by  him.  This  means  that  he  caused 
the  child  to  sit,  or  stand,  close  beside  himself, 
as  he  sat,  in  the  position  of  nearest  attachment, 
with  the  disciples  in  a  semicircle  around  him 
(Matthew  and  Mark),  but  further  off. 

48.  Whosoever  shall  receive  this  (little) 
child  in  my  name,  etc.  In  my  name — 
that  is,  on  the  ground  that  he  bears  my  name, 
professes  himself  a  disciple  of  mine..    Hence, 


this  little  child  is  named  simply  as  represent- 
ing the  character,  in  certain  respects,  of  a  true 
disciple  (comp.  Matt.  5:  5).  The  receiving 
such  a  child  is  to  humble  oneself  like  it,  and 
in  that  proportion  to  become  truly  great. 
(See  on  14:  11).  The  little  child  is  a  type,  not 
indeed  of  moral  purity  and  freedom  from  sin, 
but  of  the  absence  of  such  ambition  and  desire 
of  superiority  over  others,  in  rank,  as  was  now 
clouding  the  character  of  his  chosen  servants. 
— Receiveth  me — who  am  present  in  every 
disciple,  as  much  in  the  humblest  and  most 
insignificant,  as  in  the  noblest  and  most  ex- 
alted. Not  only  so,  but  receiveth  him  that 
sent  me — who  is  present  in  me,  as  I  am  in 
the  believer.  In  view  of  such  a  truth,  how 
paltry  seem  all  contentions  about  grades  of 
religious  merit. — For  he  that  is  least  (prop- 
erly, less,  smaller,  namely,  than  others) 
among  you  all,  the  same  is  great.  He 
that  humbleth  himself  will  be  exalted  in  the 
assignment  of  places  in  Christ's  kingdom. 
Whatever  other  virtues  shall  be  taken  into 
account,  nothing  will  be  honored  in  the  ab- 
sence of  the  child-like  remoteness  from  selfish 
ambition.  How  could  it  be  otherwise,  Avhen 
the  Viceregent  himself  receives  the  name  that 
is  above  every  name,  and  the  worship  of  the 
universe,  on  the  ground  of  such  humility  and 
condescension  as  it  would  be  utterly'  impossi- 
ble for  any  other  being  to  exhibit?  Observe 
that  Jesus  does  not  deny,  rather  confirms,  that 
there  are  gradations  of  rank  in  his  perfected 
reign,  but  bestowed  on  principles  directly  op- 
posite to  those  which  commonly  prevail  in  the 
allotments  of  this  world. 

49,  50.  Intolerance  Reproved.  Mark 
9 :  38-41. 

49.  And  John  answered  and  said. 
Master,  we  saw,  etc.  Answered  —  inas- 
much as  his  remark  had  reference  to  the 
phrase  which  Jesus  had  used,  "in  my  name." 
The  beloved  disciple  is  reminded  of  an  oc- 
currence in  which  he  |)erhaps  had  done 
wrong.      It   surprises   u;j   iil   first    that    John 


Ch. 

IX.] 

LUKE. 

177 

50  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
that  is  not  against  us  is  for  us. 

Forbid  Aim 

not 

for  "  he 

50  him,  because 
said  unto  hi 
against  you  it 

he  followeth 
n,  Forbid  Mm 
lor  you. 

not 
not 

with 
for 

us.    But  Jesus 
he  that  is  not 

a  See  Matt.  12 

30;  ch.  11 

:23. 

shouUl  have  to  confess  this  particiUar  fault, 
from  tlie  impression  of  gentleness  and  charity 
which  his  Gospel  is  apt  to  give  concerning 
him.  But  some  expressions  in  his  Epistles 
warrant  the  appellation,  Son  of  Thunder 
(M..rk3:  u),  and  rcudcr  probable  the  account  of 
his  vehement  indignation  against  the  heretic 
Cerinthus,  even  in  his  extreme  old  age. — 
Casting  out  devils  (drmons)  in  thy  name. 
The  latter  clause  stands  first  in  the  Greek, 
showing  that  it  recalls  the  words  from  the 
preceding  verse.— And  we  forbade  him, 
because  he  followeth  not  with  us.  It  is 
implied  in  the  Greek  that  their  prohibition 
was  effectual,   and  stopped   the  work.      The 


(you),  is  for  us  {you).  Vou  is  the  better 
supported  reading.  Jesus  might  naturally 
speak  thus,  as  the  counsel  was  for  their  future 
guidance,  and  on  them  would  soon  devolve 
the  whole  charge  of  the  gospel.  The  prin- 
ciple laid  down  is  not  contradictory,  but  a 
complement  to  that  in  Matt.  12:  30—"  he  that 
is  not  for -me  is  against  me."  Both  are  true, 
but  with  different  aspects.  Wlien  Christ 
thinks  of  his  cause  as  demanding  the  heart 
homage,  and  practical  submission,  of  every 
soul,  then  neutrality  is  hostility'  to  him. 
When  he  thinks  of  it  as  a  system  of  means 
by  which  knowledge  concerning  him  is  to  be 
diffused  and  faith  promoted,  then  any  form 
stranger  appears  to  have  been  doing,  but  in  I  of  external  co-operation,  even  the  absence  of 


an  unobjectionable  way,  what  certain  "vaga 
bond  Jews"  attempted  at  Ephesus,  during 
the  ministry  of  Paul  there.  Whether  the 
man  mentioned  here  effected  the  cures  which 
he  attempted,  is  not  quite  certain,  but  that 
he  did,  more  probable.  The  mere  fact  that 
he  had  not  formally  joined  the  company  of 
those  who  went  about  with  Christ,  as  of  his 
company,  would  not  seem  to  preclude  the 
idea,  when  we  learn  that  "many"  will  say 
to  Jesus  in  the  last  day,  "in  thy  name,  we 
cast  out  demons,  when  we  lived  on  the 
earth."  Indeed  the  Lord  s?ems  (Maiit9:39)  to 
admit  that  he  did  a  miracle  in  his  name.  In 
that  time,  this  delegation  of  power  to  work 
wonders  of  healing  in  the  name  of  Christ 
might,  in  various  ways,  subserve  his  cause, 
even  though  the  faith  were  only  partial,  but 
sincere  as  far  as  it  went.  Doubtless,  he  also 
would  see  that  an  unrestrained  practice  of 
this  kind  might  lead  to  much  evil;  but  he 
could  make  due  allowance  for  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, and  he  saw,  at  all  events,  that 
the  spirit  in  which  tlie  disciples  had  grudged 
any  participati(m  in  the  authority  of  their 
Master  was  not  right. 

50.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Forbid 
him  not. — Whatever  their  motive  was,  he 
did  not  encourage  the  bluff  suppression  of 
efforts  that  were  even  ostensibly  put  forth  in 
furtherance   of  his    cause.      But    he  gives  a 


opposition,  counts  as  an  aid.  Paul  in  Rome, 
when  it  was  a  question  of  Christ  being  made 
known  so,  or  not  at  all,  to  the  dying  multi- 
tude, rejoiced  that  he  was  preached,  if  it 
must  be,   from   the  most  detestable  motives 

(Phil.   1:  15  18). 

Part  Third.— The  Fixal  Dkparture 
FROM  Galilkk.  and  Jourxey  TO  Jericho, 
ON  THE  Way  to  Jerusalem.    9:  51—18:  35. 

According  to  the  plan  of  the  composition  of 
Luke's  Gospel,  which  we  have  hitherto  traced, 
we  have  reached  the  period  where  the  revela- 
tion of  the  Messiah  is  become  as  complete  as  it 
is  likely  to  be  during  his  earthly  life.  The 
unworldly  character  of  his  mission,  the  neces- 
sity that  it  should  end  in  a  violent  death  at 
the  hands  of  the  chief  religious  authorities  of 
the  nation,  and  the  requirement  of  self-sacri- 
fice on  the  part  of  those  who  would  share  the 
blessings  of  his  rule,  have  all  at  least  been 
plainly  stated.  Provision  has  been  made  for 
the  carrying  forward  by  others  of  the  work 
which  he  has  begun.  Luke  now  begins  his 
account  of  the  journey  which  he  makes  from 
Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  that  lie  may  reach  the 
appointed  end.  There  is  a  great  number  of 
events,  and  a  large  amount  of  instruction  in- 
cluded within  the  terms  of  this  journey,  much 
of  which  is  peculiar  to  this  Gospel.  A  num- 
ber of  the  items  contained  in  it  might  have 
belonged,  in  the  actual  order  of  their  occur- 


reason  for  his  injunction  which  is  of  general     rence,  to  an  earlier  time;  and  it  is  a  question 
interest.— For   he    that    is    not  against  us  '  for   harnn)nizers,    in    parallel    reports,    what 


178 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


51  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  time  was  come  that 
"he  should  be  received  up,  he  steadfastly  set  his  face  to 
go  to  Jerusalem, 

52  And  sent  messengers  before  his  face:  and  they 
went,  and  entered  into  a  village  of  the  Samaritans,  to 
make  ready  for  him. 

53  And 'they  did  not  receive  him,  because  his  face 
was  as  though  he  would  go  to  Jerusalem. 

54  And  when  his  disciples  James  and  John  saw  this, 


51  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  thedays^  were  well-nigh 
come  that  he  should  be  received  up,  he  stedfastly  set 

52  his  face  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  sent  messengers 
before  his  face:  and  they  went,  and  entered  into 
a  village  of  the  Samaritans,  to  make  ready  for  him. 

53  And   they   did   not   receive   him,  because   his   face 

54  was  as  though  he  vere  going  to  Jerusalem.  And 
when  his  disciples  James  and  John  saw  this,  they 
said,  Lord,  wilt  thou  that  we  bid  fire  to  come  dowii 


a  Mark  16:  19:  Acts  1  :  2 &Joba«;4,  9. 1  Gr.  «i«re  being  fulfilled. 


order  of  time  is  the  more  probable.  But  in 
our  narrative  all  comes  in  as  part  of  the  inci- 
dents of  a  slow,  thronged  journey,  which  the 
writer  aims  to  keep  before  our  minds  by  occa- 
sional restatements  of  the  fact,  as  at  13:  22; 
17:  11. 

Whether  the  beginning  of  this  journey  was 
the  same  as  that  of  his  departure  frotn  Galilee 
to  attend  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  (Joim  7:  i,  lo), 
the  autumn  before  his  death,  or,  whether  that 
had  taken  place  before,  with  the  stay  about 
Jerusalem,  till  the  Feast  of  Dedication,  in  the 
beginning  of  winter  (Joho  10:22),  and  the  raising 
of  Lazarus,  are  much  and  very  variously  dis- 
cussed by  the  harmonists.  (See  a  collection 
of  the  discrepant  views  in  McClellan,  New 
Testament,  I.,  452-65,  where  we  have  also,  of 
course,  a  triumphant  demonstration  of  the 
"absurdity"  and  "skepticism"  of  the  best  of 
them,  a"d  the  infallible  certainty  of  his  new 
view.) 

5U56.  He  Sets  Forth,  is  Refused  En- 
tertainment IN  A  Samaritan  Village. 

51.  ^Vhen  the  time  was  come  that  he 
should  be  received  up.  A  more  exact  ren- 
dering of  this  part  of  the  verse  would  be — 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  days  of  his  being 
taken  up  were  becoming  filled  ("were  receiv- 
ingcompletion." — McClellan).  His  being  re- 
ceived up  implies  his  death  and  resurrection, 
but  expresses  his  ascension  to  heaven.  The 
text  presupposes  that  there  was  a  definite  time 
for  this,  of  which  the  Saviour  was  aware,  dis- 
tant a  certain  number  of  days,  which  num- 
ber was  running  out,  drawing  to  a  close,  more 
exactly,  becoming  fulfilled,  or  filled  up,  so 
that  when  the  last  one  was  past,  his  ascension 
would  take  place.  The  clause  fixes  the  time 
of  what  follows  as  indefinitely  near  to  the 
close  of  Christ's  stay  on  earth,  and,  while  im- 
plying all  the  pains  that  should  precede,  rep- 
resents his  destined  departure  as  finally  glo- 
rious.—He  steadfastly  set  his  face  to  go 
to  Jerusalem.  He  =  Aiw-sc//— in  antithesis 
to  the  "messengers"  next  spoken  of.  His 
"  decease  "(ver.  31),  which  included  his  ascension 


or  assumption,  must  be  accomplished  there, 
and  knowing  the  time  to  be  near,  and  fore- 
seeing the  sufferings  which  were  involved,  per- 
haps dissuaded  also  by  opposition  of  his  disci- 
ples (Matt.  16:22),  he  needed  to  "set  his  face  as  a 
flint"  that  he  might  not  be  deterred.  "While 
there  is  nothing  in  the  language  here  to  abso- 
lutely prevent  this  setting  out  from  being  the 
same  as  that  in  John  7  :  10,  still  it  agrees  better 
with  the  supposition  of  a  later  time,  not  earlier 
than  that  of  the  festival  of  the  dedication,  at 
which  Jesus  was  present  in  Jerusalem,  appar- 
ently as  an  interlude  in  the  main  journey. 

52.  And  sent  messengers  before  his 
face,  etc. — as  a  necessary  incident  of  his  jour- 
ney. It  supposes  that  he  had  planned  the 
route  which  he  would  pursue,  for  some  dis- 
tance in  advance,  and  sent  them  forward,  not 
essentially  as  religious  heralds,  hut  to  provide 
for  the  reception  and  entertainment  of  him- 
self and  his  company.  It  is  probable  that 
,the  women  mentioned  in  23:  49,  55,  were  now 
with  him. — And  they  went  and  entered 
into  a  village  of  the  Samaritans— not 
that  it  was  his  plan  to  go  directly,  and  by  the 
nearest  road,  requiring  only  three  or  four 
days;  but  along  the  border  of  Galilee  it  might 
be  sometimes  convenient  for  him  to  lodge  in 
a  Samaritan  village.  Nor  was  there  anything 
in  the  general  habits  of  Samaritans,  at  that 
time,  to  prevent  his  doing  so.  He  might  fairly 
have  anticipated  treatment  as  favorable  as  he 
had  received  on  his  way  northward,  at  Sj'char 
(johnch.4),  more  than  two  years  before.  These 
people,  however,  would  not  receive  him — 
allow  his  messengers  to  procure  entertainment 
for  him — because  his  face  was  as  though 
he  would  go  to  Jerusalem.  Why  it  should 
have  mtide  a  difl^erence  in  their  treatment 
that  he  was  going  to  rather  than  frotn  Jeru- 
salem, is  not  apparent,  unless  they  grudged 
the  honor  that  the  presence  of  the  great 
wonder-worker  and  supposed  IMossiah  would 
carry  to  the  rival  centre  of  worsliip. 

54.  And  when  his  disciples  James  and 
John   saw  this,  they  said,  etc.      Another 


LUKE. 


179 


Ch.  IX.] 

thev  «aid    Lord,  wilt  thou  that  we  command  fire  to  I  r,o  from  heaven  and  consume  them»?    But  he  turned 
comedown   from  heaven,  and  consume  them,  even  as  '  56  and   rebuked  them'^.     And   they   went   to  another 

"^.'^Bul'Ve  turned,  and  rehuked  them,  and  said,  Ye     57      And  as  tiiey  went  in  the  way,  a  certain  man  said 
know  not  what  maunerofspiritve  are  of.  |       unto   him,    I    will    loUow   thee   whithersoever  tliou 

50  For  'the  Sou  of  man  is  not  come  to  destroy  men's    58  goest     And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  The  foxes  have 
lives,  but  to  save  l/ieiii.    And  they  went  to  another 
village.  ,  ., 

57  'And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as  they  went  in  the 
way,  a  certain  tmin  said  unto  him.  Lord,  I  will  follow 
thee  whithersoever  thou  goest. 

58  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Foxes  have  holes,  and 


a  i  Xiaim  1  •  10  1'        fc  Jotia  3'  17;  12:  47....C  M:ilt.  8:  19. 1  Many  ancient  authoiitien  add.  even  as  Elijah  did.... 2  Some  sncient 

auHioiitieaadd,  and  said,  Ye  know  not  uhat  manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of.     Son.e,  hut  fewer,  add  al»u.  For  the  Son  of  man  came  not 

to  destroy  mens  lives,  but  to  save  them. 


phase  of  the  Boanerges.  They  bhtze  forth 
even  beyond  Peter.  They  were  incensed  at 
the  indignity  put  upon  their  Lord,  and  that 
by  Samaritans.  The  addition  to  their  ques- 
tion—as ElUah  also  did— fails  of  the  ap- 
probation of  the  Revision,  and  is  omitted  by 
Tischendorf,  Tregelle.s,  and  Westcott  and 
Hort.  We  probably  must  submit  to  the  loss, 
yet  it  seems  very  strange  that  the  disciples 
should  suggest  the  punishment  of  burning,  if 
they  were  not  thinking  of  Elijah's  vengeance 
on  his  pursuers  (2  Rings  1 : 9.  u) ;  and  if  they  were 
thinking  of  that,  it  would  be  natural  that  they 
should  indicate  it. 

55.  But  he  turned  and  rebuked  them. 
The  original  text  appears  to  have  stopped  with 
this,  judging  by  the  external  evidence;  but 
the  remainder  of  the  verse,  if  not  true,  is  so 
well  feigned,  that  it  looks  more  like  genuine 
than  is  often  the  case  with  a  spurious  clause. 
It  would  be  very  much  like  the  Master  to  turn 
to  account  such  an  opportunity  for  emphasiz- 
ing the  different  spirit  of  the  gospel  from  that 
of  the  piety  of  Elijah's  time. 

50.  And  they  went  to  another  village. 
It  may  have  seemed  to  those  irate  d'sciples  a 
tame  way  of  meeting  such  an  insult  •.  but  it 
was  the  Saviour's  way,  and  in  it  he  illustrated 
the  spirit  of  his  precepts  to  them  in  Matthew 
10:23.  There  can  scarcely  be  a  doubt  that 
the  former  part  of  this  verse  was  added 
long  after  Luke's  time.  The  other  village 
was,  no  doubt,  on  the  Galilean  side  of  the 
border,  with  which  view  the  Greek  word  for 
another  particularly  agrees.  (See  Grimm, 
Clnvis,  p.  177  a.)  Our  Lord  did  not  force  his 
blessings  on  any  one. 

57-62.  The  Faith  of  the  Professed 
Disciples  Put  to  the  Test.  Two  of  the 
cases  here  brought  before  us  are  mentioned 
by  Matthew  also,  but  in  a  different  connec- 
tion (f<;i9ff).  Although  reported  together, 
they  may  have  occurred  at  intervals,  and  been 


grouped  on  account  of  the  similarity  of  the 
teaching;  and  any  time  would  seem  a  suitable 
one  for  such  an  incident  to  occur.  The  first 
case  was  that  of  a  scribe — of  a  class,  therefore, 
who  did  not  often  show  favor  toward  the 
claims  of  Jesus.  He  comes  as  a  volunteer. 
The  accession  of  such  a  man  to  the  ranks  of 
the  disciples,  would  be  a  gain  as  desirable,  to 
human  view,  as  the  conversion,  in  our  time, 
of  a  noted  unbeliever  and  leader  of  society. 

57.  A  certain  man  said  unto  him,  Lord, 
I  will  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou 
goest.  His  profession  and  promise  were  un- 
exceptionable. There  was  no  reservation. 
He  would  go  with  the  Saviour  where  he 
should  choose.  We  hardly  see  why  he  was 
not  welcomed  joyfully.  But  the  Lord  seems 
to  have  thought  that  he  protested  too  much. 
There  was  danger,  at  least,  that  he  spoke  on 
the  supposition,  after  all,  that  he  would  be  led 
to  ease,  and  honor,  and  power.  His  disposi- 
tion would  be  better  known  to  himself  if  such 
a  delusion  were  distinctly  dispelled.  The 
answer,  at  all  events,  was  consistent  with  this 
view  of  his  need. 

58.  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Foxes  have 
holes,  and  birds  of  the  air  (literally, 
heaven)  have  nests  (Greek,  diceUinfj-places) ; 
but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to 
lay  his  head.  This  is  the  most  touching  ut- 
terance of  the  Saviour  left  on  record,  concern- 
ing the  hardness  of  his  earthly  lot,  in  respect 
to  the  outward  means  of  comfort,  on  which 
life  itself  depends.  At  Capernaum,  he  seems 
to  have  had  a  lodging  in  a  particular  house, 
almost  as  if  it  were  his  own.  Even  that  was 
not  liis  own,  and  elsewhere  he  was  entirely 
dependent  on  the  hospitality  which  Provi- 
dence might  throw  in  his  way.  The  state- 
ment was  chill  enough  to  nip  the  sprouting 
zeal  of  the  scribe;  and  we  hear  nothing  of  his 
actually  following  a  step. 

I      58.  .4.nd  he  said  unto  another,  Follow 


180 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  IX. 


birds  of  the  air  have  nests;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath 
not  where  to  lay  his  head. 

59  "And  he  said  unto  another,  Follow  me.  But  he 
said,  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to  go  and  bury  my  father. 

CO  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Let  the  dead  bury  their  dead : 
but  go  thou  and  preach  the  kingdom  of  (iod. 

61  And  another  also  said,  Lord,  '  I  will  follow  thee; 
but  let  me  first  go  bid  them  farewell,  which  are  at  home 
at  my  house. 

62  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  No  man,  having  put  his 
hand  to  the  plough,  and  looking  back,  is  fit  lor  the 
kingdom  of  God. 


holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  have  '  nests ;  but 
the  Son   of  man    hath   not  where  to  lay  his  head. 

59  And  he  said  unto  another.  Follow  me.     But  he  said, 

60  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to  go  and  bury  my  father.  But 
he  said  unto  him,  Leave  the  dead  to  bury  their  own 
dead;  but  go  thou  and  publish  abroad  the  kingdom 

61  of  God.  And  another  also  said,  I  will  follow  thee, 
Lord  ;  but  first  suffer  me  to  bid  farewell  to  them  that 

62  are  at  my  house.  But  Jesus  said  unto  him.  No  man, 
having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  looking 
back,  is  tit  for  the  kingdom  of  God. 


I  Matt.  8:21 6  See  1  Kings  19:  20. 1  Gr.  lodging-places. 


me.  This  man  did  not  offer,  but  was  solemnly 
called,  much  in  the  same  manner  as  the  chief 
apostles  had  been.  But  he  did  not  respond  in 
the  spirit  of  those  who  tooli  the  summons  of 
Jesus  as  paramount  to  all  other  duties. — He 
said.  Lord  suffer  (=permit)  me  first  to  go 
and  bury  my  father.  This  was  certainly  in 
itself  a  very  reasonable  request.  Our  Lord 
would  himself  have  been  the  first  to  reprove 
the  lack  of  a  dispo.sition  to  care  for  the  remains 
of  a  father.  But  there  was  now  another  call 
on  the  man  even  more  pressing.  Either  Christ 
could  not  tarry  for  the  funeral,  which  is  ex- 
tremely likely,  or  it  was  necessary  for  the  hes- 
itating convert  to  receive  a  startling  intima- 
tion of  the  e-xtent  and  depth  of  the  devotion 
involved  in  discipleship.  The  lesson  to  him 
would  at  the  same  time  impress  all  hearers 
with  the  strictness  of  Christ's  demands.  Let 
the  dead  bury  their  (ovm)  dead.  It  thus 
appears  that  there  were  others  by  whom,  as 
Jesus  saw,  the  funeral  rites  might  be  duly 
performed.  By  a  play  on  the  word  he  calls 
them  dead,  as  being  alive  only  to  the  world 
and  its  perishing  interests,  and  reminded  his 
hearer  of  the  dreadful  nature  of  that  state 
from  which  he  was  called  to  flee  at  all  haz- 
ards.— Their  own  dead — as  if  the  naturally 
dead  belonged  to  the  spiritually  dead. — But 
go  thou  and  preach  (2niblish  abroad)  the 
kingdom  of  God. — Christ  must  have  seen  in 
this  man  a  real  faith,  however  halting,  and  a 
talent  to  make  him  a  useful  herald  of  the  gos- 
pel, if  once  he  could  be  brought  wholly  into 
that  work.  Indeed,  he  belonged  (Matt. 8:21)  to 
the  class  of  disciples,  in  some  sense  of  the 
word  ;  and  from  the  spirit  of  this  narrative  we 
could  easily  believe,  if  there  were  any  proper 
authority  for  it,  the  old  tradition  mentioned 
by  one  of  the  fathers,  that  this  man  was  the 
future  Philip  the  Evangelist. 

61.  And  another  also  said.  Lord,  I  will 


follow  thee;  but  let  me  first  (the  verb  is 
the  same  as  s?<^is?'=perinit,  in  ver.  59)  (omit 
go)  bid  farewell  to  them  which  are  at 
home  at  my  house.  At  home,  or,  at  my 
house,  in  the  last  clause  is  superfluous  in  the 
English,  and  not  warranted  by  the  Greek. 
Either  one  is  enough.  Another  case  of  pro- 
crastination— of  promise  to  follow  Christ  after 
a  while.  But  what  Jesus  asked,  and  asks,  is 
immediate  consecration.  His  plea  for  delay, 
though  asking  nt)thing  reprehensible,  was  of 
less  weight  than  the  preceding.  Like  that, 
it  intimated  indecision.  His' feeling  was  an 
inclination,  not  a  determination. 

Gl.  No  man  having  put  his  hand  to  the 
plough  (Greek,  on  a  ploiv)  and  looking 
back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God. — The 
teaching  is,  that  service  to  the  Lord  in  labors 
to  promote  the  kingdom  of  God,  to  spread  his 
gospel  and  win  new  subjects  for  the  hetivenly 
king,  must  be  whole-hearted,  undistracted  by 
lower  cares.  This  is  illustrated  by  an  agri- 
cultural metaphor.  As  the  plowman  needs 
to  look  straightforward,  to  cut  a  good  furrow, 
so  the  fit,  well-adapted  servant  of  the  Lord 
must  direct  all  attention  to  the  work  which  he 
gives  him  to  do. 

The  whole  section  is  an  application,  in 
typical  cases,  of  the  instruction  in  ver.  23 
above. 

These  three  men  were  all  candidates,  not 
for  discipleship  merely,  which  might  have 
allowed  them  to  remain  at  home,  but  for  that 
public  ministry  for  Christ,  which  required 
men  to  leave  home  and  all  counter  engage- 
ments, and  be  ready,  when  taught  tind  quali- 
fied, to  do  liis  errands  anywhere.  The  princi- 
ple of  undivided  devotion  is  applicable,  with 
modifications,  to  the  case  of  every  Christian  ; 
the  forms  in  which  it  is  here  set  forth  address 
themselves  particularly  to  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  actual  or  intended. 


Ch.  X.] 


LUKE. 


181 


CHAPTER    X. 


*  FTER  these  things  the  Lord  appointed  other  seventy 
J\  also,  and  "sent  them  two  and  two  before  his  face 
into  every  city  and  place,  whither  he  himself  would 
come. 

2  Therefore  said  he  unto  them,  'The  harvest  truly  is 
great,  but  the  labourers  are  few:  «pray  ye  therefore 
the  Lord  of  (he  harvest,  that  he  would'  send  forth 
labourers  into  his  harvest. 

3  (io  your  ways:  •'behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs 
among  wolves. 


1  Now  after  these  things  the  I>ord  appointed  seventy' 
others,  and  setit  them  two  and  two  Itefore  his  face 
into  every  city  and  place,  whither  he  himself  was 

2  about  to  come.  And  lie  said  unto  them,  The  harvest 
is  plenteous,  but  the  labourers  are  few :  pray  ye 
therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he  seiid  forth 

3  labourers  into  his  harvest.    Go  your  ways:  behold,  I 


-1  M>uy  ancieai  autboritie*  add. 


Ch.  10.  1-12.  Mission  of  the  Seventy. 

1.  After  these  things  the  Lord  ap« 
pointed  other  seventy  (seventy  othem) 
also. — These  things  are  the  circumstances 
attending  the  departure  from  Galilee,  and 
particularly  what  has  just  been  related  con- 
cerning the  prop(^«ed  preachers  of  the  king- 
dom of  God. — Seventy— in  allusion  to  the 
seventy  elders  of  Moses  (Num.  ii:  i6). — Others 
also — in  reference  to  the  twelve  whom  he 
had  previously  appointed  as  apostles.  The 
number  was  large,  that  they  might  rapidly 
accomplish,  in  a  short  time,  throughout 
Southern  Galilee,  but  tnore  especially  beyond 
the  Jordan,  the  work  which  had  been  done 
in  Northern  Palestine.  Some  ancient  au- 
thorities make  the  number  seventy-two,  as 
some  texts  number  the  elders  under  Moses 
also;  other  supposed  antecedents  of  the 
number  (the  traditional  seventy  languages, 
seventy  palm  trees,  Jewish  Sanhedrin),  are 
merely  fanciful. — And  sent  them  two  and 
two  before  his  face,  etc. — They  were  to 
go  in  pairs,  as  did  the  twelve  (see  on  9:  2  ff. ). 
— Into  every  city  and  place. — They  were 
to  visit  every  place,  whether  city,  village,  or 
farm  house  —  whither  he  himself  would 
(was  about  to)  come.  The  purpose  was,  as 
afterward  appears,  to  prepare  people  for  his 
coming,  so  that  they  might  receive,  without 
delaj',  such  benefit  as  was  possible  for  them, 
from  his  necessarily  hasty  passage.  It  was, 
in  some  sense,  a  repetition,  on  a  small  scale, 
of  the  function  of  John  the  Baptist  in  a  wider 
relation. 

2.  The  harvest  truly  is  great  {plenteous), 
but  the  laborers  are  few. — Even  in  refer- 
ence to  the  fields  then  lying  open  before 
them  on  the  road  to  Jerusalem,  the  declara- 
tion had  a  pathetic  significance.  So  it  had 
been  wherever  he  went  since  the  "ripe' 
harvest  fields  at  Sychar  (John4:35).  The  har- 
vest was  ample,  and  the  laborers,  even  now 


that  he  had  called  seventy  others,  were  few 
to  meet  the  demand.  We  may  infer  that  he 
had  no  more  that  he  could  hopefully  send  out 
for  such  work.  And.  if  we  suppose  his  mind 
to  have  gone  forth  over  the  world,  then  lying 
in  wickedness,  and  along  the  generations  out 
of  whom  should  come  the  other  sheep  of  his, 
not  of  that  flock,  how  must  his  soul  have 
been  burdened  with  the  thought  of  the  mere 
handful  of  reapers  to  whom  he  must  leave 
the  task! — Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest,  etc.  A  prime  object  of  the 
laborers  is  to  concern  themselves  about  an 
increase  of  their  number.  That  the  harvest 
is  God's,  gives  them  good  ground  for  praying 
him  to  do  what  they  cannot  of  themselves 
accomplish.  The  injunction  may  mean, 
"Pray  that  God  will  prosper  you  in  winning 
men  to  faith  in  me,  some  of  whcmi  will  be- 
come light-bearers  to  others,  or  also,  that  he 
may  incline  some  who  already  believe  to 
such  ardor  of  love  and  zeal,  that  they  will, 
without  reserve,  give  themselves  up  to  the 
ministry  of  the  gospel.  God  is  the  source 
from  which  such  gifts  must  come;  and  as 
Christ  was  much  in  prayer  with  reference  to 
the  twelve  (comp  6:  12  ff. ),  so  he  would  have 
them  wait  on  God,  even  while  they  them- 
selves \v«)rked  by  instruction  and  exhortation 
toward  the  same  end.  Send  forth — strictly, 
"thrust  forth  "  ;  the  Greek  implies  urgency, 
almost  compulsion,  as  though  much  reluct- 
ance would  have  to  be  overcome.  Send 
forth,  not,  specifically,  from  Judea,  still  less 
from  heaven  (Godet),  but  from  the  seclusion 
or  earthly  engagement-  of  private  life. — Into 
his  harvest.  There  is  indeed  a  work  of 
sowing  and  culture,  as  well  as  of  reaping, 
but  it  is  encouraging  that  there  is  harvesting 
in  it,  and  that  this  is  really  its  characteristic 
feature. 

3-4.    Go   your   ways:    behold,  I   send 
you    forth    as    lambs    in    the    midst    of 


182 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  X. 


4  "Carry  neither  purse,  nor  scrip,  nor  shoes:  and 
'salute  no  man  by  the  way. 

5  "And  into  whatsoever  house  ye  enter,  first  say, 
Peace  he  to  tliis  house. 

6  And  if  the  son  of  peace  be  there,  your  peace  shall 
rest  upon  it:  if  not,  it  shall  turn  to  you  again. 

7  "'And  in  the  same  house  remain, « eating  and  drink- 
ing such  things  as  they  give:  for  /the  labourer  is 
■worthy  of  his  hire.    Go  not  from  house  to  house. 

8  And  into  whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and  they  receive 
you,  eat  such  things  as  are  set  before  you : 

9  ffAnd  heal  the  sicli  that  are  therein,  and  say  unto 
them,  ^The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you. 

10  But  into  whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and  they  re- 
ceive you  not,  go  your  ways  out  into  the  streets  of  the 
same,  and  say, 

11  'Even  the  very  dust  of  your  city,  which  cleaveth 
on  us,  we  do  wipe  off  against  you  :  notwithstanding  be 
ye  sure  of  this,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh 
unto  you. 


4  send  you  forth  as  lambs  in  the  midst  of  wolves. 
Carry  no  purse,  no  wallet,  no  shoes:  and  salute  no 

5  man  on  the  way.     And   into  whatsoever  house  ye 

6  shall  1  enter,  first  say,  Peace  hf  to  this  house.  And 
if  a  son  of  peace  be  there,  your  peace  shall  rest  upon 

7  -'him:  but  if  not,  it  sliall  turn  to  you  again.  And  in 
that  same  house  remain,  eating  and  drinking  such 
things  as  they  give:  for  the  labourer  is  worthy  of 

8  his  (lire.  Go'not  from  house  to  house.  And  into 
whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and  they  receive  you,  eat 

9  such  things  as  are  set  before  you :  and  heal  the  sick 
that  are  therein,  and  say  unto  them,  The  kingdom 

10  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you.  But  into  whatsoever 
city  ye  shall  enter,  and  they  receive  you  not,  go  out 

11  into  the  streets  thereof  and  say,  Even  the  dust  from 
your  city,  that  cleaveth  to  our  feet,  we  do  wipe  otf 
against  you:  howbeit  know  this,  that  the  kingdom 


a  Matt.  10:  9.  10;  Murks:  8;  ch.  9:  3 h  2   Kings  4:  29 c  Matt.  10:  12 d  Mntt.  10 :  11  ...el  Cor.  10:  27..../  Mntt.  10:  10; 

1  Cor.  9:  4,  etc.;  1  Tim.  5  :  18 g  oh.  9:  2 A  Matt.  3:2:4:   17;  10:  7;  ver.  11 i  Matt.  10:  14  ;  ch.  9:  5  ;  Acts  13:  51 ;  18:  6. 

1  Or,  enter  first,  say.. ..2  Or,  if. 


wolves.  Here,  eminently,  they  were  taking 
up  their  cross  daily.  Not  a  flattering  intro- 
duction to  their  work,  if  there  were  faint- 
hearted men  among  them ;  but  honest,  and 
as  stimulating  as  it  was  sincere,  to  such  as  had 
any  share  of  the  Master's  own  spirit.  They 
were  at  once  guarded  against  romantic  illu- 
sions, roused  to  energy,  and  prepared  to 
profit  by  his  preliminary  counsels.  These  are 
contained  in  ver.  3-11,  and  in  their  spirit  have 
been  expounded  in  Notes  on  9:  1-5. 

4.  This  verse  corresponds  to  verse  3,  there. 
But  notice  here  an  enhanced  intensity  of 
direction  as  given  in  the  Kevision :  "Carry  no 
purse,  no  wallet,  no  shoes  (sandals)."  The 
prohibition  of  salutations  by  the  way,  is  to 
prevent  delay,  in  mere  gossip,  and  specially, 
perhaps,  in  the  formal  and  tedious  character 
of  their  salamns  of  courtesy,  wherever  they 
greeted  each  other  at  all.  (But  see  Smith, 
Diet,  of  the  Bible,  p.  2795). 

5.  Peace  be  to  this  house — the  common 
formula  of  salutation  among  the  Jews,  with 
whom  "peace"  comprehended  all  blessing, 
and  welfare,  as  it  is  among  the  Mahometans 
now,  in  their  Snlaam=ilehrew  Shalom. 

6.  And  if  the  {a  in  Revision)  son  of  peace 
be  there.  A  son  of  peace  is  a  peaceable 
man,  one  filled  with  the  spirit  of  peace  (6:35; 

Matt. 9:15;  13:38).  He  would  be  knowu  as  such 
if  he  met  this  greeting  with  a  like  spirit. 
— Your  peace  shall  {will)  rest  upon  it — 
your  salutation,  implying  a  prayer  for  his 
welfare,  will  take  effect  in  blessings  from 
above.  But  if  not,  it  shall  turn  to  you 
again — Greek,  "will  turn  back  upon  you." 
What  you  had  wished  for  him  you  shall  re- 
ceive 3'ourselves. 


7.  The  sense  of  the  first  member  of  verse 
7,  is  substantially'  the  same  as  that  of  9:  4; 
which  see. — For  the  laborer  is  worthy  of 
his  hire.  This  obvious  truth  might  free 
their  minds  from  scruple  in  receiving  the 
hospitality  of  the  house;  "eating  and  drink- 
ing" such  things  as  they  gave. — Go  not  from 
house  to  house.  This  is  plainly  implied  in 
the  preceding  clause;  but  Jesus  thouglit  it  of 
practical  importance  enough  to  state  it  plainly. 

8.  And  into  whatsoever  city  ye  enter, 
and  they  receive  you — when  the  welcome 
of  the  particular  house  S[)eaks  the  sentiment 
of  the  community,  the  course  of  conduct 
recommended  is  doubtless  the  same  as  was 
to  be  pursued  in  reference  to  a  single  house; 
but  here  detailed  once  for  all. 

9.  Heal  the  sick  that  are  therein— both 
as  a  satisfaction  to  Christ-like  sympathy  with 
suflTering,  and  to  prepare  hearts  for  a  more 
ready  acceptance  of  the  greater  boon  of  spirit- 
ual healing  and  eternal  life. — And  say  unto 
them.  The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh 
unto  you — so  near,  that  is,  in  its  announce- 
ment and  invitation,  as  actually  to  reacli  you 

{riyyixev  f(j>'  vnai). 

10.  11.  In  case  of  a  refusal  to  receive  them, 
the  direction  is  equivalent  to  that  which  was 
given  to  the  apostles  (9:5),  only  more  intense. 
An  almost  word  for  word  rendering  of  the 
Greek  sentence  may  help  to  apprehend  the 
vehemence:  Going  out  into  the  streets  of  it, 
say.  Even  the  du.st  which  cleaveth  to  us  out  of 
your  city  on  our  feet  we  wipe  ofl'"  for  you. — 
Notwithstanding,  be  ye  sure  of  this,  that 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh.  That 
which  should  have  been  an  oj>portunity  of 
salvation,  is  to  be  noted  as  a  ground  of  pecu- 


Ch.  X.] 


LUKE. 


183 


12  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  "it  shall  be  more  tolera- 
able  iu  that  day  for  Sodom,  thau  for  that  city.  ^ 

13  'Woe  unto  thee,  I'horazin!  woe  uuto  thee,  Beth- 
saida'  'for  if  the  mighty  works  had  been  done  in 
Tyre  and  Sidoii,  which  have  been  done  in  you,  they 
had  a  ^reat  while  ago  repented,  sitting  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes. 

14  But  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidoa 
at  the  judgment,  than  for  you. 

15  ''And  thou,  Capernauiu,  which  art  <exalted  to 
heaven, /shall  be  thrust  down  to  hell. 


12  of  God  is  come  nigh.  I  say  unto  v(  u,  It  shall  be 
niore  tolerable  in  that  day  lor  Sodou'i,  tlian  for  that 

13  city.  Woe  unto  thee,  (horazin  !  woe  unto  thee, 
Bethsaida!  for  if  the  '  mighty  works  had  been  done 
in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  which  were  done  in  you.  they 
would  have  repented  long  ago,  sitting  in 'sackcloth 

14  and  ashes.     Howbeit  it  shall   be  more  tolerable  for 

15  Tyre  and  .Sidon  in  the  judgment,  than  for  vou.  And 
thou,  Capernaum,  shall  thou  be  exalted  unto  heaven  ? 


a  Matt.  10:  15:  Mark  6: 11 6  Matt.  U  :  21 e  Rzek.  »:  6 d  Matt.  11 :  23 eSee  Gen.  11 :  4;  Deui.  1: ; 

51  :  53 /  See  P.iek.  'J6 :  M ;  32 :  18. 1  Gr.  pouert. 


Iu.  14:13;  Jer. 


liar  condemnation,  and  an  occasion  of  eternal 
regret.  The  rejection  of  gospel  privileges  is 
itself  the  proof  that  they  have  been  merci- 
fully offered. 

12.  I  say  unto  you  (omit  that),  It  shall 
be  more  tolerable  in  that  day  for 
Sodom,  than  for  that  city.  Tlie  guilt  of 
refusing  the  salvation  of  Christ  will  seem 
more  heinous,  in  the  light  of  eternity,  than 
the  bhxckest.  moral  corruption  on  the  part  of 
those  who  knew  nothing  of  pardoning  grace. 
— That  day  was — since  the  earliest  prophets, 
Obadiah  (»)  and  Joel  (3:  is),  the  stereotyped 
designation  of  a  period  of  judgment  con- 
nected with  the  Messiah's  reign,  when  the 
people  of  God  should  be  suitably  blessed, 
and  his  enemies  visited  with  condign  ven- 
geance. The  idea  of  it  grew  more  clear  and 
definite  in  the  history  of  revelation,  until  in 
the  mouth  of  Jesus  (Matt.?:  22),  and  his  apostles 
(iTini.  1:12, 18: 4:8),  it  is  distinctly  the  day  of 
eternal  judgment  at  his  second  coming. 

13-16.    Doom    of    the    Unrepentinq 
Cities. 

The  thought  of  the  guilt  of  such  a  city  as  he 
has  been  imagining  recalls  to  his  heart  the 
case  of  the  cities  among  whom  most  of  his 
mightj'  works  had  been  done,  and  many  of 
his  most  moving  discourses  uttered,  and  which 
he  had  now  been  obliged  to  leave  finally  in 
their  impenitence  and  ruin. 

13.  Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazin  I  Woe 
unto  thee,  Bethsaida!  Chorazin.— Ill- 
omened  name,  mentioned  only  in  the  denun- 
ciation of  our  Lord,  yet  so  mentioned  as  to 
show  that  there  bad  been  a  history  of  blessings 
offered,  and  so  received  as  to  make  them  only 
ft  curse.  The  ruins  of  the  place,  now  called 
Kerazeh  have  quite  recently  been  identified 
almost  beyond  question,  lying  about  two  miles 
off  the  Lake  of  Genne.saret,  nearly  north  of 
Tell  Hum,  and  almost  due  west  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Upper  Jordan.  Of  the  Beth- 
saida here  spoken  of,  called  Bethsaida  of  Gal- 


ilee (John  12: 21),  as  distinguished  from  Bethsaida 
Julias,  mentioned  9:  10,  we  know  scarcely 
anything  except  the  name.  Its  site  is  va- 
riously conjectured  by  travelers,  while  all 
agree  that  it  was  situated  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Capernaum  and  Chorazin. — For  if  the 
mighty  works  had  been  done  in  Tyre  and 
Sidon  which  have  been  (were)  done  in  you 
— showing  that  they  are  selected  because  they 
had  been  the  scene  of  so  much  of  the  Saviour's 
manifestation  of  liis  power  and  grace — they 
had  (would  have)  repented,  etc.  From  such 
allusions  to  abundant  deeds  and  wt)rds  of 
Jesus,  in  two  of  the  cities  visited  by  him,  of 
which  the  Gospels  give  us  no  particular  ac- 
count, we  get  an  inkling  of  the  volumes  of 
unwritten  gospel  which  are  registered  in 
heaven.— Tyre  and  Sidon  had  been  re- 
garded by  the  ancient  prophets  as  types  of 
wicked  communities,  in  respect  to  their  idola- 
try, and  luxury-,  and  moral  corruption.  Even 
they  would  have  been  moved,  the  Saviour 
says,  to  sorrow  for  their  iniquity,  and  to  refor- 
mation of  life,  had  they  shared  such  revela- 
ti(ms  of  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  as  had  the 
cities  of  Galilee.  Their  mourning  would  have 
been  like  that  of  Job  in  intensity  (Job  2: 8),  and 
of  Nineveh  (Jcn«h  3:  s-s),  sitting  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes  (Comp.  Esther  4:  1-3;  Jer.  0:  26). 

14.  Even  these  cities  will  be  crushed  under 
a  less  heavy  load  of  self-condemnation  and  di- 
vine inflictions  than  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida 
—at  the  judgment. 

15.  There  was  a  city  more  criminal  still 
than  these.— And  thou,  Capernaum,  which 
art  (rather,  shnlt  thou  he)  exalted  unto 
heaven?— The  interrogative  f.irm  of  the  sen- 
tence is  required  by  present  evidence  concern- 
ing the  Greek  text— How  shall  it  be  with 
thee  f  As  thou  ha.st  abounded  above  all  other 
cities  in  instruction  and  motives  to  repentance 
and  holiness,  through  the  more  frequent  pres- 
ence of  thy  citizen,  the  Messiah,  art  thou  to  be 
correspondingly  eminent  amidst  the  honors 


184 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  X. 


16  "He  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me;  and  'he  that 
despiseth  you  despiseth  me;  'and  he  that  despiseth  lue 
despiseth  him  that  sent  me. 

17  And  rf  the  seventy  returned  again  with  joy,  saying, 
Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us  through  thy 
name. 

18  And  he  said  unto  them,  «I  beheld  Satan  as  light- 
ning fall  from  heaven. 


16  thou  shalt  be  brought  down  unto  Hades.  He  that 
heareth  you  heareth  me  ;  and  he  that  rejecteth  you 
rejecteth  me;  and  he  that  rejecteth  me  rejecteth  him 
that  sent  me. 

17  And  the  seventy  returned  with  joy,  saying.  Lord, 
even  the  demons  are  subject  unto  us  in  thy  name. 

18  And  he  said  unto  them,  1  beheld  Satan   fallen  as 


aHatt.  10:40;  Hark  9:  37;  John  13.  20 h  1  Thess.  4:  8 c  John  5  :  23 d  ver.  1 e  John  12:  31  ;  16:  11  ;  Rev.  9:1;  12  : 


and  felicity  of  his  reign?  Nay,  rather — thou 
shalt  be  thrust  (brought)  down  to  hell= 

Hndes.  Hades  may  be  here  a  metaphor  to 
express  the  lowest  imaginable  depth,  accord- 
ing to  that  representation  of  the  ancient  my- 
thologies, which  made  the  abode  of  Hades 
open  as  far  below  the  surface  of  the  earth  as 
heaven — the  sky,  or  the  ethereal  firmament — 
is  above  it.  This  would  be  to  the  Greek  mind 
the  greatest  possible  perpendicular  measure, 
from  heaven  to  Hades.  As  the  Greek  name 
for  the  world  of  the  dead  had  become  natural- 
ized in  Palestine,  since  the  rule  of  Alexander 
the  Great,  we  may  well  suppose  that  the  Greek 
conception  of  it  might  be  so  familiar  as  to  war- 
rant allusions  to  it,  although  the  Hebrew  con- 
ception of  Sheol,  the  abode  of  the  dead,  as 
modified  during  the  four  or  more  centuries 
after  the  close  of  the  Old  Testament,  Was  com- 
monly expressed  by  the  word,  in  Christ's  time. 
But  the  whole  sentence  may  be  taken  as  it 
usually  has  been,  not  metaphorically,  but  lit- 
erally: Capernaum  instead  of  rising  into 
heaven  shall  be  brought  into  Hades,  in  one 
section  of  which  is  the  region  of  punishment. 
What  hinders  this  from  being  entirely  satisfac- 
tory, is  that  tinto  Hades  is  strictlj'  "as  far  as  to 
Hades,''  implying  a  special  depth  of  descent, 
while  the  other  cities  equally  were  brought 
down  to  the  lower  world,  literally,  and  "to 
undergo  punishment  in  Gehenna  "  (Meyer  on 
Matt.  11:  23).  Then  they,  pre-eminently, 
"will  begin  to  say.  We  did  eat  and  drink  in 
thy  presence,  and  thou  didst  teach  in  our 
streets,"  but  instead  of  finding  any  comfort  in 
the  remembrance,  it  will  inflict  the  sharpest 
sting  of  all  upon  their  souls. 

16.  He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me, 
etc.  On  the  identity  of  his  followers  with 
Christ,  and  of  himself  with  his  Father  (see  on 
9-48).  The  statement  resumes  the  address  to 
the  seventy  which  had  been  interrupted  at 
ver.  12.  What  could  now  more  powerfully 
impress  his  ministers  with  the  terrible  respon- 
sibility laid  upon  them,  than  the  truth  that, 
as  his  message  had  involved  eternal  life  and 


death  to  its  objects,  so  would  theirs  to  the 
people  that  should  hear  them. 

17-20.  Report  of  the  Seventy. 

17.    And    the    seventy    returned.— How 

long  a  time  had  elapsed  since  their  mission 
began,  and  where  they  found  the  Master  on 
their  return,  are  matters  of  doubt.  Some 
weeks  probably  had  been  required  to  visit 
every  city  and  place  whither  it  was  in  his 
plan  to  come  himself,  and  it  has  been  sup- 
posed, with  much  probability,  by  a  great 
many  harnionizers,  that  all  which  is  re- 
corded in  John  7 :  11—10:  39,  or  a  part  of  it, 
took  place  on  an  incidental  and  private  jour- 
ney to  Jerusalem  during  the  interval.  Such 
a  supposition  giv^s  a  convenient  place  and 
time  for  the  visit  to  Martha  and  Mary  (verses  :i8- 
42or  thischiipter).  Lukc,  liowcvcr,  writcs  with- 
out any  apparent  knowledge  of  that  journey. 
If  we  adopt  the  view  proj)osed,  the  seventy, 
having  gone  southward  through  Perea,  the 
country  beyond  the  Jordan,  might  have  met 
Jesus  in  or  near  Jerusalem,  or  at  or  near 
Jericho,  as  he  went  across  thither  again  (John 
10:40).  Then  we  are  entirely'  free  to  imagine 
the  course  of  his  travel  and  labors  during 
the  considerable  period  before  he  re-appears 
at  Jericho  on  the  final  ascent  to  Jerusalem 
(18:35).  With  joy,  saying.  Lord,  even  the 
devils  (demons)  are  subject=subjected,  as 
often  as  we  meet  them — unto  us  through  (in) 
thy  name.  The  verb  is  in  the  present  tense, 
and  expresses  what  goes  on  in  their  experience. 
"Nineteenth  century  English"  would  be, 
"are  being  subjected." — Through  thy  name 
— when  we  bid  them,  on  the  ground  of  thy  au- 
thority, to  depart.  They  had  been  sent  to  heal 
the  sick  and  to  preach  (ver.  9),  and  they  either 
understand  all  sickness  to  be  the  work  of  evil 
spirits,  or  the  cure  of  demoniacs  is  so  promi- 
nent in  their  thoughts,  as  to  cast  all  the 
rest  into  the  shade.  Certainly  this  function 
would  express  most  vividly  their  power 
against  the  adversary,  and  there  might  natu- 
rally be  a  special  satisfaction  in  this  branch 
of  their  success,  after  the  failure  (9:36-43). 


Cu.  X.] 


LUKE. 


185 


19  Behold,  « I  give  unto  you  power  to  tread  on  ser- 
pents and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of  the 
enemy;  and  nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurt  you. 

20  Notwilhstaiiding,  in  this  rejoice  nul,  that  the 
spirits  are  subject  unto  you;  but  rather  rejoice,  because 
'your  names  are  written  in  heaven. 

21  <^In  that  hour  Jesus  rejoiced   in   spirit,  and  said. 


a  Mark  16:  18;  Acts  28:  5. 


19  lightning  from  heaven.  Behold,  I  have  given  you 
authority  to  tread  upon  serpents  and  scorpions,  and 
over  all  the  power  ot  the  enemy  :  and  nothing  shall 

2J  in  any  wise  hurl  you.  Howbeit  in  this  rcj'iice  not, 
that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you  ;  but  rejoice  that 
your  names  are  written  in  heaven. 

21      In  that  same  hour  he  rejoiced  '  in  the  Holy  Spirit, 

I.  Vi:};  Pbil.  4:3;  Heb.  12  :  23  ;  Rev.  13:8;  20 :  12;  21  :  27. 
-1  Or,  by. 


18.   Their  joy  met  an  answering  emotion  i      19.  Behold,    I    give    unto    you    power 

in  the  heart  of  Jesus.  And  he  said  unto  (have  given  you  oiithority)  to  tread  on  ser- 
theni,  I  beheld  Satan  as  lightning  fall  pents  and  scorpions,  etc.  Tliis  opens  the 
(or  fnllen)  from   heaven.     The  order  of  the    secret  of  that  efficiency  whicli  liail  .surprised 


Greel<  is,  more  nearlj',  "I  was  beholding 
Satan  as  lightning  out  of  heaven  fallen." 
The  connection  of  the  words,  rather,  and  the 
consistency  of  ideas,  very  decidedly,  requires 
"out  of  heaven"  to  be  referred  to  "light- 
ning." The  participle  "  fallen"  agrees  with 
"Satan."  The  time  to  which  this  beholding 
i.s  to  be  referred  back  has  been  variously 
determined.  The  verb  is  in  the  imperfect 
tense — strictly,  "I  was  beholding."  There  is 
no  reason  for  putting  it  back  of  the  hour 
when  he  sent  them  forth,  but  it  may  point 
either  to  that  or  to  the  .subsequent  period  of 
their  absence.  Christ  has  observed  them  in 
spirit,  has  known  their  labors  and  their  suc- 
cess. The  language  might  be  paraphrased, 
■'During  the  course  of  your  mission  I  had 
such  a  vision  of  its  success  against  the  prince 


of  the  demons,  that  it  was  as  if  I  viewed  him 
already  fallen  with  the  swiftness  of  a  light- 
ning flash,  from  heaven,  and  pro.strate  in 
utter  defeat." — It  may  be  that,  if  we  had  a 
fuller  description  of  this  scene,  we  should  see 
that  this  peculiar  form  of  expression  referred 
to  a  meditation  into  which  the  Saviour  had 
been  thrown  by  the  report  of  the  seventy, 
rousing  himself  from  which,  he  said,  "I  was 
beholding,"  etc.— In  any  case,  he  has  gained, 
in  the  result  of  this  trial  mission  of  such  as 
he  might  expect  to  be  the  ordinarj-  ministers 
of  his  gospel,  a  triumphant  assurance  of  vic- 
tory over  all  the  power  of  evil,  decisive  and 
everlasting. 


and  delighted  them.  I  have  given  ^-ou  the 
power,  although  I  did  not  expressly  men- 
tion it.  —  Serpents  and  scorpions  may  be 
merely  types  of  physical  perils  which  they 
will  escape  in  his  service  (comp.  Acts  28:  3-6), 
but  more  probably  are  metai)horical  for  all 
forms  of  evil  agency  which  the^'  ma}'  en- 
counter.—The  enemy— is,  ultinnitely.  the 
devil.  He  is,  indeed,  fallen  in  the  divine  pur- 
pose and  promise;  but  will  jet  cause  many  a 
fearful,  though  unavailing,  struggle. 

20.  Notwithstanding,  in  this  rejoice 
not,  that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you, 
etc.  The  ability  to  overcome  them  is  com- 
patible with  exclusion  from  the  glorified  king- 
dom (Matt.  7  :  22,  and  .see  on  Luke  9 :  49).  It 
brings  rather  an  obligation,  not  to  pride  and 
elation  of  spirits,  but  to  corresponding  holi- 
ness, and  meetness  for  eternal  life. — But  (omit 
rather)  rejoice,  that  your  names  are 
written  in  heaven.  To  be  enrolled  among 
the  citizens  of  the  eternal  citj',  as  he  assumes 
to  be  the  case  with  them,  that  is  a  proper  sub- 
ject of  joy.  The  figure  is  based  on  the  fact 
that  in  ancient  states  a  register  was  kept  of 
the  ntimes  of  all  who  were  entitled  to  the 
privileges,  and  bound  by  the  obligations  of 
citizenship.  The  same  conception  lies  in  Ex. 
32:  32,  33;  Dan.  12:  1;  Phil.  4:  2.  It  is  the 
outward  counterpart  to  God's  hidden  counsel 
of  election.  But  as  from  the  earthly'  register 
a  name  unworthy  of  the  city  could  be  erased, 
so  it  is  by  faith  and  patience  only  that  any 
particular  saint  Ciin  make  his  election  sure 
(2  Pet.  1:10).  But  such  assurancc  raises  the 
humblest  saint  to  a  position  of  honor  and  joy 
above  that  of  the  most  talented,  successful, 
and  honored  servant,  merely  tis  such. 

21-24.  Triumph  ok  Jesus  on  Occasion 
OF  THIS  Keport. 

21.  In  that  (.snme)  hour  Jesus  (rather,  he) 
rejoiced  (exulted)  in  spirit  (or,  the  Holy 
Spirit).     The  Greek  verb  denotes  a  lively, 


186 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  X. 


I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that 
thou  hast  liid  these  things  Irom  the  wise  and  prudent, 
and  hast  revealed  theiu  unto  liahes:  even  so.  Father; 
for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight. 

22  "All  things  are  delivered  to  me  of  my  Father:  and 
'no  man  knoweih  who  the  f«on  is,  hut  the  Father;  and 
who  the  Father  is,  but  the  Son,  and  he  to  whom  the 
Sou  will  reveal  him. 


and  said,  1 1  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven 
and  earth,  that  thou  didst  hide  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  understanding,  and  didst  reveal  them  unto 
babes:  yea.  Father;  -ior  so  it  was  well-pleasing  in 
22  thy  sight.  All  things  have  been  delivered  unto  me 
of  luy  Father:  and  no  one  knoweth  who  the  J>on  is, 
save  the  Father;  and  who  the  Father  is,  save  the 
Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  willeth  to  reveal 


a  Matt.  28:  18;  John  3:  35;  3:  27  ;  17  :  2 6  Johu  1:  18;  6:  44.  46. 1  Or.  praise 2  Or,  that. 


exalted,  triumphant  joy.  Everything  in  the 
paragraph  shows  how  peculiarly  he  was 
stirred  with  delight  at  the  evidence  he  had 
received  of  the  future  i)rogress  of  his  king- 
dom through  his  ministers.  The  reasons  are 
quite  conclusive  in  favor  of  the  addition  of 
"Holy"  before  "Spirit."  Without  it  we 
think  of  that  human  spirit  which  distinguished 
the  person  of  Jesu.s,  "spirit  of  hoi  in  ess  "(Rom. 
1:4),  which  was,  indeed,  in  perpetual  identity 
with  the  divine  Word,  but  to  which  the  epi- 
thet "Holy  "  associates  the  Third  Person  of  the 
Trinity,  though  not  given  as  yet  so  distinctly 
to  the  saints.  —  And  said,  I  thank  thee, 
O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth.  The 
word  for  thank,  expresses  here,  comprehen- 
sively, not  merely  thanksgiving,  but  praise, 
adoration,  and  all  worshipful  acknowledg- 
ment. The  whole  soul  of  Jesus  was  drawn 
out  in  celebrating  the  grace  of  him  who  was 
now  seen  to  be  Lord  of  the  Universe,  and 
Father  of  our  Lord,  at  the  proof  of  his  co- 
operation with  these  plain,  unlettered  men, 
who  had  prosjiered  in  their  work  against  the 
adversary,  through  his  name,  despite  the  un- 
belief and  opposition  of  the  wise  and  religi- 
ous of  the  nation.  His  Sonship  to  that  God 
was  now  a  peculiar  source  of  delight  and 
comfort  to  him.  —  That  thou  hast  hidden 
{(fld.sf  h'tile)  these  things  from  the  wise 
and  prudent  {understanding),  and  hast  re- 
vealed ididst  reveal)  them  unto  babes  = 
the  simple-minded,  and  void  of  worldly  wis- 
dom. St)me  would  soften  this  by  interjecting 
in  the  first  number  an  "although  ";  "although 
thou  didst  hide,"  etc.  But  that  is  none  of 
Christ's.  He  praises  God  for  it  all.— Thou 
hast  hid — better,  didst  hide— not  just  now. 
We  are  referred  back  to  the  divine  purpo.se 
of  salvation  "before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,"  when  it  was  so  planned  that  the  wa3' 
should  be  made  so  plain  that  even  babes  might 
follow  it,  while  the  worldly  wise  and  self- 
sufficient  would  despi.se  it  for  its  very  plain- 
ness and  facility.  Thus  only  did  God  hide 
it  from  tlie  one  class,    who  would   not  have 


real  salvation,  in  any  case,  and  reveal  it 
to  the  simple-minded  and  docile,  "babes," 
such  as  all  must  be  to  whom  salvation  is  possi- 
ble.— These  things— as  we  have  imj)lied,  are 
the  doctrine  and  saving  power  of  the  gospel, 
as  illustrated  in  the  prosperous  work  of  the 
seventy,  and  particularly  in  their  own  enroll- 
ment in  the  register  of  heaven. — Even  so  (or, 
Vea),  Father,  for  (or,  t/int)  so  it  seemed 
good  (or,  was  well  pleasing)  in  thy  sight. 
We  must  understand  the  sentence  to  be  con- 
tinued, and  bring  in  "I  thank  thee"  again 
after  Father.  So — resumes  the  whole  pre- 
ceding statement,  and  that  is  a  preferable 
connective.  It  is  the  Amen  of  the  Saviour's 
reverent  meditation  on  his  Father's  plan. — 
It  seemed  good. —  Was  well  pleasing  —  is 
truer  and  stronger.  It  is  of  the  same  radical 
sense,  as  "I  am  well  pleased"  (iMa"-3:i7;  i7:3; 
Luke  3: 22).  That  God  was  pleased  to  have  it  so, 
is  the  matter  of  all  Christ's  rejoicing. 

22.  Having  been  addressing  his  Father,  he 
proceeds  in  the  tone  of  absorbed  meditation  : 
All  things  are  (rather,  were,  when  I  was 
sent  forth)  delivered  to  me  of  my  Father. 
— Of  that  glorious  scheme  of  salvation  God, 
when  it  was  adopted,  made  me  the  adminis- 
trator, and  gave  over  into  my  hands  all 
things  pertaining  to  its  execution. — And  no 
man  (no  one,  knoweth  who  the  Son  is,  but 
the  Father,  and  who  the  Father  is,  but 
the  Son,  etc.  This  illustrates  the  complete- 
ness of  Christ's  possession  of  the  all  things 
pertaining  to  salvation.  Salvation  involves 
the  return  of  a  lest  sinner  to  God  the  Father, 
from  whom  he  has  strayed,  which  takes  place 
only  as  he  is  guided  by  the  Son  to  a  cleiir  and 
definite  knowledge  of  him.  Through  the  Son 
alone  can  he  so  know  to  whom  he  must  come 
in  repentance  for  reconciliation.  But  how  is 
the  lost  one  to  come  to  the  Son  for  guidance? 
Only  by  the  Father,  yet  unknown,  inwardly 
moving  and  directing  him  to  the  Son  as  the 
onl^'  Revealerof  God.  Men  may  doubtless  in 
some  sense  know  God  apart  from  Christ,  even 
his  eternal  power  and  Godhead  (Rom.  i  :2o),  but 


Ch.  X.] 


LUKE. 


187 


23  And  he  turned  hira  unto  his  disciples,  and  said 
privately,  '■  Blessed  are  the  eyes  which  see  the  things 
that  ye  see : 

24  For  I  tell  you,  'that  nsany  prophets  and  kings 
have  desired  to  see  those  thincs  which  ye  see,  and  have 
not  seen  them;  and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye  hear, 
and  have  not  heard  l/ii-m. 

25  And,  behold,  a  certain  lawyer  stood  up,  and 
tempted  him,  saying, 'Master,  what  shall  1  do  to  in- 
herit eternal  life.' 

2t)  He  said  unto  him,  What  is  written  in  the  law? 
how  readest  thou? 


23  him.  And  turning  to  the  disciples,  he  said  privately, 
Blessed  are  the  eyes  which  see  tlie  things  that  ye 

24  see:  lor  I  say  unto  you,  that  many  prophets  and 
kings  desired  to  see  the  things  which  ye  see,  and 
saw  theui  not;  and  to  hear  the  things  which  ye 
hear,  and  heard  them  not. 

25  And  behold,  a  certain  lawyer  stood  up  and  tried 
him,  saying,  •  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eier- 

2C  nal  life?    And  he  said  unto  him,  \\  hat  is  written  iu 


a  Uatt  13  :  16. ...  6 1  Pet.  1 :  10 e  Matt.  19 :  16 ;  22  ■  35. 1  Or,  Ttaeher. 


to  reach  that  intimate  recognition  of  him  as  a 
person,  just  and  merciful,  holy  and  compas- 
sionate toward  sinners,  interested  in  our  wel- 
fare, and  ready  as  well  as  able  to  supply  all 
our  spiritual  needs,  which  is  involved  in  this 
idea  of  him  as  the  Fatlier — that  Je^usdeclares 
impossible  except  as  a  man  arrives  at  it 
through  the  experimental  knowledge  of  him- 
self We  first  see  God  as  a  Father  through 
the  divine  love  and  sympathy  of  the  Son. 
"  He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father  " 
(John  14:  9;  comp.  ver.  7).  The  Father's  in- 
fluence, unrecognized  as  such,  troubles,  hum- 
bles, softens,  inclines,  the  soul  into  a  readiness 
for  the  instruction  and  invitations  of  the  Son, 
having  embraced  whom  it  exclaims  in  happy 
amazement,  "Now  I  know  God  indeed;  the 
Father  has  been  in  it  all."  This  is  as  true  a 
revelation  as  ever  was  made  to  mortals — the 
uncovering  to  the  heart  of  what  was  before 
entirely  concealed;  a  double  revelation,  in 
which  God  discloses  his  Son  in  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth, and  in  the  same  flash,  shows  in  the 
author  of  the  soul's  penitence,  and  anxiety, 
and  prayer,  God  himself,  real,  apprehensible, 
adorable,  tmd  adored,  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  chiefest  among  ten  thousand, 
and  altogether  lovely. 

23.  And  he  turned  him  unto  his  disci- 
ples, and  said  privately.  Privately— to 
them  alone,  because  what  he  had  to  utter  ap- 
plied in  its  full  sense  only  to  them,  and  the 
Master  would  have  them  take  it  in  its  full 
sense.  Hence,  he  takes  pains  that  they  alone  ] 
should  hear.  Blessed  (/(f7)/)y)  are  the  eyes 
which  see  the  things  that  ye  see. — The 
meaning  is,  in  other  words  :  Happy  are  ye  in 
sharing  the  revelation  of  the  mystery  of  salva- 
tion through  the  gospel,  and  beholding  some- 
thing of  its  blessed  fruits  in  the  conversion  of 
some. 

24.  For  I  tell  you  {or  say  unto  you)  that 
many  prophets  and  kings  (omit  have)  de- 


sired.— This  was  suited  to  deepen  their  sense 
of  the  value  of  their  privilege.  The  most 
pious  and  mightiest  of  former  days  had  looked 
forward  to  brighter  knowledge  of  God's  ways 
and  a  holier  life  for  his  saints.  They  were 
sure  it  would  come,  but  of  its  precise  char- 
acter, as  of  its  time,  and  its  medium,  they 
could  form  no  adequate  conception.  Another 
intimation  of  the  superior  advantage  of  the 
Christian  position. 

25-37.  Parable  of  the  Good  Samari- 
tan.    The  Occasion  of  It.     2o-'29. 

23.  And  behold,  a  certain  lawyer  stood 
up  and  tempted  him.  The  place  is  un- 
known. What  a  lawyer  was,  is  explained 
on  7:  30.  This  one  stood  up,  perhaps  out 
of  a  sitting  crowd,  to  address  the  Saviour. 
Tempted  means,  here,  not  necessarily  more 
than  "put  him  to  the  test"  as  to  his  sound- 
ness in  doctrine  and  reasoning  power;  but 
I)robably  in  the  hope  of  showing  his  own 
superiority,  and  possibly  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  trapping  him  in  liis  reply.  It  is 
enough  to  sui>pose  that  the  lawyer  was  curi- 
ous to  know  what  answer  the  new  Teacher 
would  give  to  the  old  moot  question  which 
he  proposed  to  him.  He  has  the  air  neither 
of  a  trifler,  nor  a  man  concerned  about  a 
matter  of  serious  search,  to  him  — Saying, 
.Master,  what  shall  I  do,  etc.  The  word 
do,  is  emphatic,  the  Greek  being  more  liter- 
ally: "By  having  done  what  sliall  I  inherit?" 
Here  we  see  that  eternal  life  was  a  topic  famil- 
iar to  Jewish  theologians,  which,  ns  votaries 
of  the  Ijiw,  they  would  hope  tognin  h^-  works. 

26.  AVhether  the  man  felt  much  or  little 
earnestness  in  his  question,  the  subject  was 
one  of  momentous  importance,  and  gave 
Jesus  an  oj>portunity  to  impart  an  important 
lesson  to  all  who  were  present. — He  said 
onto  him,  What  is  Avritten  in  the  law? 
As  he  was  a  lawyer,  and  a*  the  gospel  ]^re- 
supposed  a  right  view  of  the  claims  of  Gods 


188 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  X. 


27  And  he  answering  said, "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  wind  ;  and  'thy 
neighbour  as  thyself. 

28  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  answered  right, 
this  do,  and  =thou  shalt  live. 

2'J  But  he,  willing  to'^justify  himself,  said  unto  Jesus, 
And  who  is  my  neighbour? 

SO  And  Jesus  answering  said,  A  certain  inan  went 
down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  and  fell  among 
thieves,  which  stripped  him  of  his  raiment,  and 
wounded  him,  and  departed,  leaving  him  half  dead. 


27  the  law?  how  readest  thou?  And  he  answering  said. 
Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  i  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and 
with  all  thy  mind;   and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 

28  And  he  said  unto  him.  Thou  hast  answered  right : 

29  this  do,  and  thou  shalt  live.  But  he,  desiring  to 
justify   himself,  said    unto  Jesus,  And  who   is  my 

30  neighbour?  Jesus  made  answer  and  said,  A  certain 
man  was  going  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho;  and 
he  fell  among  robbers,  who  both  stripped  him  and 


iDeut.  «:5.       b  Lev.  19.  18.     .c  Lev.  18:5;  Neh.  9  .  29  ;  Ezek.  20:  11,13,  21  ;  Rnm.  10:  5....dch.  16:  15. 1  Gr.  from 


law,  Jesus  meets  him  on  his  own  ground. 
He  had,  in  effect,  asked,  "Which  precepts  in 
particuhir  must  I  keep,  to  be  sure  of  stand- 
ing well  with  God  in  the  judgment?  "  Christ's 
question  to  him  is  in  effect:  "What  dost  thou, 
as  a  student  of  the  law,  understand  to  be  the 
essence  of  it?" — How  readest  thou?  Hoiv 
dost  thou  tnake  out  its  meaning  ? 

27.  And  he  anwering  said.  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
etc.  He  does  not  grope  among  the  secondarj' 
and  special  precepts;  but,  like  Chri.«t  himself 
(Mati.  22:40),  goes  Straight  to  the  heart  of  the 
matter,  and  gives  it  in  its  two  phases  as  ex- 
pressed in  Deut  6:  5;   10:  12;    Lev.  19:  18. 

28.  And  he  said  unto  him.  Thou  hast 
answered  right.  We  can  hardly  imagine 
him  to  have  answered  better,  as  to  the  de- 
mand of  the  law.  He  had  himself  answered 
his  own  question.  "  What  good  thing  must  I 
do?"  He  must  love  God  perfectly,  and  his 
neighbor  as  much  as  himself.  We  can  sup- 
pose him  to  see,  by  this  time,  if  he  sincerely 
sought  the  way  of  life,  that  his  question  .should 
have  been  :  How  shall  I  do  that  which  I  know 
mu.st  be  done  to  have  a  good  title  to  eternal 
life?  But  the  Lord  deals  with  him  yet  as 
though  he  was  in  perplexity  concerning  the 
rvhat?  Thy  understanding  is  correct,  thou 
hast  no  need  of  further  light.— This  do  (con- 
tinually joracftce)  and  thou  shalt  live  (eter- 
nally). This,  namely,  love  God  and  fellow 
man;  do^  reaWy  practice ;  cheri.sh  and  exer- 
cise such  love  at  all  times,  and  in  prescribed 
measure,  and  thou  art  sure  of  heaven.  This 
declaration  was  at  once  sincerely  truthful- 
appropriate  to  the  man's  religious  position, 
and  a  sentence  of  condemnation  to  him  in 
that  position.  For  to  do  this  required  that 
he  should  have  already  kept  that  law,  with- 
out failure  or  deficiency,  for  one  single  instant, 
from  his  earliest  consciousness.  This  he  could 
not  pretend  to  have  done,  in  the  face  of  the 


confessions  of  sin  on  the  part  of  the  most  emi- 
nent saints  in  his  Bible.  But  supposing  him 
to  have  come  so  far  right,  it  would  be  neces- 
sary for  him  to  go  forward  to  the  end  in 
immaculate  obedience  to  the  divine  rule,  in 
all  its  depth  and  breadth  of  significance. 
How  impossible  this  was,  appeared  in  the 
fact  that  he  was  now  groping  after  the  thing 
needful  to  do,  and  mean  time  not  certain  of 
being  in  the  safe  way.  Still  he  must  see  that 
the  Saviour's  principle  held  good.  Do  this 
completely,  perpetually,  without  intermission 
or  error,  and  thou  shalt  live. 

29.  The  question  which  the  lawyer  had  put 
is  now  fully  answered.  But  he  could  not  allow 
himself  to  be  so  easily  silenced.  He  was  in 
danger  of  seeming  foolish,  to  have  expressed 
doubt  in  so  clear  a  matter;  and  to  retrieve  his 
position  before  the  people,  in  other  words — 
willing  (resolved)  to  justify  himself— for 
having  so  ostentatiously  asked  a  question 
which  he  has  himself  answered  easily,  he 
said  unto  Jesus,  And  who  is  my  neigh- 
bor?— He  would  thus  make  it  seem  as  though 
.this  was  the  point  of  his  perplexity,  which 
Jesus  had  not  yet  cleared  up.  He  might  well 
feel,  too,  that  in  the  various  antagonistic  de- 
cisions of  the  doctors  touching  the  application 
andlimitsof  the  term  "neighbor,"  hehad  pro- 
posed a  puzzle  which  would  test  the  Galilean 
teacher  indeed.  But  our  Lord  was  not  to  be 
caught,  nor  turned  aside  into  any  mere  specu- 
lative and  hair-splitting  disputes.  The  true 
intent  of  the  law  is  shown  by  an  example  of 
neighborliness,  which  at  the  same  time  illus- 
trates the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  as  it  lived  and 
wrought  in  the  breast  of  its  divine  Founder. 

30-37.  The  Parable. 

Jesus  answering  (taking  him  up — not  the 
usual  word  for  answering),  said. — The  correct 
text  omits  and. — A  certain  man  Avent  {was 
going)  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho, 
etc.     The  Saviour  frames  a  narrative  to  exem- 


Ch.  X.] 


LUKE. 


189 


plify  his  thought,  in  perfect  consistency  with 
all  timt  we  know  of  the  circumstances  sup- 
j)i)sed.  The  road  from  Jerusalem  went  down 
literally,  to  Jericho,  the  descent  in  less  than 
twenty  miles  being  about  3,500  feet.  It  was 
also  a  very  dangerous  road,  lying  much  of  the 
way  in  a  deep  ravine,  through  soft  rocks  in 
which  caves  and  chambers  abounded,  attbrd- 
ing  shelter  to  miscreants,  who  from  them  sal- 
lied forth  to  prey  upon  travelers.     It  is  still 


the  capital  city  of  the  nation,  and  Jericho  was 
"the  city  of  palm  trees,"  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Jordan;  this  and  nothing  more  seems  to 
have  been  intended. — And  fell  among 
thieves  {robbers),  as  many  had  done  before 
him,  and  have  since,  down  even  to  our  own 
day.  (See  Stanley',  Sinai  and  Palestine ; 
Porter,  Handbook ;  Kitter,  Geog.  of  Pal.,  iii. 
11 ;  Diet,  of  Bible,  p.  120(5).  The  famous  Order 
of  Knights  Templar  originated  in  the  middle 


WAY  TO  JERICHO. 


necessary  to  have  an  escort  in  passing  over 
that  road,  on  wliich  atrocious  outrages, 
amounting  sometimes  to  murder,  have  been 
perpetrated  within  a  life-time  past.  Of  trav- 
elers there  were  many,  passing  between  the 
cities  of  Jerusalem  and  Jericho,  and  to  and 
from  the  lands  beyond  the  Jordan.  We  need 
seek  for  no  deeper  meaning  in  the  terms  used 
in  this  verse  than  the  most  obvious  ones. — 
The  certain  man — was  just  a  man,  and,  since 
he  started  from  Jenisnlem,  with  nothing  said 
to  the  contrarv.  a   Jew. — Jerusalem  meant 


ages,  in  a  combination  of  Christian  champions 
to  guard  this  perilous  jiass,  and  assist  travelers 
needing  aid.  Which  {both)  stripped  him  of 
his  raiment — after  taking  what  other  prop- 
erty he  had — and  beat  him — either  because 
he  resisted,  or  out  of  mere  wantonness — and 
departed,  leaving  him  half  dead.— Had 
they  murdered  him  there  would  have  been  no 
need  of  help,  and  his  injuries  must  be  of  suffi- 
cient sert«iusness  to  present  a  strong  claim  f  r 
mercy;  hence  half  dead.  Surely  he  needed 
a  neighbor. 


190 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  X. 


31  And  by  chance  there  came  down  a  certain  priest 
that  way  :  and  when  he  saw  liim,  «  he  passed  by  on  the 
other  side. 

:i2  And  likewise  a  Levite,  when  he  was  at  the  place, 
came  and  looked  on  him,  and  passed  by  on  the  other 
side. 

;s;i  But  a  certain  '  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  came 
■where  he  was;  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  had  compas- 
sion on  him, 

a4  And  went  to  him,  and  bound  up  his  wounds,  pour- 
ing in  oil  and  wine,  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and 
brought  hiiu  to  un  inn,  and  took  care  of  him. 


31  beat  hini,  and  departed,  leaving  him  half  dead.  And 
by  chance  a  certain  priest  was  going  down  that  way: 
and  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by  on  the  other  side. 

32  And  in  like  manner  a  Levile  also,  when  he  came  to 
the  place,  and  saw  him,  passed  by  on  the  other  side. 

33  But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  came  where 
he  was:  and  when  he  saw  hira,  he  was  moved  with 

34  compassion,  and  came  to  him,  and  bound  up  his 
wounds,  pouring  on  them  oil  and  wine;  and  he  set 
him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and 


iPs.  38:  11....6  Johu  4:  9. 


31.  And  by  chance  (Greek,  by  a  concur- 
rence, or,  coincidence)  there  came  down 
a  certain  priest  (or,  a  certain  priest 
teas  going  down).  This  was  u  most  natural 
thing,  as  Jericho  was  a  priest-city,  and  at  the 
termination  of  their  weekly  "course"  at  Je- 
rusalem, some  priests  would  be  frequently 
traveling  homeward  by  that  route.  The 
priest  was,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  nearest  in 
position  to  the  seat  where  Jehovah  sat,  and 
should  have  shared  most  largely  in  the  spirit 
of  true  religion.  If  any  man  on  earth  might 
reasonably  be  expected  to  lend  a  helping  hand 
to  the  wounded  traveler,  a  countryman,  and 
also  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  this  priest  was  he. 
But  he  was  the  most  remote  from  any  such,  dis- 
position.— He  came  and  looked  on  him  and 
passed  by  on  the  other  side. — He  could  not 
help  seeing  him ;  but  as  the  sufferer  laj'  on  the 
other  side  of  the  road  fr<mi  that  on  which  he 
happened  to  be  walking,  perhaps  a  little  off 
from  the  narrow  way,  proper,  he  did  not  even 
cross  it  to  ascertain  more  particularly  what 
the  case  was. 

32.  The  Levite  who  followed  him,  after  an 
interval,  belonged  also  to  the  priestly  tribe — 
stood  next  in  order  of  the  divine  service,  and 
was  under  a-  like  obligation  to  exhibit  the 
holiness  and  moral  loveliness  of  their  religion. 
But  his  course  only  helps  to  demonstrate  that 
official  holiness  has  little  to  do,  necessarily, 
with  that  of  the  heart.  It  would  be  impossi- 
ble for  him  to  do  less  than  the  priest;  he  did, 
in  fact,  somewhat  more,  and  worse.  Or,  does 
the  Saviour  mean  to  paint  his  conduct  a  shade 
lighter,  when  he  makes  him,  after  reaching 
the  place,  cross  the  way  and  look  on  him,  and 
then  pass  by?  Hardly.  The  man  only  added 
a  cold  and  heartless  curiosity.  Both  probably 
bad  to  invent  excuses,  such  as  commentators 
have  often  imagined,  to  parry  the  thrusts 
which  even  their  consciences  must  have 
launched  against  them.  The  Greek  ti-xt  fol- 
lowed by  the  Revision  makes  tlie  conduct  of 


the  Levite  almost  a  simple  repetition  of  that 
of  the  priest.  The  authority-  for  this,  although 
strong,  does  not  seem  decisive.  Lt  is  evident 
that  the  wounded  wretch  will  find  no  neighbor 
among  his  own  countrymen.  And  now,  hav- 
ing prepared  his  hearers  by  the  exhibition  of 
two  cases  of  the  most  shocking  absence  of  the 
spirit  inculcated  by  the  law,  he  shows  its  exer- 
cise in  the  case  of  one  at  the  opposite  pole  of 
their  ceremonial  righteousness. 

33,  34.  But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he 
journeyed,  came  where  he  was. — We  have 
not  now  to  learn  what  a  repugnance  there 
was,  amounting  often  to  the  most  intense 
abomination,  between  the  Satiiaritans  and  the 
Jews.  The  origin  of  the  former  race,  their  in- 
trusion into  the  very  heart  of  the  Holy  Land, 
the  rivalry  which  had  existed  between  them 
and  the  orthodox  Jews,  may  be  read  in  any 
Dictionary  of  the  Bible.  The  southern  border 
of  their  territory  was  not  far  north  of  this 
road,  and  with  all  their  mutual  hatred,  there 
was  nothing,  under  the  Roman  rule,  to  hinder 
their  traveling  through  each  other's  countrj'. 
The  business  of  this  Samaritan  took  him  down 
toward  the  Jordan,  and  be  was  riding  on  an 
ass,  whereas  the  others  had  apparently  been 
on  foot.  When  he  came  opposite  the  wounded 
man,  instead  of  acting  as  the  priest,  and  tlie 
Levite  had  done,  especially  as  the  Jews  would 
expect  a  Samaritan  to  act,  he  acted  simply  as 
a  man.  He  not  only  went  to  him— but,  with 
cost,  and  inconvenience,  and  delay  to  his 
journey,  rendered  to  him  all  forms  and  de- 
grees of  attention  and  help  that  would  have 
been  appropriate  on  the  part  of  a  near  per- 
sonal friend  who  was  unstinted  in  means,  and 
at  complete  leisure.  First,  and  most  helpful 
of  ail,  he  had  compassion.  That  genuine 
sympathy  for  the  suffering,  which  is  more 
than  all  outward  acts  and  appliances,  be- 
spoke itself  in  everj'thing  he  said  and  did. 
He  bound  up  his  wounds,  pouring  in  (on 
them)  oil  and  wine.     This  was  according  to 


Ch.  X.] 


LUKE. 


191 


35  And  on  the  morrow  when  he  departed  he  took 
out  two  -  pence,  and  save  ^/^-m  '<> /'»''.'"""•  ^"T  ,t„ 
unto  him,  Take  care  of  him;  and   whatsoever  thn. 

spendesl  mor.-,  when  I '^^'""««»-'a"'-i ."■!".";'''!?>,'    'as 
:«  Which   now   of  these   three,   thinkes-t   thou,  was 

neiehhour  unto  him  that  fell  among  the  thieves^ 
37  And   he  said,   He   that  shewed    mercy   on    hini. 

Then  said  Jesus  unto  hiui,  Uo,  and  do  thou  likewise. 


35  took  care  of  him.  And  on  the  morrow  he  took  out 
two  > shillings,  and  gave  them  to  the  host,  and  said, 
Take  care  of  him;  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest 
more,  1,  when  1  come  back  again,  will  repay  thee. 
30  Which  of  these  three,  thinkesl  thou,  proved  neigh- 
37  hour  unto  him  that  fell  among  the  robbers'  And 
he  said,  He  that  shewed  mercy  on  him.  And  Jesus 
said  unto  him,  Oo,  and  do  thou  likewise. 


a  See  Matt.  20 :  2. 1  See  niarginnl  note  ou  Matt.  18 :  28. 


the  approved  practice  of  Jewish  pharmacy 
(iHn.i:6).  The  injured  parts,  restored  to  their 
proi)er  phice,  were  mollified,  and  stimulated 
to  recuperation.  Hai)pily,  the  knftpsacl<  of 
the  traveler  could  furnish,  from  his  provision 
for  the  road,  all  that  was  wanted  for  this 
simple  surgery.  The  next  thing  was  to  get 
the  patient  forward  to  a  place  of  safety  and 
rest.  So  he  set  him  (lifting  him  up,  <^iMa<T«) 
on  his  own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an 
inn  (trudging  along  on  foot  himself),  and 
took  care  of  htm.  This  was  more  like  an 
inn  in  modern  times— a  caravanserai  or  khan 
(Greek,  Tra.-Soxcioi')— than  that  de.scribed  in  con- 
nection with  our  Saviour's  birth  (2:7).  Its 
proprietor  was  a  private  individual,  not  the 
government,  an^  supplies  could  be  procured 
which  the  lodger  did  not  already  possess. 
Tlie  ruins  of  one  extensive  inn  of  this  kind 
are  mentioned  by  travelers  (see  Porters 
Hand-book,  I.,  181),  as  existing  on  this  road, 
and,  probably,  near  the  scene  which  Jesus 
had  in  mind.     It  is  called  Khan  el  Ahimah. 

35.  Having  giving  his  own  time  and  atten- 
tion to  his  patient  the  rest  of  that  day,  On 
the  morrow— as  he  went  forward  to  accom- 
plish his  delayed  journey  — he  took  out 
(Greek,  "threw  down")  two  pence  (=two 
dollars;  see  on  7:  41),  and  said.  Take  care 
of  him:  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest 
more,  when  {I  when)  I  come  again,  I  will 
repay  thee.  He  appears  to  intend  to  pay 
in  full  for  the  care  of  an  invalid  at  an  inn 
for  two  days,  by  which  time  he  hoped  to  be 
back.  But  if  he  should  be  delayed,  or  if 
additional  needs  should  appear,  he  provides 
for  every  contingency  —  I  (emphatic;  you 
need  not  hold  the  sick  man  to  account,  I) 
will  repay  thee.  Could  generosity  go  far- 
ther? 
30,37.  Application. 
30.  Which  (omit  now)  of  these  three, 
thinkest  thou,  was  {proved  himself )  neigh- 
bour, etc.  The  Revision  well  substitutes 
prored  himself  for  was  here.  The  Greek 
verb   is  that  which    primarily  signifies   "to 


become,"  but  which  in  many  places  is  almost 
=  "to  appear  as,"  "to  turn  out  '  so  and  so. 
By  the  question,  the  Saviour  again  puts  it 
upon  the  lawyer  to  answer  himself.  With 
more  than  Socratic  skill,  he  thus  often,  in- 
stead of  stating  his  own  judgment  on  a 
practical  point,  led  or  compelled  his  collo- 
cutors to  develop  their  own  thoughts  into 
distinctness. 

37.  And  he  said,  He  that  shewed  mercy 
{the  mercy)  on  him.    The  Greek  article   is 
hardly  idle   here.     He  would  not  speak   the 
hated  naiTie,  Samaritan,  but  substitutes  a  de- 
scription which  itself  evinces  his  own  narrow- 
ness and  lack  of  true  neighborly  love.     The 
Saviour,    in    drawing   from   the   lawyer    the 
definition  of  "neighbor,"  has  it  not  in  a  di- 
rect and  formal  shape.     Had  he  himself  been 
obliged  to  give   it,  he  would,  perhaps,  have 
said.    Thy  neighbor  is,  in  the  sense  of  God's 
law,  every  human  being.     But  he  was  intent, 
as  always,  on  a  i)ractical  lesson.     He  would 
not  unnecessarily  shock  i)rejudice.    He  allows 
the  lawyer  to  take  the  one  remaining  step  of 
inference,  that,   as  the  good  Samaritan  was 
neighbor  to  the  wounded  Jew,  the  latter  was, 
in  that  very  fact,  neighbor  to  him;    that  a 
Jew  would  fulfill  the  law  in  showing  mercy 
to  a  distressed  Sainaritan,  and,  of  course,  to 
any  other  man  needing  sympathy  and   aid. 
He  could  not,  in  short,  keep  that  law  which 
he  had  professed  a  desire  to  understand  with- 
out acting  towiird  any  needy  man  on  earth  as 
the  Samaritan  did.     So  Jesus  brings  the  les- 
.«on  home  to  him.— (i:o,and  do  thou  like- 
wise.    This  reverts  again  to  the  first  ques- 
tion,   "What  must   /  do  to   inherit  eternal 
life?"    Christ  had  replied  as  to  the  first  table; 
he  has  now  as  to  the  second. 

Remark.— It  is  curious,  at  first  sight,  that 
the  lawyer  seemed  to  have  no  perplexity 
touching  the  great  commandment  of  perfect 
love  to  God,  while  he  was  not  altogether  clear 
as  to  the  requirement  toward  fellow-men. 
Yet  he  may  have  been  sincere  in  this.  Our 
Saviour  and  his  apostles,  whenever  they  would 


192 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  X. 


38  Now  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  went,  that  he  entered 
into  a  certain  village:  and  a  certain  woman  named 
"Martha  received  him  into  tier  house. 

39  And  she  had  a  sister  called  Mary, ''which  also i^ sat 
at  Jesus'  feet,  and  heard  his  word. 

■10  But  Martha  was  cumbered  al)Out  much  serving, 
and  came  to  him,  and  said,  Loid,  dost  thou  not  care 
that  my  sister  hath  left  me  to  serve  alone?  bid  her 
therefore  that  she  help  me. 


38  Now  as  they  went  on  their  way,  he  entered  into 
a  certain  village:  and  a  certain  woman  named  Martha 

39  received  liim  into  her  liouse.  And  she  had  a  sister 
called    Mary,  who  also  had  sat  at  the  Lord's  l'ett,aiid 

40  heard  ills  word.  But  Martha  was 'cumbered  aliiuit 
much  serving;  and  she  came  up  to  him,  and  said. 
Lord,  dost  thou  not  care  that  my  sister  did  leave  me 
to  serve  alone?  bid  her  therefore  thai  she  help  me. 


1  .lohii  11 :  I  ;  la  :  'i,  3 h  \  Cor.  7  :  32,  eic c  I<uke  8:  35;  Acts  22  :  3. — 1  Gr.  distracted. 


inculcate  the  observance  of  the  law,  without 
stating  its  whole  requirement,  specify  by  nam- 
ing the  commandments  of  the  second  table, 
never  those  of  the  first  alone  (Man. itt:i7;  parallels, 
Roin.  13: 9;  G:ii.5;  14;  jas. 2:8).  The  rcason  may  be 
that,  while  either  branch  of  the  one  dual 
commandment  involves  the  other,  it  is  easier 
for  us  to  imagine  that  we  have  kept  the  first 
when  we  have  not,  than  it  is  that  we  have 
kept  the  second.  Hence  John,  in  his  First 
Epistle,  applies  to  Christian  profession  the 
test  furnished  by  the  law  of  love,  in  both 
directions  (2:  lo and 5: 2),  but  much  more  fully 
dwells  on  the  need  of  love  towards  our 
brother,  and  the  proof  from  this  that  we  love 
God,  and  are  born  of  God. 

38-42.  A  Visit  at  the  House  of 
Martha   and   Mary. 

38.  Now  it  came  to  pass  as  they  went, 
that  he  entered  into  a  certain  village. 
As  this  family  were,  about  this  time,  living  at 
Bethany  (JohuU:  i;  12:  9. comp. ver.  i),  near  Jeru- 
.salem,  we  cannot  doubt  that  that  was  the 
village  mentioned,  although  Luke  does  not 
name  it.  Some  have  tliought  it  necessary  to 
place  this  incident  back,  on  a  former  journey ; 
but,  as  we  have  stated  on  9:  51,  and  on  ver. 
17,  above,  there  is  nothing  in  Luke  inconsis- 
tent with  the  supposition  of  a  brief  visit  of 
Jesus  to  Jerusalem,  unnoticed  in  this  Gospel, 
while  the  seventy  were  preparing  the  way  for 
him  in  Perea.  At  .such  a  time,  he  reached 
this  village,  going  to  or  from  Jerusalem  over 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Mount  of  Olives. — 
And  a  certain  woman  named  Martha 
received  him  into  her  house.  It  was  a 
house  which  our  Lord  must  have  often  visited 
before.  A  brotiier  of  the  two  women,  named 
Lazarus,  was  at  this  time,  or  had  been  re- 
cently, so  intimate  with  him  as  to  be  known 
as  he  whom  Jesus  loved.  Not  long  after  this 
time  it  must  have  been,  when  the  Master  was 
summoned  from  beyond  the  Jordan  (10111110:40: 
11:  Iff.),  with  the  word  that  this  friend  was 
very  sick ;  on  which  occasion  was  wrought 
one   of  the    most   marvelous   and   beneficent 


works  which  Christ  performed  on  earth — the 
raising  of  that  friend  from  death  to  life. 
Faint  as  is  the  j)icture  of  his  intercourse  with 
the  family  at  Bethany,  we  easily  see  more 
evidence  of  its  being  a  real  home  to  him, 
when  he  was  in  that  neighborhood,  than  any 
other  place,  even  "his  house"  in  Capernaum. 
To  it  we  shall  see  him,  a  little  later,  retiring 
every  night  for  repose  and  sympathy,  from 
the  labors,  debates,  oppositions,  and  hostile 
plots  that  were  culminating  in  the  arrest,  the 
sham  trial,  and  the  cross. 

We  know  little  of  the  internal  relations  of 
the  family.  Lazarus  appears  as  without  a 
wife — perhaps  a  widower.  Martha  appears  as 
the  older  sister.  Some  think  her  to  have  been 
the  wife  of  one  Simon,  who  had  been  a  leper, 
whose   house    was   known    as    his    after    liis 

decease  (Matt.  26:  6;  Maikl4:  3.    Comp.  John  12  :  l).      The 

house  is  here  called  "her  house,"  and  she  is 
seen  to  be  housekeeper. 

39.  And  she  had  a  sister  called  Mary, 
which  also  sat  at  Jesus'  (j)robably,  t/ie 
Loi'd's)  feet,  etc.  The  also  intimates  that 
she  had  first  participated  in  the  care  for  suit- 
ably entertaining  Jesus,  as  implied  further  in 
Martha's  phrase,  "she  hath  left  me."  But 
while  Martha  prosecutes  further  domestic 
preparations,  Mary  now  feels  the  ojiportu- 
nity  of  hearing  the  instruction  of  the  Master 
too  precious  to  be  lost  for  such  a  cause.  She 
"seated  herself"  at  Jesus'  feet,  after  the  man- 
ner of  scholars  before  the  Rabbi.— And  heard 
(was  listening  to)  his  word.  She  evidently 
was  not  willing  to  let  one  syllable  of  it  drop. 

40.  But  Martha  was  cumbered  about 
much  serving=the  domestic  ministry  (see 
4:  39).  The  Greek  says:  "She  was  dis- 
tracted," her  mind  drawn  in  opposite  direc- 
tions; yet  no  one  can  deny  that  "cumbered" 
is  a  very  congruous  substitute.  She  had 
planned  a  task  of  hospitality  which  was  be- 
coming a  burden  to  her;  and  partly,  we  may 
sujipose,  apprehending  fiiilure,  and  partly 
piqued  that  her  sister  should  be  idiy  enjoying 
more  of  the  privilege  of  Christ's  company, 


Ch.  X.] 


LUKE. 


193 


41  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  her,  Martha,  41  But  the  Lord  answered  and  said  unto  her  >  Martha 
Martha,  thou  art  careful  and  troubled  aliout  many  Martlia,  thou  art  anxious  and  troubled  about  many 
tilings:                                                                 ,    .,     .              ■»2t'''ngs:    abut  oue  thiuK  is  needful:   lor  Mary  hath 

42  But  "one  thing  is  nee<lful :  and  Mary  hath  chosen  :  chosen  the  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  takuii  away 
that  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  I       from  her. 

her. 


a  P<.  27  :  4. 1  A  few  aucieot  auihoriiies  renrt.  Marlka.  Martha,  thou  art  troubled  :  Mary  hath  ehoten,  ele...  i  Manr  nncient 

iMUimUien  rK^i^,  but  few  thiny)  are  need/ul,  or  one. 


she  came  (up) — suddenly  presented  herself 
— to  him  and  said.  Lord,  dost  thou  not 
care,  etc.     Slio  iti:i[)tly  assutni'.s  thjit  he  is  to 
<;harge  Itimself  w.th  the  riglit  beliaviour  of 
the  family.      She  implies  that  he  is  in  fault 
in   encouraging   her  sister's   fault.      On    this 
ground,  therefore,  she   instructs  him  what 
he  is  to  do  in  the  matter.     Bid  her  there- 
fore that  she  help  me.     Literally,  "speak 
to  her  therefore,  in  order  that  she  may  take 
hold  with  me."     It  must  have  been  mortify- 
ing to  Mary,  and  an  unpleasant  scene  to  the 
others   who   were    present.       Never   did    the 
divine-human    .sympathy,    forbearance,    and 
tact  of  Jesus,  more  decidedly  .'shine  out.     He 
saw  instantly  how  natural  was  Martha's  feel- 
ing, though  petulant;  gave  iier  full  credit  for 
the  hospitable  and  pious  motive  which  drove 
her  to  superfluous   toil    on  his   account;    3'et 
sadly  felt  how  much  better  was  Mary's  way 
of  profiting  by  his  presence  with  the  family. 
All  this  and  much  more,  which  no  language 
but  his  own  can  convey,  speaks  in  his  affec- 
tionate, half-playful,  yet  faithful,  and  even 
solemn  reply. 

41.  And  Jesus  {But  the  Lord)  answered 
and  said  unto  her,  Martha,  Martha — 
surely  she  was  already  grieved  with  herself, 
although  he  must  have  sadly  smiled  as  he 
looked  her  in  the  eye — thou  art  careful  (full 
of  cares,  anxious)  and  troubled  (perturbed 
in  mind,  or  fretted)  about  many  things — 
the  respectability  of  the  entertainment,  the 
"gratification  of  our  appetite,  etc. — But  one 
thing  is  needful — namely,  a  supreme  inter- 
est in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  next 
sentence,  following-  close  upon  and  expound- 
ing this,  should  have  guarded  every  one  from 
the  trul^' jejune  idea,  that  Jesus  speaks  here 
directly  of  provision  for  the  table,  as  if  "one 
dish,'"  "one  article  of  food,"  were  meant,  and 
the  Saviour  said  that  was  all  that  was  neces- 
sary. Some  have  thought  he  played  upon 
this  lower  meaning  in  presenting  the  spirit- 
ual and  all  important  truth.  AVe  see  no  evi- 
dence of  such  reference  at  all ;  only  this,  all 
tlie  expenditure  of  our  time  and  strength  and 

N 


care  should  have  one  am,  "the  kingdom  of 
God  and  his  righteousness."  For  (not  unit) 
Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part  which 
(=such  that  it,  iins )  shall  not  be  taken 
away  from  her.  The  good  part  is  evi- 
dently the  same  as  the  one  thing  wiiich  is 
needful.  The  "for,"  if  a  correct  reading  of 
the  Greek,  implies  that  a  thouglit  lies  unex- 
pressed after,  one  thing  is  needful,  namely, 
"there  your  sister  is  riglit,  and  I  cannot  re- 
prove her"— for  Mary  chose  out  the  good 
part,  portion,  or  share,  out  of  the  many 
things  that  attract  our  desire  and  exertions. 
A  good,  because  a  supremely  useful,  portion, 
including  the  full,  eternal  salvation  of  her 
.soul.  It,  and  it  alone,  shall  not  be  taken 
away  from  her. 

This  little  narrative  takes  us  into  the  mid.«t 
of  a  domestic  incident  of  the   life  of  Jesus, 
more  purely  domestic  than  any  other  in  the 
Gospels.     Yet  where  shall  we  find  a  more  at- 
tractive  picture  of   him?      Where  does  his 
presence  seem  more  trul^'  a  bles.sing  than  at 
this   evening  family  entertainment?     From 
what  formal  discourse  of  his  could  we  nioro 
clearly  derive   three  of  the  most  important 
religious  lessons  than  from  this  fireside  inter- 
course?    1.  The  supreme  importancj  of  tli  ; 
attainment  of  his  salvation — one   thing   i.s 
needful.    2.  The  hindrance  to  this  from  un- 
due subjection  to  the  cares  of  life— thou  art 
anxious  and  troubled  about  many  thin?;?. 
3.  The  decisive  intlueiice  ujion  it  of  personj.l 
choice — Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part. 
Still  we  must  not  suppose  that  Jesus  means 
to  preilude  anxious  Martha  from  all  share  in 
that  part.     Her  words  and  conduct  in  John 
11  :  20  AT.  forbid  the  thought.     She  also  recog- 
nized  in  him  the  Messiah,   the  all-powerful 
Judge  of  the  last  day.     But  hers  was,  after  all, 
more  of  an  Old  Testament  faith,  which  was 
estimated  by  its  outward   works,  and   antici- 
pated a  salvation  to  come;  while  Mary  found 
her  salvation    present    in   the   presence,    the 
truth,  the   example  of  the    Master,  his  very 
spirit,  which  she  desired  more  and  more  fully 
to  imbibe.     They  were  to  each  other  as  the 


194 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XI. 


AND  it  carae  to  pass,  that,  as  he  was  praying  in  a  cer- 
tain place,  wlieii   he  ceased,  one  of  his  disciples 
8aid  unto  hiiii,  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  as  John  also 
taught  his  disciples. 
■2  And  he  said  unto  them,  When  ye  pray,  say,  "Our 


CHAPTER  XI. 

1      And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  praying  in  a  cer- 


tain place,  that  when  he  ceased,  one  of  his  disciples 

fcaid  unto  hiui,  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  even  as  .John 

2  also  taught  his  disciples.     And  he  said  unto  therii. 

When  ye  pray,  say,  •  Father,  Hallowed  be  thy  name. 


a  Malt.  6  :  6. 1  Many  niicieut  auihoritleK  re:id,  Ovr  Father,  who  art  in  heaven.    See  Miitt.  6 :  9. 


two  Epistles:  one  of  James,  the  teacher  of 
fidelity,  labor,  obedience;  and  one  of  John, 
breathing  light,  gladness,  and  love. 

Ch.  11 :    1-13.    Further     Instruction 
Concerning  Prayer. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  he  was 
praying  in  a  certain  place.  As  in  many 
designations  of  time  and  place  by  our  author, 
especially  in  this  section  of  his  work,  "  a  cer- 
tain" .seems  to  mean  "some  place,  not  neces- 
sary to  be  more  definitely  pointed  out."  Our 
Saviour,  who  v^'as  always  in  a  spirit  congenial 
to  prayer,  was  often  engaged  in  the  definite 
act.  This  fact  was  patent  to  his  disciples,  and 
is  especially  noticed  by  Luke.  His  supplica- 
tions were  sometimes  audible,  as  at  Gethsem- 
ane,  probably  here  also,  and  from  the  atten- 
tion which  they  excited,  at  a  time  when 
prayer,  in  some  style,  was  a  very  common 
phenomenon,  we  must  conclude  that  the 
matter,  or  the  manner,  or  both,  of  his  prayers?, 
was  such  as  to  impress  others  with  a  sense  of 
t'.ieir  own  deficiency.  Evidently  it  did  so 
here.  His  prayer  made  them  feel  that  they 
could  not  pray  aright.  We  may  profitably 
speculate  as  to  the  qualities  by  which  it  pro- 
duced that  effect.— When  he  ceased,  one  of 
his  disciples  said  unto  him.  Lord,  teach 
us  to  pray,  as  John  also  taught  his  disci- 
ples— ov,  even  as  John,  etc.  We  cannot  easily 
suppose  that  those  who  had  heard  his  particu- 
lar instructions  on  the  mount  concerning 
prayer,  but  a  few  months  before,  would  need 
to  be  informed  how  they  ought  to  pray._  This 
raises  the  question  whether  we  have  here  the 
source  and  true  occasion  of  the  Lord's  Prayer 
hi  Matthew,  as  some  suppose.  We  think  it 
more  probable  that  it  was  original  in  both 
connections.  To  assume  a  frequent  repetition 
of  his  sayings,  on  the  part  of  Jesus,  within  the 
short  compass  of  one  of  the  Gosi)els,  is  unrea- 
sonable; but  if  we  imagine  the  question  to 
have  been  asked  by  one  who  had  more  re- 
cently .joined  him.  it  was  very  natural  that  he 
should  give  the  substance  of  the  former 
prayer.     That  it  is  the  same  on^y  in  fud/fstance, 


shows  that  it  was  neither  intended  by  Christ, 
nor  understood  by  the  first  disciples  as  an 
obligatory  form. — As  John  also  taught,  etc. 
The  Jews  were  punctilious  in  the  forms  of 
prayer.  Three  times  a  day  those  in  Jerusa- 
lem resorted  to  the  temple  courts  to  join  in 
repeating  the  prayers  there,  or,  where  that 
was  impracticable,  they  engaged  in  prayer 
wherever  they  might  be,  sometimes  taking 
pains  to  be  overtaken  by  the  appointed  hour, 
in  the  public  squares,  or  at  the  corners  of  the 
streets.  In  this,  as  in  the  matter  of  fasting, 
John  the  Baptist  may  have  shared  the  pre- 
vailing custom.  But  he  would  necessarily 
feel  the  inadequacy  of  the  common  formulas 
to  express  that  higher,  more  spiritual  view  of 
God's  service  which  he  inculcated.  He  may 
have  given  his  scholars  patterns,  or  even  litur- 
gical forms  of  j)rayer;  but  they  would  breathe 
the  spirit  of  the  publican  in  the  parable, 
rather  than  of  the  Pharisee,  expressing  the 
desire  of  forgiveness,  and  of  aid  and  direction 
in  the  purpose  to  live  a  new  and  more  s])ir- 
itual  life.  But  to  one  who  had  come,  from 
John's  leadership,  under  the  immediate  influ- 
ence of  Jesus,  and  had  drunk  in  something  of 
his  free  spirit,  so  as,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
to  have  risen  above  the  spirit  of  his  former 
master,  the  whole  system  of  John  would  seem 
as  hide-bound  and  insufficient,  as  to  John's 
disciple  the  modes  of  the  Jews  had  seemed. 
Hence  his  present  position.  He  little  realized 
that  in  the  directness,  the  simplicity  and  trust- 
fulness of  that,  he  was  practicing  the  Master's 
own  art  of  prayer,  to  a  degree.  But  so  he 
really  was,  and  his  prayer  was  instantlj'  an- 
swered. 

2.  And  he  said  unto  them— teaching  all, 
while  he  fulfilled  the  request  of  the  one — 
When  ye  pray,  say.  Father  (omit  Our,  and 
which  art  in  heaven),  hallowed  be  thy 
name.  This  shorter  form  of  the  address  is 
abundantly  supported  by  the  best  authorities. 
The  prayer  was  simplicity  itself,  3'et  divinely 
comprehensive  of  all  which  a  suppliant  soul 
can  need. — Father!  The  single  word  sets 
beft)re  us  the  object  of  our  prayer  in  that  very 


CiL  XL] 


LUKE. 


195 


Father  which  art  in  heaven,  Hallowed  be  thy  name.  |    3  Thy  kingdom  come.>    Give  us  day  by  day  ^ our  daily 
Thy  kin!i<luiu  come.    Thy  will  be  done,  as  in   heaven, 
so  in  earth.  ,   .,     .         i 

a  Give  us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread.  I 


.  Mao.  aocUot  aaU.ori.e,  aa.,  r*,  «.«»..--..  «J»  »--. --^^^^^^^ 


relation  which  is  best  suited  to  draw  our  i 
hearts  toward  him  in  reverence,  trust,  love,  | 
devotion.  The  fuller  statenu-nt  in  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount,  "Our  Father,  which  art  in 
heaven,"  adds  ideas  of  exaltation  and  dignity, 
and  signifies  directly  our  fraternity  with  all 
disciples  in  our  petition.  This  latter  thought 
is  suggested  here  by  the  plural  "us"  of  the 
petitioners;  and  the  single  word— Father- 
has  a  depth  of  tenderness  in  it,  which  no  ad- 
dition can  bring  nearer  to  the  heart.  The 
term  had  been  seldom  used  in  addressing  God 
in  the  Old  Testament,  and  only  to  denote  him 
distinctly  as  the  Father  of  the  nation— Israel; 
more  frequently  in  the  Apocrypha,  but  asso- 
ciated with  other  epithets  and  descriptions,  sig- 
nificantof  coldness  and  formality.— Hallow- 
ed be  thy  name  =  let  us  and  every  one  who 
speaks  thy  name  (which  may  all  the  nations 
do!)  think  of  it  with  that  holy  regard  which 
is  due  to  the  Being  and  character  which  it 
represents.  The  name  of  God  stands  famil- 
iarly in  Scripture  for  his  divinity,  character, 
in  short,  for  himself.  To  hallow  the  name,  is 
to  treat  God  as  holy,  in  thought  concerning 
hin\,  in  the  sentiments  of  the  heart,  the  words 
of  the  lips,  the  conduct  of  the  life. —Thy 
kingdom  come.  On  the  significance  of  the 
phrase,  "  Kingdom  of  God,  '  see  note  on  6:  21. 
That  it  should  come,  involves  the  accession  of 
an  ever  greater  number  of  willing,  obedient 
subjects,  till  the  number  of  God's  chosen  shall 
be  made  complete;  and,  secondly,  that  those 
who  belong  to  it  should  abound  more  and 
more  in  its  appropriate  spirit,  and  do  works 
meet  for  such  a  relation,  until  it  shall  appear 
in  holiness  and  perfection,  answerable  to  that 
of  its  exalted  Head.  Not  merely  extensive, 
but  intensive  development,  is  thus  involved 
in  the  prayer.  This  is  further  indicated  by 
the  additional  petition— Thy  will  be  done 
as  in  heaven,  so  in  earth— which  belongs 
strictly  in  Matthew,  though  by  some  tran- 
scribers brought  into  early  copies  of  Luke, 
also.     The  Revision  omits  it  here. 

3.  Give  us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread. 
Thus  we  have,  following  two  petitions  look- 
ing to  God's  glory,  and  the  glory  of  his  king- 


dom, one  based  upon  our  temporal  needs,  to 
be  followed  by  two  more,  relating  to  our 
spiritual  interests.  This  petition  relating  to 
personal  want  comes  first,  because  the  sup- 
port of  life  is  the  condition  of  all  activity, 
use,  and  felicity,  even  spiritual.  It  is  but  one, 
that  we  may  not  dwell  upon  temporal  inter- 
ests, and  is  limited  to  what  is  strictly  essential, 
bread- without  concern  for  luxury,  or  even 
comfort.  Some  have  thought  that  to  bring 
in  the  mention  of  mere  physical  food,  in  this 
connection,  was  not  worthy  of  the  Saviour, 
and  have  labored  to  allegorize  it  into  a  spirit- 
ual supply;  but  surely  many  of  Christ's 
hearers  then,  and  in  every  age,  would  not 
think  it  unfit  to  ask  the  heavenly  Father  for 
their  necessary  food ;  and  Farrar,  on  the  pas- 
sage, well  says,  "That  this  prayer  is  primarily 
a  prayer  for  needful  earthly  sustenance,  has 
been  rightly  understood  by  the  heart  of  man- 
kind." An  occasion  for  much  speculation  as 
to  possible  abstruse  meanings  has  been  found 
in  the  singularity  of  the  term  translated 
daily.  Being  met  with  nowhere  else  in  the 
Greek  language,  except  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sage. Matt.  6:  11,  and  in  late  references  to 
these,  the  first  recourse  would  be  to  the  ear- 
liest translations.  But  of  the.se,  the  Latin 
renders  "daily"  (.quoHdianum) ^  with  which 
one  form  of  the  Syriac  (Curetonian)  sub- 
stantially agrees;  but  the  common  Syriac 
gives  "needful."  The  etymology,  also,  is 
ambiguous.  Some  suppose  the  adjective 
(eirioiJo-ios)  to  comc  from  the  verb  (tVuVoi),  and 
so  to  mean  "pertaining  to  the  coming"; 
that  is,  the  coming  day,  or  time;  others 
give  the  meaning,  "adapted  to  nature,  or, 
being"'  (as  if  from  ««■!  o>v,  or,  eir\  ai<ria).  This 
last  would  easily  come  to  the  sense  of  neces- 
sary, essential;  and  notwithstanding  the  sc 
rious  objection,  that  we  ought  then  to  find  the 
to^rt  elided  before  a  vowel,  we  .still  think  (and 
especially  in  view  of  the  number  of  similar 
cases  adduced  by  Cremer  (Bih.  T/ieol.  Lexi- 
con), that  this  is  the  most  probable  of  the  deri- 
vations proposed.  Nothing,  however,  is  so 
certain  as  to  require  us  to  change  the  familiar 
rendering,  daily.     The  full  discussion  of  the 


196 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XI. 


4  And  forgive  us  our  sins;  for  we  also  forgive  every 
one  that  is  indebted  to  us.  And  lead  us  not  into  temp- 
tation:  but  deliver  us  from  evil. 


4  bread.  And  forgive  us  our  sins;  for  we  ourselves 
also  forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  us.  And 
bring  us  not  into  temptation.* 


1  Many  ancient  authorities  add,  but  deliver  us  from  the  evil  oue  (or, /rom  evil).    See  Matt.  6 :  13. 


Greek  word  (emovvw^),  is  admirably  condensed 
in  Dr.  Conant's  Note  on  Matt.  6:  11  (Am. 
Bible  Union's  Version  of  Matthew,  4to  edi- 
tion), and  more  at  large  in  Ligbtfoot  on  Re- 
vision; Tholuck,  Sermon  on  the  Mount; 
McClellan,  New  Testament,  I.,  G32-647-  Cre- 
mer,  Bibl.  theolog.  Wbrterbuch  der  neuetest. 
Graeitat,  239-242. 

4.  And  forgive  us  our  sins.  The  for- 
giveness of  our  sins  is  the  first,  greatest,  ever 
present  spiritual  necessity  of  our  souls.  That 
those  should  no  longer  stand  charged  to  our 
account,  in  the  book  of  God's  remembrance, 
but  be  canceled,  blotted  out,  and  put  as  far 
away  from  him  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  is 
the  jierpetual  condition  of  our  peace.  The 
Saviour  does  not  here  explain  the  ground  on 
which  pardon  can  consistently  be  granted  to 
the  sinner,  but  he  mentions  a  disposition  or 
state  of  the  heart,  which  necessarily  goes  with 
faith  in  Christ,  as  precedent  to  it — the  disposi- 
tion, namely,  to  forgive  those  who  have  in- 
jured us.  (Comp.  the  fuller  statement  Matt. 
6:  14,  15.) — For  we  (add,  ourselves)  also  for- 
give, etc.  The  prayer  is  put  into  the  mouth 
of  those  who  are  already  disciples,  and  who, 
therefore,  although  conscious  of  remaining 
sinfulness,  share  with  the  Master  something 
of  that  charity  which  they  wish  to  have 
exercised  toward  them.— Who  is  indebted 
to  us.  Here  the  counterpart,  between  men, 
of  our  sins  toward  God,  is  regarded  as  a 
debt,  i.  e.,  an  obligation  on  the  part  of  our 
neighbor  to  do  or  to  refrain  from  something, 
failing  of  which  he  is  liable  to  penalty  at  our 
hands.  Matthew  shows  our  sins  against  God 
as  "  debts"  for  which  we  are  holden  to  make 
satisfaction.  It  will  be  noticed  that  "tres- 
passes," fi^miliar  from  the  Episcopal  Prayer- 
book  form  of  prayer,  is  not  in  either  form  of 
the  Lord's  Prayer  in  the  Bible.  Kev.  J.  H. 
Blunt,  Annotated  Book  of  Co-mmon  Prayer, 
London,  1868,  gives,  on  page  31,  various  forms 
of  the  Lord's  Prayer  prior  to  the  sixteenth 
century,  in  none  of  which  do  we  find  "tres- 
passes"; but  he  quotes  one  from  the  King's 
Prymer,  of  the  year  1538,  which  has  that 
word,  then  made  familiar  to  the  English  ear 
by  Tyndale's  Version  of  1534.    Tyndale  alone 


of  the  English  translators  has  used  it. — And 
lead  us  not  into  temptation.  Being  once 
forgiven,  the  disciple  dreads  to  incur  other 
sins.  He  knows  also  his  own  liability  to 
error,  and  his  need  of  God's  gracious  care 
to  hold  him  secure.  It  can  hardly  be  a 
prayer  to  be  kept  from  that  testing  by  which 
one's  genuine  character  is  brought  to  light 
(p».  i39:23f.)  and  his  virtues  exercised,  the  en- 
durance of  which  is  declared  to  be  an  eminent 
blessing  (Jan.ea  1 : 2,  li).  It  is  rather  against  that 
solicitation  to  sin  which  arises  from  the  se- 
ductive influence  of  forbidden  things  on  our 
weaker,  unspiritual  projiensities  and  aflfec- 
tions.  This  influence  we  need  not  ask  God  to 
refrain  from  directly  exerting  upon  us,  for  he 
temptethnot  any  man,  in  this  sense  (James  i:  is). 
That  comes  from  God's  arch-enemy,  and  ours, 
against  which  our  Lord  especially  directed 
his  disciples  to  pray  and  to  watch  (Matt. 26: 4i; 
Luke 22: 40, 46),  at  that  houT  which  was  "the 
power  of  darkness."  The  prince  of  darkness 
alone  can  be  thought  of  as  shaping  the  cir- 
cumstances of  our  life,  so  as  by  them  to  incite 
in  us  evil  dispositions  and  conduct.  What 
we  pray  to  God  for  is,  that  he  will,  in  his  all 
powerful  providence,  so  guide  our  way  that 
we  may  escape  the  tempter's  snares.  It  is 
but  putting  into  a  praj'er  what  Paul  assured 
his  Corinthian   brethren  God  would   do   for 

them  (1  Cor.  10:13). 

This  view  of  Satan  as  the  author  of  the 
temptation  deprecated  would  be  supported  by 
the  translation,  in  Matthew,  by  the  Revision 
of  the  following  clause,  "'but  deliver  us  from 
the  evil  07ie."  This  clause  is,  however,  re- 
jected, on  good  grounds,  from  Luke's  report, 
by  the  most  eminent  and  conservative  editors 
of  the  Greek  text. 

Whether,  supposing  the  clause  to  be  genu- 
ine, we  should  translate  "evil"  or  "the  evil 
one,"  is  a  question  on  which  the  reasons  for 
and  against  either  alternative  are  so  delicately 
balanced  that  we  can  hardly  be  sure  which 
way  they  preponderate.  If  those  in  favor 
of  the  Revised  rendering  are  a  shade  more 
weighty,  the  diflference  is  scarcely  enough  to 
warrant  any  change,  not  absolutel,y  neces- 
sary, in  this  peculiarly  hallowed  passage. 


Ch.  XL] 


LUKE. 


197 


5  And  he  said  unto  them,  Which  of  you  shall  have  a 
friend,  and  shall  go  unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say 
unto  him,  Friend, Tend  nie  three  loaves; 

6  For  a  friend  of  mine  in  his  journey  is  come  to  me, 
and  I  have  nothing  to  set  l)efore  him? 

7  And  he  from  within  shall  answer  and  say.  Trouble 
me  not :  the  door  is  now  shut,  and  my  children  are 
with  me  in  Iwl :  I  cannot  rise  and  give  thee. 

8  I  say  unto  you,  "Though  he  will  not  rise  and  give 
him,  because  he  is  his  friend,  yet  because  of  his  impor- 
tunity he  will  rise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he  needeth. 

9  'And  I  say  unto  you,  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you;  seek,  and  ye  shall  fiod;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you. 


5  And  he  said  unto  them.  Which  of  you  shall  have  a 
friend,  and  shall  go  unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say 

6  to  him,  Friend,  lend  me  three  loaves;  for  a  trieud  ot 
mine  is  come  to  me  from  a  journey,  and  I  have  noth- 

7  ing  to  set  before  him;  and  he  from  within  shall 
answer  and  say,  Trouble  me  not;  the  door  is  now 
shut,  and  uiy  children  are  with  tue  in  bed  ;  I  cannot 

8  rise  and  give  thee'.'  1  say  unto  you.  Though  he  will 
not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is  his  triend,  yet 
because  of  his  importunity  he  will  arise  and  give 

9  him  '  as  many  as  he  needeth.  And  I  say  unto  you. 
Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall 


ach.  li:  1,  etc b  Matt.  7  :  7;  21  :  22  ;  Mark  11  :  24;  JotiQ  15:  7;  James  1:6;  I  Joho  3:  22. 1  Or.  KkattoeoertUhigi. 


5-13.  Encouragemknt  to  Prayer. 

The  request  to  be  taught  to  pray,  i.  e.,  how 
to  pray,  i.s  now  granted  ;  but,  with  the  best  of 
models,  the  Saviour  knew  that  the  right  dis- 
position was  still  more  essential,  including  a 
real  sense  of  need,  and  the  free,  child-like 
trust  in  God,  which  goes  spontaneously, 
promptly,  to  him,  and  waits  boldly,  perse- 
veringly,  for  the  desired  blessing.  Hence  it  is 
that,  after  giving  a  specimen  of  what  they 
should  ask  for,  and  in  what  style  of  language, 
he  now  adds  a  lesson  of  encouragement  to 
freedom  and  urgency  in  prayer. 

5-8.  And  he  said  unto  them.  Which  of 
you  shall  have  a  friend,  etc.  The  story  of 
successful  application  to  a  fellow-man  for 
needed  favor,  is  told  in  a  form  of  homelj'  and 
vivid  reality,  and  in  words  of  the  utmost 
familiarity,  and  even  of  conversational  care- 
lessness. The  sentence  is  nttt  grammatically 
consistent,  but  with  ver.  8  changes  from  the 
interrogative  to  the  declarative  form.  It  be- 
comes regular  only  by  some  such  expedient 
as,  at  the  seventh  verse,  to  substitute  for  "and 
he"  "but  who,"  or,  "who  nevertheless." 
Yet  the  intent  of  the  whole  is  beyond  all 
danger  of  mistake. 

The  object  is  to  show  that  in  our  human 
relations,  constancy  in  entreaty  may,  even 
under  the  greatest  discouragements,  secure 
needed  benefits.  So  the  man  in  trouble  is 
supposed  to  go  to  his  friend  at  midnight — 
the  least  favorable  hour  in  the  whole  twenty- 
four,  to  expect  any  exerti()n  tit  the  hand  of  a 
plain,  unsophisticated  man  who  sleeps  in  the 
night,  and  to  whom  rest  is  sweet.  The  first 
application  does,  indeed,  meet  with  little  suc- 
cess.— The  door  is  now  shut — otherwise  the 
applicant  might  enter  and  help  himself  with- 
out troubling  his  friend. — And  my  children 
are  with  me  in  bed.  The  bed,  in  an  ordi- 
nary house,  would  commonly  be  the  divan 
built  along  one  or  more  sides  of  the  living 


room,  which  served  as  a  seat,  or  lounge,  dur- 
ing the  day.  He  could  not  rise  from  this 
without  disturbing  the  children,  and  so  more 
seriously  frustrating  the  night's  repose.  But 
we  are  to  suppose  the  petitioner,  who  will  not 
take  No,  for  an  answer,  to  persevere,  until  he 
finally  prevails.  His  conduct  did  not  seem, 
to  the  Saviour  who  pictures  it,  praiseworthy 
in  any  other  light  than  as  the  simple  expres- 
sion of  a  deeply  felt  necessity ;  for  when  he 
speaks  of  the  man  as  obtaining  by  his  impor- 
tunity what  mere  friendshiij  would  not  grant, 
the  Greek  word  signifies  properly  "discour- 
tesy," "impudence,"  "shamelessness."  He 
asked  for  the  loan  of  three  loaves,  either 
because  from  their  small  size  it  was  thought 
.so  many  might  be  required  bj'  a  hungry  man, 
or,  as  some  think,  for  the  appearance  of 
bounty — one  for  the  traveler,  one  for  the 
host,  and  one  as  a  reserve.  As  the  result  of 
his  rough  urgency  he  will  receive  all  that  he 
needs,  and  apparently  on  more  favorable 
terms  than  he  had  proposed.  He  will  give 
him  as  many  as  he  needeth. 

The  argument  of  this  illustration  is,  that  if 
the  reluctance  of  a  drowsy  man  may  be  thus 
overcome  by  the  persi-stent  and  strenuous  en- 
treaty of  a  neighbor,  much  more  will  God's 
willingness  to  bless  be  moved  by  the  sincere, 
urgent,  and  unremitting  supplication  of  those 
who  need  his  aid.  He  may  cause  them  to 
wait  until  their  faith  is  exercised,  and  they, 
are  better  prepared,  in  every  way,  to  appre- 
ciate the  boon  ;  but  in  due  time  it  will  come, 
either  in  form  as  they  have  desired,  or  as  they 
would  desire,  knowing  what  God  knows. 

9.  This  verse  applies  the  parable  to  the 
hearers. — And  I  say  unto  you.  Ask,  and 
it  shall  be  given  you.  The  statement  is 
without  qualification,  as  of  a  universal  and 
infallible  proposition.  Yet  the  asking  must 
not  be  a  mere  hasty  request,  expressive  of  a 
light  and   fleeting   desire,   but  a  reverently 


198 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XI. 


10  For  every  one  that  asketh  receivetb;  and  he  that 
seeketh  findeth;  and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be 
opened. 

11  "If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a 
father,  will  he  give  hiiu  a  stone?  or  \( he  ask  a  fish,  will 
he  lor  a  tish  give  hiiu  a  serpent? 

12  Or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  he  offer  him  a 
scorpion  ? 

16  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  kijow  how  to  give  good  gilts 
tinto  your  children  ;  how  much  more  shall  yjnr  heav- 
enly Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him? 


10  find;  knock,  and  it  shall  lie  opened  unto  you.  For 
every  one  that  aske'h  receiveth;  and  he  that  seek- 
eth tindeth;  and  to  hiiu  that  knocketh  it  shall  be 

11  opened.  And  of  which  of  you  that  is  a  father  shall 
his  sou   ask   a  loaf,  and  he  give  him  a  stone?  or  a 

12  fish,  and  he  for  a  tish  give  him  a  serpent?    Or  //  he 

13  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  he  give  him  a  scorj)ion?  If  ye 
then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto 
your  children,  how  much  more  shall  //oh;- heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  ? 


a  Matt.  7  : 9. 1  Sume  nacient  iiuthorities  omit,  a  loa/t  and  he  give  him  a  stone  ?  < 


bold  (Heb.  ^.16)  insistence  on  the  petition,  grow- 
ing out  of  a  want  which  can  take  no  refusal. 
This  is  denoted  by  the  term,  seek,  which, 
in  this  connection,  may  mean,  "try  to  find 
the  most  promising  way  of  access,  or  the 
most  eftectual  plea  to  move  the  divine  com- 
passion," but  probably  signifies  only  a  more 
intense,  vigilant,  vehement  solicitude  for  the 
needed  favor. — Knock — viz.,  at  the  door  of 
God's  store-house  of  ble.ssings,  is  a  term  un- 
doubtedly suggested  by  the  preceding  par- 
able, and  denotes  a  continuance,  and  increase 
of  urgency ;  corresponding  to  which — it  shall 
be  opened  unto  you,  signifies  the  finding 
access  to  the  supplies  of  grace  lor  vvhich  we 
pray. 

10.  Verse  10  simply  relates,  in  a  general 
form,  for  the  encouragement  and  guidance 
of  all,  the  truth  which  had  been  so  vividly 
addressed  to  the  disciples. 

11-13.  As  if  the  Saviour  could  not  leave  a 
topic  of  such  vital  importance  to  the  Chris- 
tian life,  he  adds  to  the  preceding  induce- 
ments to  prayer,  the  argument  drawn  from 
the  readine.ss  of  an  earthly  father  to  grant 
the  natural  desires  of  his  children.  The 
Revision,  in  verses  11,  12,  keeps  nearer  to 
the  form  of  the  expression  in  the  Greek. — 
Bread,  fish,  and  eggs  were  common  staples 
of  diet  among  the  people,  and  the  antitheti- 
cal mention  of  bread=a  loaf,  and  a  stone; 
fish,  serpent;  egg,  scorpion,  rests  on  the 
deceptive  resemblance  of  those  objects  in  the 
respective  pairs.  The  question  is  shrewdly 
shaped  to  show  that  no  father  could  so  mock 
the  desire  of  his  child  for  necessary  food. 

13.  If  ye  then,  being  evil — as  ye  natur- 
ally are  ("a  shining  proof  of  original  sin," 
says  Bengel,  on  Matt.  11:  13)— know  how 
to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children — as 
exemplified  in  the  articles  of  food — how 
much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father 
give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him?     The  argument  is  again  from- the  less 


to  the  greater.  God  is  a  spiritual  Father  tc 
them  that  trust  in  him.  According  to  this 
analogy,  rather  than  that  of  a  sovereign, 
governor,  or  judge,  we  are  encouraged  to 
think  of  him,  and  to  believe  that  he  is  just 
as  full  of  aflection  and  sympathy  for  us,  just 
as  ready  to  comfort  and  help,  as  the  tenderest 
parent  on  earth  can  be,  while  his  ability  is 
greater  by  all  the  difference  between  earth 
and  heaven,  where  he  rules  from  the  throne 
of  the  universe. — Give  the  Holy  Spirit — 
not  to  the  exclusion  of  needed  temporal 
good,  but  as  the  sum  of  all  spiritual  bless- 
ing, which  being  bestowed,  all  other  things 
really  indispensable  will  be  added — to  them 
that  ask  him,  in  the  spirit  and  manner,  of 
course,  of  the  preceding  instruction  and  en- 
couragements. As  it  is  not  all  ostensible 
prayer  which  fulfills  these  conditions,  so  only 
H  part  comes  within  the  scope  of  the  promise. 
We  need  not  wonder,  therefore,  that  in  sj)ite 
of  the  fullness  of  God's  offered  stores,  so 
much  formal  prayer  remains  unanswered. 

Although  several  of  the  petitions  of  the 
Lord's  Prayer  may  be  more  or  less  nearly 
matched  by  similar,  detached  sentences  from 
thoughtful  men,  Hebrews,  or  of  the  classic 
nations,  or  of  those  of  further  Asia,  its  origi- 
nality- and  uniqueness  will  never  be  impaired 
until  they  can  nil  be  found,  severally  com- 
plete and  combined  in  so  divine  proportions 
as,  like  this  prayer,  to  express  approj)riate!y 
the  daily  wants  of  the  humblest  child,  while 
they  include  everything  vvhich  the  most  di- 
versified and  exigent  experience  has  occasion 
to  seek  from  God.  Further,  they  must  be 
found  so  composed,  in  sucIj  an  atmosphere  of 
trust,  love,  and  obedience,  on  the  one  hand, 
and  of  almighty,  paternal  care  and  affection 
on  the  other,  as  this  context  exhibits,  before 
they  can  pretend  to  the  place  in  human  hearts 
of  "Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven." 

What  view  of  God  so  exalted  as  not  to  find 
expression  in  the  tender  title,  Father?     What 


Ch.  XI.] 


LUKE. 


199 


14  "And  he  was  casting  out  a  devil,  and  it  was  dumb.  I  14  And  he  was  casting  out  a  demon  which  was  dumb* 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  devil  was  gone  out,  the  |  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  demon  was  gone  out, 
dumb  spake  ;  and  the  people  wondered.  the  dumb  man  spake ;  and  the  multitudes  marvelled. 

1.")  Hut  some  of  them  said,  'He  casteth  out  devils  15  But  some  of  them  said,  i By  Beelzebub  the  prince  of 
through  Beelzebub  the  chief  of  the  devils.  | 

a  Uatt.  9  :  32 ;  12 :  2'i h  Matt.  9 :  31 ;  12  :  '24. 1  Or,  In. 


bond  of  brothcrlinod  so  close  and  solemn  as 
that  of  which  every  one  is  conscious  when  he 
deliberately  says,  in  his  prayer  to  God,  "give 
M.v;"  ■' forgive  ?/s;"  "leadwa".?  Surely  the 
whole  lies  involved  in  even  the  briefest  form 
of  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

This  teaching  binds  us  to  pray  first  of  all, 
and  with  supreme  concern,  for  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  universal  establishment  of  his 
kingdom  in  Christ.  To  this  it  subordinates 
all  desires  for  personal  blessings.  But  it  not 
only  allows,  it  encourages  us,  to  pray  for  what 
is  essential  to  life,  and  strength  for  God's  ser- 
vice— the  bread,  the  fish,  the  egg  of  daily  sus- 
tenance. With  even  more  confidence  may  we 
ask  for  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins,  and  for 
preservation  from  all  evil.  And  what  n)ore 
can  be  thought  of,  fit  to  be  desired  of  God, 
which  is  not  by  implication  contained  in 
these  few  words'.' 

And  how  can  such  prayer  fail  of  fulfill- 
ment? Even  the  hard,  skeptical,  and  cynical 
Juvenal,  after  satirizing  all  human  prayers 
and  wishes,  allows  to  human  weakness  such 
requests  as  we  can  grant  ourselves.  The 
Lord's  Prayer  shows  us  a  scheme  of  petitions 
Comprehending  everything,  which  we  may 
offer  to  our  Heavenly  Father,  with  the  fullest 
assurance  that  he  cannot  help  granting  us 
these  or  what  we  might  prefer,  if  we  so  pray. 

I4-2G.  From  His  Casting  Out  an  Evil 
Spirit,  thk  Scrikks  and  Pharisees  Take 
Occasion  to  Blaspheme. 

14.  And  he  was  casting  out  a  devil 
{demon),  and  it  was  dumb.  The  event  seems 
to  be  the  same  as  that  recorded  in  Matthew 
12:  22  ff. ;  and  imi>lied  in  Mark  3:  19  ff.,  where 
the  connection  in  Mark  would  lead  us  to  think 
that  it  occurred  much  earlier  than  the  period 
of  the  present  journey.  Matthew  speaks  of 
the  demoniac  as  both  blind  and  dumb.  AVe 
may  note  here  again  the  confounding  of  the 
alien  spirit  with  the  )ierson  aflflicted.  The 
latter  was  dumb,  but  the  defect  of  speech  is 
ascribed  to  the  demon  which  had  caused  it. 
The  strongly  continuative  form  of  the  verb, 
was  casting  out— may  have  been  used  with 
the  feeling  that   the  hostile  observers  were 


meanwhile  watching  him.  The  people 
{multitudes)  wondered. — All  three  narra- 
tives of  this  affair  suppose  a  great  throng  to 
have  been  present,  most  of  whom  were  j)roba- 
bly  at  the  time  strangers  to  such  works  of  Jesus. 
Hence  their  wonder  at  the  miracle.  The  in- 
terest manifested  by  such  numbers  would  be 
likely  to  specially  e.vasjierate  his  adversaries. 
15.  But  some  of  them  —  the  Pharisees, 
Matthew ;  scribes  from  J<'rusalem,  Mark — 
said,  He  casteth  out  devils — damons — etc. 
The  Revision  gives  the  right  order  of  words. 
— Beelzebul  (which  is  the  correct  spelling  of 
the  word),  was  a  desigiiiition  of  Baal,  the  chief 
deity  of  the  Phenicians  and  Canaan ites  gen- 
erally. The  worship  of  this  abominable  idol- 
god  had  been  formerly  introduced  among 
the  Israelites  by  Ahab,  in  the  northern,  and 
Ahaz  in  the  southern  kingdom.  One  of  tho 
many  special  names  appropriated  to  him 
(Baal-peor,  Baal-berith,  etc.),  in  different  lo- 
calities and  relations,  was  Baal-zebub  (2  Kingn 
1:1)  =  god  of  flies;  i.  e.,  having  power  over, 
and  able  to  drive  away,  flies.  At  a  later  pe- 
riod, pious  Jews,  now  thoroughly  cured  of 
idolatry,  but  remembering  the  seductive 
power  of  this  temptation  from  Baal-i)eor 
down,  appr(>|)riated  the  name  to  the  chief  of 
the  evil  spirits,  Satan  ;  and,  to  make  it  more 
oft'ensive  to  their  peojde,  changed  it  slightly, 
by  a  play  upon  the  sound,  from  Beel-zebub 
to  Beel-zebul,  meaning,  as  many  think,' 
"dung-baal."  (See  Winer, /?ea/  w'drtrrhuch, 
s.  v.  Beelzebub.)  The  charge  is,  accordingly, 
that  Jesus  was  in  collusion  with  the  prince  of 
evil,  and  only  pretended  to  work  against  the 
latter,  while  using  against  the  minions  of 
Satan  power  lent  by  Satan  himself  Such  a 
charge  would  be  unspeakably  wicked,  if  ut- 
tered hypocritical h',  when  they  did  not  be- 
lieve it;  but  still  more  profoundly  de|iraved 
when  they  actually  believed  the  most  mani- 
fest divine  beneficence  to  be  Satanic  craft. 
Here,  at  least,  sincerity  in  their  accusation 
intensified  its  guilt.  It  proved  such  an  utter 
obliteration  of  the  sense  of  holiness  as  that 
they  could  regard  that  and  the  work  of  the 
devil  as  one  thing. 


200 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XI. 


16  And  others,  tempting  him,  "sought  of  him  a  sign 
from  lieaven. 

17  'But  "^  he,  knowing  their  thoughts,  said  unto  them, 
Every  kingdom  divided  against  itself  is  hrought  to 
desolation  ;  and  a  house  diiided  against  a  house  talleth. 

18  If  Satan  also  be  divided  against  himself,  how  shall 
his  kingdom  stand?  because  ye  say  tlial  I  cast  out 
devils  through  Beelzebub. 

19  And  if  1  by  Beelzebub  cast  out  devils,  by  whom  do 
your  sons  cast  them  out?  therefore  shall  they  be  your 
judges. 


IC  the  demons  casteth  he  out  demons.    And  others,  trj'- 

17  ing  hull,  sought  of  him  a  sign  from  heaven.  But  he, 
knowing  their  thoughts,  said  unto  them.  Every  king- 
dom divided  against  itselt  is  brought  to  desolation; 

18  land  a  house dicfW^rf  against  a  house  falleth.  And  if 
Satan  also  is  divided  against  himself,  how  shall  his 
kingdom  stand?  because  ye  say  that  I  cast  out  de- 

19mons2by  Beelzebub.  And  if  1  2  by  Beelzebub  cast 
out  demons,  by  whom  do  your  sons  cast  them  out? 


a  Matt.  12:  38;  16  :  1 h  Matt.  12:  25j   Miirk  3:  24 c  ''ohu  2  :  25. 1  Or,  and  house  falleth  upon  house 2  Or.  in. 


16.  And  others,  tempting  him,  sought 
of  him  a  sign  from  heaven.  This,  as  ap- 
pears, caine  froin  a  different  quarter.  The 
writer  brings  before  us  two  assaults  upon  the 
Saviour,  on  different  grounds,  before  the  lat- 
ter gives  his  answer  to  either.  This  needs  to 
be  borne  in  mind,  to  appreciate  the  subsequent 
narrative.  These  men  starting,  perhaps, 
from  the  allegation  of  the  others,  that  he 
had  done  this  miracle  through  power  from 
below,  ask  ironically,  that  he  should  give 
them  some  proof  of  his  mission  from  God  by 
a  miracle  out  of  heaven  (compare  the  opinion 
of  Theoph.  quoted  by  Meyer,  on  Matt.  16:  1). 
But  the  expression  was  often  used  by  them  to 
signify  some  particularly  striking  display  to 
the  senses  of  supernatural  action,  such  as  the 
voice  from  heaven  (see  examples  out  of  Rab- 
binical literature  in  Wetstein  on  Matt.  16:  1), 
or,  the  manna  descending  out  of  heaven  (John 
6:30,31),  as  distinguished  from  changes  and 
phenomena  pertaining  to  the  earth.  Notice 
of  this  challenge  Jesus  defers  to  ver.  29,  after 
he  has  dealt  with  the  accusation  of  conspiracy 
with  the  devil.  This  latter  he  refutes  by  two 
arguments:  1,  it  is  contrary  to  obvious  fact 
in  all  analogous  cases  of  earthly  practice 
(ver.  17, 18);  and  2,  to  their  judgment  on  the 
exorcisms  eflected  by  the  Jews  themselves 
(ver.  19).  This  Iciives  as  the  only  true  explana- 
tion (ver. 20),  "by  the  finger  of  God." 

17.  But  he,  knowing  their  thoughts — 
apparently  not  having  heard  their  words- 
said  unto  them.  Every  kingdom  divided, 
etc.  The  maxim  is  at  the  same  time  an 
axiom,  and  needs  no  discussion,  only  to  be 
applied. 

18.  If  Satan  also  be  divided  against 
himself.  Tlie  verb  is  preterit=was  divided, 
to  wit,  in  the  action  which  I  just  performed, 
and  this  regarded  as  a  specimen  of  a  series. 
So  in  Matt.  12 :  20,  the  exact  rendering  is, 
"If  Satan  is  casting  out  Satan,  habitually, 
through  me,  he  was  divided  against  himself," 


namely,  when  he  entered  upon  such  a  plan. 
The  argument,  then,  is:  "If  Satan,  habitually 
by  my  agency,  fights  against  his  own  emissa- 
ries, there  is  plain  belligerency  within  his  do- 
minion—the most  destructive  imaginable. — 
How  shall  his  kingdom  stand?  It  "hath 
an  end"  (Mark  3: 26).  Because  ye  say  that  I 
cast  out  devils  (the  demons)  through  Beel- 
zebub. This  refers  his  argument  and  its  con- 
clusion to  the  charge  thej-  had  made,  and 
witnesses  to  his  indignation  at  the  monstrous 
injustice  which  the^'  had  done  him.  That  was 
aggravated  by  the  partiality  and  inconsistency 
of  their  course. 

19.  And  if  I  by  Beelzebub  cast  out 
devils  {the  demons),  by  whom  do  your 
sons  cast  them  out?  There  were,  in  that 
day,  exorcists  among  the  Jews  who  had  the 
credit  of  casting  out  demons  from  the  pos- 
sessed, and  whom,  from  our  Lord's  way  of 
referring  to  them,  we  must  suppose  to  have 
actually  given  relief  to  some  of  this  afHicted 
class,  ])erhaps  only  occasional,  partial,  tempo- 
rary relief  (Acts  19:  13  ff.,  Jos.  Ant.,  8:  7,  5). 
Many  suppose,  but  unnecessarily,  that  Jesus 
intends  merely  an  ad  hominem  argument, 
sufficient  to  silence  his  adversaries,  since 
they  supposed  their  own  exorcists  to  possess 
this  power. — Therefore  shall  they  be 
your  judges.  Unless  their  own  sons  were 
in  league  with  Beelzebub,  there  was  no 
ground  for  charge  against  him.  Whatever 
might  be  the  fact  as  to  the  .Jewish  exorcisers, 
the  uniform  surprise  manifested  at  Christ's 
power  over  demons  showed  that  his  work  was 
a  veritable  "sign,"  nevertheless,  from  the 
promptness,  the  facility,  and  eflicacy  of  its 
performance,  and  especially  from  the  moral 
atmosphere  which  he  threw  around  him,  and 
the  spiritual  change  which  often  appeared  in 
those  delivered  by  him.  It  was  evident  to 
all  but  the  obstinately  blind,  that  the  power 
of  God  wrought  through  him. 

20.  But  if  I  with  the  finger  of  God 


Ch.  XI.J 


LUKE. 


201 


20  But  if  I  o  with  the  finger  of  God  cast  out  devils,  no 
doubt  the  kingdom  of  tiod  is  come  upon  you. 

21  'When  a  strong  man  armed  keepeih  his  palace, 
his  go<Hls  are  in  peace : 

22  But « when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon 
him,  and  overcome  him,  he  tukcth  from  him  all  his 
armour  wherein  he  trusted,  and  dividcth  his  si)oils. 

2-i  ''lie  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me:  and  he 
that  galhereth  not  with  me  scatterelh. 

24  <  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he 
walketh  through  drv  places,  seeking  rest;  and  Hndin^ 
none,  he  saith,  I  will  return  unto  my  house- whence  1 
came  out. 


20  therefore  shall  they  be  your  judges.  But  if  I  by  the 
linger  of  (Jo<l  cast  out  demons,  then  is  Ihe  kingdom 

21  of  (Jod  come  upon  you.  When  the  strong  nuiit  fully 
armed   guardeth   his  own   court,  his   goods   are   iu 

22  peace:  but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon 
him,  and  overcome  him,  he  taketh  from  him  his 
whole  armour  wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his 

23  spoils.     He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me;  and 

24  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me  scattereth.  The 
unclean  spirit  when  'he  is  gone  out  of  the  man, 
passeth  through  waterless  places,  seeking  rest ;  and 
tindiug  none,  '  he  saith,  I  will  turn  back  unto  my 


a  Ex.  8:  19 6  Miitt.  12:29;  Mark  3:  27. 


:Isa.  53:  12;  Col.  2  :  15.... d  Uiitt.  12:30 e  Mull.  12:43. 1  Or,  it. 


cast  out  devils  (the  demons).  With  the 
finger  of  God  is,  in  Matt.  12:  28,  "by  the 
Spirit  of  God" — both  phrases  being  tigiir- 
ative,  for  "b^'  the  power  of  God."  The 
hypotlietieal  opening  of  the  sentence,  with 
if,  most  strongly  assumes  tliat  the  case  is  so. 
— No  doubt  (or,  T/wn)  the  kingdom  of  CJod 
is  come  upon  you. — Come  upon,  nearly 
=has  overtaken,  has  surprised  you.  The 
Saviour  ascribes  .such  importance  to  this  class 
of  his  mighty  works,  as  to  maintain  that  they 
of  themselves  prove  him  to  be  the  Messiah 
and  head  of  the  new  kingdom.  Where  he 
was,  it  was.  It  was  not  something  to  be 
expected  merely;  but  was  essentially  pres- 
ent. That  it  had  come  upon,  not  merely 
"among"  or  "unto"  them,  implied  that  they 
were  not  ready  for  it,  and  that  it  came  with 
a  shadow  of  hostility  to  the  system  which 
they  upheld. 

21,  22.  Having  refuted  the  blasphemous 
accusation  of  ver.  15,  he  now  describes  his 
procedure  against  Satan. 

21.  When  the  (not  a)  strong  man  (f>iUy) 
armed  kecpeth  (or,  gnardcih)  his  palace, 
etc.— The  strong  man  stands  for  Satan,  who, 
before  the  coming  of  Christ,  holds  the  souls  of 
men  in  peace=securely,  in  his  power  (as  il- 
lustrated by  the  demoniacal  possessions)  as 
being  his  goods — or  possessions,  in  his  pal> 
ace— which  is  the  abode  of  fallen  men. 

22.  But  when  a  stronger  than  he 
(namelj',  Christ,  the  Lord)  shall  come  upon 
him,  etc.— Come  upon  is  not  the  same  verb 
in  the  Greek  as  in  ver.  20.  but  means  simply 
"toattack."  Christ  came  upon  the  adversary 
decisively  in  the  experience  of  the  temptation, 
and  overcame  him. — He  taketh  from  him 
all  his  armor— strictly,  his  panoply— 
wherein=tn  which — he  trusted.  He  strips 
him  of  his  power  of  offence  and  defence — and 
divideth  his  spoils.  It  would  simplify  the 
figure  if  we  could  suppose  the  "panoply"  to 


be  the  retinue  of  demoniac  spirits,  Christ's 
treatment  of  one  of  which  (ver.  14)  had  given 
occasion  to  the  discourse;  but  the  idea  of  a 
complete  armor  seems  too  broad  for  that. 
"Dividing  the  spoils"  is  approi)riating  them 
to  himself,  po.ssibly  assigning  them  to  the  dis- 
ci[)les  as  trophies  of  their  work;  and  the 
spoils  are  the  souls,  called  "his  goods"  in 
the  preceding  verse,  now  noted  as  having  been 
taken  captive  by  him. 

23.  In  this  contest  between  Christ  and  the 
devil,  all  men  are  enlisted,  and  should  be  en- 
listed on  the  side  of  Jesus. 

23.  He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against 
me.  The  remark  holds  good  j)re-eniinent]y 
as  to  that  portion  of  his  hearers  who  had 
charged  him  with  being  in  league  with  Beel- 
zebub. The  first  member  of  the  verse  presents 
a  figure  drawn  from  military  relations,  the 
second  from  the  practice  of  harvesting.— He 
that  gathereth  not  with  me— the  grain 
that  should  enrich  my  garner — scattereth 
abroad  —  wastes  the  harvest,  and  does  what 
ho  can  to  frustrate  mj'  design  of  salvation. 
The  harmony  between  this  and  the  converse, 
superficially  discrepant  proposition  in  9:  50, 
was  pointed  out  on  that  verse. 

24-26.  The  Saviour  was  led  by  his  reflec- 
tions on  theterrible  malignity  which  had  now 
been  evinced  against  him.  to  find  in  the  sub- 
ject of  demoniacal  possession  an  apt  illustra- 
tion of  the  degeneracy  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
as  compared  with  what  it  bad  been  at  a  former 
time.  The  people,  as  cured,  in  the  time  of 
Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  of  their  easily  besetting 
sin  of  idolatry,  and  turned  to  the  service  of 
Jehovah  with  undivided  j)iiri)ose  of  heart,  is 
the  man  out  of  whom  the  unclean  spirit  is 
gone.  The  same  people,  as  they  now  present 
themselves  to  his  view,  hardened  in  unbe- 
lief, formality,  pride  of  legalism,  hatred  of 
the  Messiah,  amounting  even  to  blasj)heiny 
against  the  Holy   Spirit,  is  the  man   repos- 


202 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XL 


25  And  when  he  comet h,  he  fimleth  it  swept  and 
garnished. 

•26  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh  to  him  seven  other 
spirits  more  wicked  than  biniselt';  and  they  erter  in, 
and  dwell  there:  and  "the  last  xtate  of  that  man  is 
worse  than  the  first. 

27  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  spake  these  things,  a 
certain  woman  of  the  company  lifted  up  her  voice,  and 
said  unto  liim, '' Blessed  /.v  the  womb  that  bare  thee, 
and  the  paps  whieh  thou  hast  sucked. 

28  But  he  said.  Yea,  <^ rather,  blessed  are  they  that 
hear  the  word  of  (jod,  and  keep  it. 

29  ''And  when  the  people  were  gathered  thick  to- 


25  house  whence  I  came  out.  And  when  '  he  is  come, 
20  1  he  findetli  it  swept  and  garnished.  Then  goeth 
1  lie,  and  taketh  to  him  seven  otiier  spirits  more  evil 
than  •'!  hiuisell ;  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there: 
and  the  last  state  of  that  man  beeometh  worse  than 
the  first. 

27  -And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  said  these  things,  a  cer- 
tain woman  out  of  the  multitude  lifted  np  her  voice, 
and  said  unto  him.  Blessed   is  the  womb  that  bare 

28  thee,  and  the  breasts  which  thou  didst  suck.  But  he 
said.  Yea,  rather,  blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word 
of  (jod,'and  keep  it. 

29  And  when  the  multitudes  were  gathering  togetlier 


a  JoIid5:  U;  Heb.  6  :  4;  10:  M;  Pel.  2:20 ich.  1 :  28,  48 c  Matt.  7  :  21  ;  ch.  8:  21 ;  James  1 :  25 d  Mutt.  12:  38,  39. 

1  Or,  it 2  Or,  itself. 


sessed  by  the  unclean  spirit,  and  in  a  con- 
dition so  nuieh  more  de.sjjerate  than  before, 
that  it  is  as  if  the  returned  depion  had  brought 
with  him  seven  others  beside  himself  to  dwell 
there. 

24.  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone 
out  of  the  (not  a)  man — in  a  definite  case, 
imagined  as  effected  through  the  exorcism 
of  the  Jews. — He  walketh  (or  pnsseih) 
through  dry  {waterless)  places,  seeking 
rest.  This  was  the  vulgar  idea  (compare 
Baruch,  4:  35;  Tob.  8:  3),  that  unclean  spirits 
haunted  desert  spots,  where  no  water  was, 
esi)ecially  the  sites  of  ruined  and  abandoned 
cities  (compare  Isaiah  13:21;  34:14;  Rev. 
18:  2). — And  finding  none,  he  saith,  lAvill 
return,  etc.  Something  like  this  was  the 
desire  of  the  demons  in  Legicm  (8:31,32),  to  be 
allowed  to  enter  into  the  swine,  rather  tlian  to 
be  .sent  adrift  absolutely  unhoused.  When 
he  says  to  my  house,  he  is  not  aware  of 
having  been  authoritatively  and  effectually 
expelled.  He  came  out,  and  may,  if  he 
pleases,  return.  Tliere  is  typified  the  super- 
ficial and  transient  amendment  which  the 
people  exjjerienced  in  ancient  times,  as  seems 
to  us  more  yirobjibly  intended,  or,  under  the 
preaching  of  .lohn  the  Baptist. 

25.  And  when  he  cometh  he  findeth  it 
swept  and  garnished.  Sucli  is  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  supposed  patient,  restored  to  his 
right  mind.  That  the  house  is  swept  =  clean, 
and  all  its  furniture  and  utensils  in  proper  and 
beauteous  order,  garnished,  implies  what 
Matthew  expre.ssly  adds,  that  it  is  "empty," 
strictly,  "at  leisure,"  ready  for  an  occupant. 
This  signifies  that  when  the  old  idolatrous 
practices  of  the  nation  ceased,  no  divine  spirit 
of  true  repentance,  faith,  heart  obedience, 
had  taken  its  place.— Then  goeth  he  and 
taketh  to  him  seven  other  spirits,  etc. 
This  sets  forth  the  confirmed  incorrigibleness 
of  the  Jewish  people,  now  further  than  ever 


from  any  general  disposition  to  seek  their 
God,  and  wasting  the  remnant  of  their  day 
of  grace  in  machinations  again.st  their  only 
Saviour.  Truly,  the  last  state  of  that  man 
is  worse  than  the  first. 

27,  28.  The  True  .Ground  of  Happi- 
ness. 

27.  As  he  spake  these  things,  a  certain 
woman  of  the  company  (out  of  the  multi- 
tude) lifted  up  her  voice.  This  would  seem 
to  have  been  before  he  had  fully  completed 
his  discourse,  which  he  resumes  in  ver.  29. 
The  woman's  admiration  might  well  be  ex- 
cited both  by  the  matter  and  manner  of  our 
Lord's  discourse.  She  may  have  wished  to 
show  him  that  however  cruelly  he  was  re- 
jected by  the  leaders,  and  neglected  by  the 
mass,  there  were  some  at  least  who  sympa- 
thized with  him,  and  would  fain  do  him 
honor.  In  this  she  was  only  the  mouth-piece 
of  a  great  many  of  the  common  throng. — 
She  lifted  up  her  voice,  either  that  she 
might  make  herself  heard  by  Jesus,  out  of 
the  multitude,  or,  in  order  to  testify  the 
more  imi)ressively  to  all  around  her  honor  to 
the  Lord. — Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bare 
thee,  and  the  paps  (breasts)  which  thou 
hast  sucked  (or,  didst  suck).  "  Her  senti- 
ment is  good,  but  she  speaks  after  the  manner 
t)f  a  vfoman.'^  —^Bengei.  What  a  happiness  to 
have  been  the  mother  of  such  a  son!  So, 
first  of  all,  feels  her  mother's  heart. 

28.  But  he  said — not  able  or  disposed  to 
question  the  blessedness  of  such  a  relation- 
ship, but  much  concerned  that  she  and  all 
should  more  highly  appreciate  the  privilege 
of  hearing  him. — Yea  rather,  blessed  are 
they  that  hear,  etc.  There  is  a  blessing  in- 
deed in  the  outward  kinship,  but  chiefly  in 
the  believing  submission  of  the  heart  to  that 
truth  which  I  bring  from  God  (compare 
8:  19-21). 

29-36.  Continuation  of  the  Discourse 


On.  XI.] 


LUKE. 


203 


gether,  ho  began  *->  say,  This  is  an  evil  generation: 
tliey  seek  a  sign;  and  there  shall  no  sign  be  given  it, 
but  the  sign  of  Jonas  the  prophet. 

30  For  as  "Jonas  was  a  sign  unto  the  Ninevites,  so 
shall  also  the  Son  of  man  be  to  this  generation. 

;U  'The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in  the  judg- 
ment with  the  men  of  this  generation,  and  condemn 
them:  for  she  came  from  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth 
to  hear  the  wisdom  of  .Solomon :  and,  behold,  a  greater 
than  Solomon  /.<  here. 

'■i!  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise  up  in  the  judgment 
with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it:  for  'they 
repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas;  and,  behold,  a 
greater  than  Jonas  u  here. 


unto  him,  he  began  to  say.  This  generation  is  an 
evil  generation:  it  seeketh  after  a  sign;  and  there 
shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it  but  the  sign  of  .lonah. 

30  For  even  as  Jonali  became  a  sign  unto  the  Nine- 
vite.s,  so  shall  also  the  Son  of  man  be  to  this  gen- 

31  eralion.  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in 
the  judgment  with  the  men  of  this  generation,  and 
shall  condemn  them:  for  she  came  from  the  ends 
of  the  earth  to  hear  the  wisilom  of  .Solomon;   and 

32  behold,  la  greater  than  .Solomon  is  here.  The  men 
of  Nineveh  shall  stand  u\i  in  the  judgment  with 
this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  il :  I'or  they 
repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jouah;  and  behold, 
'a  greater  than  Jonah  is  here. 


a  Jonah  1  :  17;  2:  10.... 6  1  KiDg>;10:  1...  .c  Jonah  3  :  5. 1  Gr. 


Interrupted  at  Verse  26.  He  is  now 
ready  to  notice  the  demand  made  (ve.-.  le)  for  a 
sign  from  heaven.     (See  on  that  verse.) 

29.  Antl  when  the  people  were  gath- 
ered thick  together — better.,  the  multitudes 
were  gathering  together  unto  hbn.  He  may 
not  improbably  have  found  additional  reason 
for  expressing  himself  on  the  topic  proposed, 
in  this  streaming  toward  him  of  throngs  more 
eager  to  see  his  wonderful  deeds,  and  even  to 
hear  what  he  might  have  to  say,  than  to  give 
him  the  well-earned  confidence  of  their 
hearts. — He  began  to  say — a  formula  which 
intimates  the  opening  of  an  important  dis- 
course. Indeed,  there  is  no  intimation  in  our 
Gospel  of  any  cessation  of  the  train  of  dis- 
course here  begun,  until  13:  10.  This  (add 
generation)  is  an  evil  generation.  Evil, 
in  that  it  refuses  the  clear  manife.station  of 
(jod's  ])resence  in  him,  in  his  teachings,  his 
life,  and  his  familiar  miracles,  and  grossly 
demands  displays  of  physical  power.  They 
seek  (Greek,  it  neeketh)  a  sign,  and  there 
shall  no  sign  be  given  it.  Tlie  word  sign 
is  used  here  in  that  special  and  ostentatious 
sense  in  which  some  of  them  had  presumptu- 
ously demanded  it.  No  such  sign  would 
Christ  condescend  to  give  them.  There  was, 
indeed,  one  event  yet  to  take  place  concern- 
ing him,  which,  although  far  enough  from 
their  present  thought,  even  they  would  have 
to  admit  was  a  sign  from  heaven — namely, 
his  res^urrection.  Hence  he  adds,  Except 
the  sign  of  Jonas— the  sign,  that  is,  which 
lay  in  the  history  of  Jonah. 

30.  For  as  Jonas  was  (literally,  became 
=  proved  to  be,  turned  out)  a  sign  unto  the 
Ninevites,  so,  etc.  As  Jonah's  coming 
forth  from  a  three  days'  stay  in  the  belly  of 
the  whale,  as  if  alive  from  the  grave,  was  a 
sign  to  the  men  of  Nineveh  that  Jehovah  had 
indeed  sent  him,  so  Christ's  return  from  the 
dead,  after  three  daj's,   would  be — the   verb 


points  to  the  future— a  sign  irrefragable  that 
God  had  sent  him  as  the  Messiah.  (C(mipare 
Acts  2  :  32,  33. ) 

31.  The  mention  of  the  Ninevite.s,  who  re- 
pented at  the  preaching  of  Jonah,  might  have 
recalled  to  the  thought  of  Jesus  the  sad  con- 
trast of  the  effect  of  his  mi.ssion  upon  his  own 
generation,  in  general.  Hence  the  following 
comparisons. — The  queen  of  the  south= 
Sheba,  1  Kings  10:  1 — shall  rise  up  in  the 
judgment  with  the  men— men,  distinc- 
tively, not  human  beings — of  this  genera- 
tion. She  will  rise  in  company  with  them, 
woman  though  she  was,  on  the  .«ame  footing 
with  them  before  the  judgment  bar.— And 
shall  condemn  them— by  recalling  how 
earnest  she  was  to  gain  knowledge  of  Solo- 
mon's wisdom  "concerning  the  name  of  Je- 
hovah "  (comp.  1  Kings  10:  9).— From  the 
ends  of  the  earth.  Sheba  =  Sabjea,  in 
Arabia  Feli.x,  was  at  that  time  practically  a 
great  way  off  from  Jerusalem.  She  put  her- 
.self  to  great  trouble  and  exjjense  to  seek  wis- 
dom at  a  long  distance. — And,  behold,  a 
greater  than  Solomon  is  here.  At  your 
ver3'  door,  within  the  hearing  of  your  ears,  is 
one  offering  treasures  of  wisdom  and  grace,  of 
which  Solomon  had  nothing;  and  j'e  li.sten  to 
him  only  to  cavil,  to  disobey,  to  hate. 

3^.  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise  up 
{=stand  up),  etc.  These  were  j)robably  men- 
tioned before  the  queen  of  the  south,  as  the 
or^ler  is  in  Matt.  12:  41,  but  Luke's  arrange- 
ment consults  chronology  and  rhetorical  cli- 
max.— They  shall  stand  up — side  by  side — 
with  this  generation— so  much  more  fa- 
vored, in  respect  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
God,  and  the  teachings  of  his  Son — and 
shall  condemn  it— by  the  contnist  of  their 
example. — For  they  repented  at  the 
preaching  of  Jonas  (JoD»h3:5);  and,  be- 
hold, a  greater  than  Jonas  is  here.  Yet 
this  generation  has  not  repented,  and  is  not 


204 


LUKE 


[Ch.  XL 


33  "No  man,  when  he  hath  lighted  a  candle,  putteth 
it  in  a  secret  place,  neither  under  a  'bushel,  but  on  a 
caudlestick,  that  I  hey  which  coiue  in  may  see  the  liKht. 

AX  <^The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye:  therefore  when 
thine  eye  is  single,  thy  whole  body  also  is  full  of  light ; 
but  when  thine  eye  is  evil,  thy  body  also  is  full  of 
darkness. 

;{.')  Take  heed  therefore,  that  the  light  which  is  in 
thee  be  not  darkness. 

3(>  If  thy  whole  body  therefore  be  full  of  light,  having 
no  part  dark,  the  whole  shall  be  full  of  light,  as  when 
the  bright  shining  of  a  candle  doth  give  thee  light. 

37  And  as  he  spake,  a  certain  Pharisee  besought  him 


33  No  man,  when  he  hath  lighted  a  lamp,  putteth 
it  in  a  cellar,  neither  under  the  bushel,  but  on  the 
stand,  that  they  that   enter   in    may  see  the  light. 

34  The  lamp  of  thy  body  is  thine  eye:  when  thine 
eye  is  single,  thy  whole  body  also  is  full  of  light ; 
but  when  it  is  evil,  thy  body  also  is  full  of  dark- 

35  ness.     Look  therefore  whether  the  light  that  is  in 
3J  thee  is  not  darkness.     If  therefore  thy  whole  body 

be  full  of  light,  having    no   part  dark,  it   shall    be 
wholly    full   of  light,   as   when   the   lamp   with    its 
bright  shining  doth  give  thee  light. 
37      Now  as  he  spake,  a  Pharisee  asketh  him  to  ^dine 
with  him:  and  he  went  in,  and  sat  down  to  meat. 


a  Matt.  5:  15;  Mark  4:  21 ;  ch.  8:  16 6  See  Matt.  5:  15 c  Man.  6:  22. 1  Gr.  breakfast. 


going  to  repent,  even  after  the  more  than 
Jonas  has  risen  triumphantly  from  actual 
death. 

33-36.  The  Light  of  the  Knowledge 
OF  Christ. 

The  mention  of  Christ  as  the  source 
of  true  wisdom,  superior  to  Solomon,  the 
preacher  tff  God's  truth  greater  than  Jonas, 
carries  with  it  the  thought  of  the  privilege 
of  those  who  most  directly  share  his  instruc- 
tion, and  are  filled  with  light  from  him. 
They  are  as  lamps  that  have  been  lighted. 

33.  No  man  when  he  hath  lighted  a 
candle  (Lamp),  putteth  it  in  a  secret  place 
(or  cellar),  neither  under  (not  a  but  the) 
bushel,  etc.  So  it  is  not  the  design  of  God,  in 
distinguishing  the  disciples  with  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  gospel,  that  they  should  person- 
ally, selfishly,  unprofitably  to  others,  appro- 
i:)riate  this  light  to  themselves,  but  that  they 
sht>uld  conspicuously  exhibit,  and  benefi- 
cently impart  it  to  others  about  them  who 
need  it  (comp.  Matt.  5:  14-16).  Light  is  a 
well-known  symbol  of  saving  knowledge. 

34.  To  fully  acquire  this  salutary  light 
they  need  an  inward  faculty  of  heart,  un- 
derstanding, conscience,  adapted  to  its  re- 
ception. This  is  here  signified  by  the  figure 
of  the  bodily  eye.— The  light  of  the  body 
is  the  eye.  The  metaphor  is  only  half  e.x- 
pressed,  requiring,  to  complete  it,  the  addi- 
tion, "so  is  there  also  an  inward  organ,  a 
power  of  the  soul,  which  discerns  between 
truth  and  error,  right  and  wrong,  and  which 
recognizes  duty,  and  in  its  normal  condition 
should  safely  guide  the  moral  life."  But  as 
the  bodily  eye,  in  order  to  perform  its  func- 
tion well,  must  be  sound  and  healthy — single 
=simple,  unperverted,  true— so  the  mental 
faculty  must  work  clearly,  sincerely,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  reality  of  moral  things. 

This  is  implied,  with  the  force  of  great 
brevity,    in   the  caution   of  verse  35,   which 


speaks  of  a  light  within,  requiring  careful 
attention,  lest  what  is  the  appointed  medium 
of  moral  light,  guiding  to  proper  conduct, 
should  convey  error,  rather,  and  involve  the 
life  in  darkness. 

35.  Take  heed  (literally,  look),  there- 
fore, that  the  light  which  is  in  thee  the 
moral  judgment,  which  is  designed  to  indi- 
cate the  way  of  right  living)  be  not  dark- 
ness— so  dull  and  ineflScient  through  misuse, 
as  to  furnish  no  illumination,  and  not  even  to 
welcome  the  light  aflx)rded  from  without  it. 
The  Greek  says,  is  not  darkness — carrying 
a  strong  intimation  that  attention  will  show 
this  to  be  the  fact. 

36.  The  discourse  comes  back  to  the  out- 
ward image,  leaving  the  application  to  the 
spirit  to  be  made  by  us. — Therefore — seeing 
that  such  is  the  relation  of  the  ej-e  tcj  con- 
duct— if  thy  whole  body  therefore  be  full 
of  light,  etc.  The  body  may  be  regarded 
here  as  standing  for  the  whole  man,  body  and 
soul,  irradiated  by  "the  light  that  is  in  thee." 
The  case  is  that  of  a  man  whose  discernment 
of  right  and  dut^'  is  so  clear  and  unerring,  and 
his  preference  for  it  so  unhesitating,  that  he 
may  be  said  to  have  no  part  dark;  there  is 
no  failure  to  perceive,  no  inclination  to  prac- 
tice evil.     What  is  asserted  of  this  subject, 

I  that— the  whole  shall  be  full  of  light— can 
:  avoid  the  appearance  of  tautology  only  by 
emphasizing  "whole"  in  the  first  sentence, 
and  "full  of  light"  in  the  second.  The  Greek 
for  "full  of  light"  is  "light"  (adjective), 
"bright,"  "luminous." — li  i\\y  tvhole  body 
therefore  he  light,  having  no  part  dark,  the 
j  whole  will  be  —  light  =  theve  will  be  light 
and  nothing  else— as  when  the  bright  shin- 
ing of  a  candle  (better,  the  lamp,  with  its 
bright  shining),  doth  give  thee  light.  The 
lamp,  here,  is  the  house  lamp,  under  the 
radiance  of  which  a  person  in  the  room  is 
completely  illuminated. 


Ch.  XI.] 


LUKE. 


205 


to  dine  with  him:  and  he  went  in,  and  sat  down  to 
meat. 

38  And  "  when  the  Pharisee  saw  it,  he  marvelled  that 
he  had  not  first  washed  before  dinner. 

:j'J  'And  the  Lord  said  unto  hiiu,  Now  do  ye  Phari- 
sees make  clean  the  outside  ot  the  cup  and  the  platter; 
but 'your  inward  part  is  full  of  ravening  and  wick- 
edness. 

40  }V  fools,  did  not  he  that  made  that  which  is  with- 
out make  that  whicli  is  within  also? 

41  <^But  rather  nive  alms  of  such  things  as  ye  have; 
and,  behold,  all  things  are  clean  unto  you. 


38  And  when  the  Pharisee  saw  it,  he  marvelled  that 
he   had    not   first    bathed   himself   before  i dinner. 

39  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Now  do  ye  Pharisees 
cleanse  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  phitter;  but 
your  inward  part  is  full  of  extortion  and  wicked- 

40  ness.     Ye  foolish  ones,  did   not    he   that   made  the 

41  outside  make  the  inside  also?  Howbeit  give  for 
alms  those  things  which  a  are  within;  and  behold, 
all  things  are  clean  unto  you. 


a  Mark  7:3 b  Hnit.  23 :  25 c  Tit. 


:I5. 


.(il!in.&8:7;  Dan.  4 :  27 ;  cb.  12 :  33. 1  6r.  frreaV<>«(-..-2  Or  yet 


37-41.  The  Hypocritical  Scruplks  of 
A  Pharisee. 

37.  And  as  he  spake,  a  (certain  should 
be  omitted)  Pharisee  besought  (or,  better, 
askcth)  him  to  dine  (Gfeek,  breakfnfst)  with 
him.  The  succeeding  narrative  foUovvs  di- 
rectly upon  the  account  of  the  preceding 
discourse  (ver.  is-se).  The  Pharisee,  who  in- 
vites him,  may  have  been  hitherto  ignorant 
of  the  special  teaching  and  character  of  Jesus, 
and  now  curious  to  learn  more  about  him; 
or,  he  may  have  been  on  the  look-out  for  op- 
portunity to  entrap  him  ;  or,  possibly,  from  a 
more  liberal  mind,  simply  desirous  to  culti- 
vate the  society  of  the  great  Teacher.  If  his 
subsequent  course  will  allow  it,  we  should 
prefer  this  last  supposition.  In  either  case 
Jesus  was  ready  to  embrace  any  opi)ortunity 
of  intercourse  by  which  he  might  spread  more 
widely  the  good  tidings  of  the  kingdom. — 
And  he  went  in,  and  sat  down  to  meat. 
The  meal  to  which  he  was  now  invited  was 
not  properly  the  formal  dinner,  but  the  first 
meal  of  the  day — a  breakfast  or  lunch. 

38.  Even  thus — when  the  Pharisee  saw 
it — ^^that  lie  reclined  without  any  formality — 
he  marvelled  that  he  had  not  first  washed 
before  dinner.  The  Greek  for  washed  means 
(e/SaJTTiVeT))  '"been  immersed,"  "dipped."  Rev. 
J.  B.  ]\rcClel!an,  an  eminent  scholar  of  the 
Church  of  England,  translates  "dipped  him- 
.self,"  rightly  as  to  the  main  sense;  yet  the 
verb  is  in  the  passive,  and  implies  rather  that 
the  bath  was  thought  of  as  effected  through 
the  agencj'  of  a  servant.  The  same  author 
translates  the  analogous  passage  (Mark  7: 4), 
"And  after  market,  except  they  dip  them- 
selves"— a  proper  middle  voice  — "they  eat 
not;  "  on  which  his  note  is,  "Greek,  hnptizein 
Matt.  28:  19  ref.,  (which  references  see  in  this 
Com.  on  8:  3),  2  Kings  T):  14,  he  dipped  hiiri- 
self  seven  times  in  the  Jordan  ;  parallel — wash 
thyself  5:  10;  Luke  11:  38;  Heb.  9:  10;  Judith 
12:  7,  8;  she  dipped  herself  in  the  fountain, 


and  came  in  clean. — Sirac,  34:  251  He  that 
DIPPETH  himself  after  touching  a  dead  body  ; 
A.  V.  washeth.  Justin,  Trijpho,  46.  Trypho, 
the  Jew,  said  it  was  even  now  po.^sible  to  keep 
such  Jewish  ordinances  as  the  Sabbath,  cir- 
cumcision, new  moons,  and  dipping  (or,  bap- 
tizing), of  one-self  after  touching  things  for 
bidden." 

39.  The  wonder  of  the  Pharisee  was  prob- 
ably expressed  in  the  Saviour's  hearing.— 
Now  do  ye  Pharisees  cleanse,  etc.  Now 
indicates  a  conclusion="now  I  see,"  "now  it 
is  evident."  Ye  make  yourselves  clean,  by 
external  ceremonies,  as  one  would  do  who 
should,  with  these  dishes  from  which  we  eat, 
wash  the  outside  only. — But  your  inward 
part  is  full  of  ravening  (or  extortion^  and 
wickedness;  your  mind  and  heart  are 
wholly  set  on  selfish  gain,  however  unjust, 
and  the  gratification  of  evil  desires. 

40.  Ye  fools,  did  not  he  that  made 
that  which  is  without  (the  outside),  make 
that  which  is  within  (or  t/ie  iniiide]  also? 
Does  not  common  sense  teach  that  God  the 
Creator  has  at  least  as  tiiuch  care  about  the 
internal  state  of  things  (including  men),  as 
the  external? 

41.  But  rather  (//bw  he  it.  Revision),  unfa- 
vorable as  yiHir  course  looks,  there  is  n  better 
\yay  possible  for  you. — Give  alms  of  such 
things  as  ye  have.  The  Greek  admits  of 
three  possible  renderings,  all,  however,  serv- 
ing to  impress  the  same  lesson,  nainely,  cher- 
ish the  spirit  of  charity,  love,  merc3-  (Mntt. s:  is; 
12:7),  and  you  will  have  no  need  of  external 
purifications.  1.  The  Common  Version  un- 
derstands the  participle  (to  ivovra,  from  ivi),  as 
meaning  "the  things  that  are  jiresent,"  "that 
are  on  hand"  (comp.  Col.  3:  11;  James.  1: 
17).  2.  "Those  things  which  are  within,"  as 
the  Revision  (from  ti/ei^xt).  This  refers  to  the 
contents  of  their  dishes,  the  "cups  and  plat- 
ters," and  the  precept  is:  "Give  as  alms  what 
you  thus  squander  in  luxury;   cultivate  the 


206 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XI. 


42  "But  woe  unto  you,  Pharisees!  for  ye  tithe  mint 
and  rue  and  all  manner  of  herbs,  and  pass  over  judg- 
ment and  the  love  ol(iod:  these  ought  ye  to  have  done, 
and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone. 


42  But  woe  unto  you  Pharisees!  for  ye  tithe  mint 
and  rue  and  every  herb,  and  pass  over  justice  and 
the  love  of  God:  but  these  ought  ye  to  have  done, 


a  M:>lt.  23  :  28. 


spirit  of  .self-denying  charity,  and  all  will  be 
right  with  you."  This  is  preferable  to  the 
previous  translation,  and  connects  itself  with 
the  mention  <»f  the  "within"  and  "without." 
3,  Take  the  participle  as  an  accusative  case 
of  specification:  "as  to  what  is  within,"  now 
meaning  the  mind  and  disposition  ("your  in- 
ward part,")  "give  alms,"  =practice  true  re- 
ligion, and  behold — a  wonderful  effect— nil 
tiling!^ — outside  and  inside — are  clean  unto 
you.  Number  2  is  grammatically  simple, 
and  by  so  much  to  be  preferred.  The  Saviour 
is  not,  of  course,  stating  fully  the  way  of 
sanctification ;  but  only  setting  over  against 
their  outward  legality  the  spiritual,  inward, 


self-denying,  beneficent  nature  of  acceptable 
service  to  God.    "Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 

law"    (Rom.  IS:  8). 

42-52.    Dknunciation  of  thk  Phari- 

RERS   AND   LaVTYKRS. 

The  disparagement  of  Christ's  freedom  of 
conduct  b^'-  his   host  (ver.  as),  may  have  been 


backed   up  by  other  Pharisees   present.     At 
all  events,  he  had  received  an  impression  of 


their  formality,  hypocrisy,  and  utter  lack  of 
love  to  God  or  man,  whicli  bound  him  to  ex- 
pose its  hollowness. 

42.  But  woe  unto  you,  Pharisees  !  This 
woe  combines  grief,  warning,  and  threaten- 
ing. It  is  three  times  repeated  against  the 
Pharisees. — For  ye  tithe  mint  and  rue  and 
all  manner  of  herbs  (every  herb);  the  sin 
was  essentially  in  what  they  left  undone;  but 
this  extravagant  legality  which  led  them  to 
go  beyond  the  requirements  of  their  written 
law,  so  as  to  tithe  the  very  weeds  of  their 
gardens,  was  itself  a  sad  indication  of  their 
conception  of  righteousness. — And  pass  over 
(neglect,  or  fail  to  exercise)  judgment  and 
the  love  of  God.  Judgment  (Hebrew, 
mishpat)  is,  here,  that  course  of  conduct 
which  right  judgment  prescribes=right  con- 
duct, justice,  and  which  God  has  commanded. 
— These  (viz.  judgment  tind  the  love  of  God) 


Ch.  XI.] 


LUKE. 


207 


43  "Woe  unto  you,  Pharisees!  for  ye  love  the  upper- 
most seats  iu  the  synagogues,  and  greetings  iu  the 
markets. 

44  'Woe  unto  you,  scril>es  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites: 
e  for  ye  are  as  graves  wtiich  appear  not,  aud  tlie  men 
that'wulk  over  ihi-m  are  not  aware  of  llifin. 

4">  Tlien  answered  one  of  the  lawyers,  and  said  unto 
liini,  .Master,  thus  saying  thou  reproachest  us  also. 

4()  ,\nd  he  said.  Woo  unto  you  also,  y«  lawyers!  ''for 
ye  lade  men  with  liurdens  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  ye 
yourselves  touch  not  the  burdens  with  one  of  your 
finirers. 

47  '  Woe  unto  you !  for  ye  build  the  sepulchres  of  the 
prophets,  and  vour  fathers  killed  them. 

4.S  Trulv  ve  'bear  witness  that  ye  allow  the  deeds  of 
your  fathers:  for  they  indeed  killed  them, and  ye  build 
their  sepulchres. 


4.3  and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone.  Woe  unto  you 
Pharisees!  for  ye  love  the  chief  seats  in  the  syna- 
gogues,  and    the   salutations    in  the   marketplaces. 

44  Woe  unto  you!  for  ye  are  as  ibe  tombs  which  a|>- 
pear  not,  aud  the  men  that  walk  over  llifin  know 
it  not. 

45  And  one  of  the  lawyers  answering  said  unto  him, 
'Master,  in  saying  this   thou   reproachest   us  also. 

46  And  be  said.  Woe  unto  you  lawyers  also  !  for  ye  lade 
men  with  l)urdens  grievous  to  be  borne,  aud  ye 
yourselves  touch  not  the  burdens  with  one  o''  your 

47  lingers.     Woe  unto  you!  (or  ye  build  the  tombs  of 

48  the  prophets,  and  your  fathers  killed  them.  So  ye 
are  witnesses  and  "consent  unto  the  works  of  your 
fathers:   for  they  killed  them,  aud  ye  build  llieir 


UMalt.-W:  fi:  Mark  li  :  .18,  :<9....6  Matt.  23  :  27....C  Pr.  5  :  9.. .  .d  Matt.  2S  :  4...  .e  Malt.  23  :  29. 1  Or,  Teach»r. 


ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave 
the  other  (Greek  those)  undone,  or  neg- 
lected, i.  c,  so  far  as  they  miglit  be  required, 
or  were  to  be,  done  at  all.  The  right  dispo- 
sition was  necessary'  to  allow  any  value  to 
e.xternal   per  form  an  ces. 

43.  The  uppermost  seats  (or,  chief  sit- 
tings) in  the  synagogues,  were  the  official 
bench  on  wliioh  the  elders  .sat,  facing  the  con- 
gregation. (See  o'l  4:  14.)  The  fault  con- 
demned in  this  ver.se  was  ambition  for  showy 
))reetninence,  and  the  applause  of  men. 

44.  H^'pocrisy,  covering  gross  immorality 
and  corruption  of  heart.  Ye  are  as  (the) 
graves  which  appear  not,  etc.  To  come 
in  contact  with  a  grave,  or  tomb,  was  emi- 
nently' defiling.  To  have  come  too  near  one, 
unaware,  would  greatly  offend  the  scrupu- 
lousness of  a  strict  Jew.  This,  since  graves 
were  irregularly  scattered  about,  and  the  dis- 
tinguishing marks  of  their  presence  would  in 
time  become  obliterated,  was  a  peril  to  which 
every  one  was  liable.  Hence  nothing  could 
be  a  more  expressive  .symbol  of  moral  cor- 
ruption and  hatefulness  than  a  hidden  grave. 
Such,  the  Saviour  saj's,  were  the  conspicuous 
religionists  of  that  time — an  unsuspected  body 
of  corruption  and  source  of  moral  defilement. 

45.  Then  answered  one  of  the  law- 
yers, and  said  unto  him.  Master,  thus 
(or,  in  saying  fhi.i)  thou  reproachest  (dost 
insult)  us  also.  On  the  relation  of  the 
lawyers  to  the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  see 
on  7:  30.  As  educated  to  their  function, 
they  may  have  thought  themselves,  and  ac- 
tually been  regarded,  more  respectable  than 
the  Pharisees.  This  man  seeins  to  have  sup- 
posed that  Jesus  had  not  meant  to  include 
lawyers  in  the  same  condemnation  as  the 
Pharisees,  which  his  language  might  imply, 
and   that,  if  his  attention  was  called  to  it,  he 


would  correct  the  mistake.  But  the  Lord 
had  made  no  mistake.  He  had  spoken  ac- 
cording to  character  and  to  facts;  and  to 
whomsoever  these  pertained,  for  them  his 
words  were  intended. 

40.  Woe  unto  you  also,  ye  lawyers  (or, 
lawyers  also) !  Whether  as  morally  corrupt 
or  not,  the  lawyers  were  in  some  respects 
peculiarly  culpable,  because  they  multiplied 
commandments  and  reciuirements,  as  if  a  part 
of  the  divine  law.  They  wore  fabricators  of 
traditii>n,  which  Ciirist  hated,  and  so  loaded 
men  with  burdens  grievous  to  be  borne 
— precepts  hard,  or  even  impossible,  for  the 
people  to  comply  with. — And  ye  yourselves 
touch  not,  etc.  Their  utter  failure  to  keep 
their  own  commandments  made  their  course 
all  the  more  cruel  to  the  people. 

47.  While  professing  great  reverence  for 
the  former  prophets,  their  spirit  is  one  of  in- 
tense and  murderous  hostility  to  those  who 
come  in  the  character  of  tho.«e  prophets,  and 
so  they  prove  themselves  children,  indeed,  of 
those  who  killed  the  prophets.  To  build  the 
sepulchres=^()?w6s — of  the  prophets,  might 
be  to  their  credit,  if  they  acted  from  a  sincere 
desire  to  honor  them.  But  when  it  was  done 
from  a  hollow  disposition  to  connect  their 
own  names  with  revered  monuments,  it  sim- 
ply evinced  their  likeness  to  those  who  mur- 
dered the  prophets.  Unbelievers  killed  them, 
and  unbelievers  built  their  tombs.  It  is  a 
case  of  fathers  and  children  dealing  with 
God's  prophets. 

48.  Truly  ye  bear  witness,  etc. ;  (accord- 
ing to  the  best  text:  Xo=therefore — ye  are 
witnesses)  viz.,  that  your  fathers  killed  the 
l)rophets — imd  consent  to  the  deeds  of  your 
fathers. —  Co)isent  to  means  "are  well  pleased 
with,"  "take  pleasure  in"'  (Roni.i:32).  The 
Saviour  intimates  that  it  would  be  more  pru- 


208 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  xr. 


49  Therefore  also  said  the  wisdom  of  God,  "  I  will 
send  tlieui  prophets  and  apostles,  and  some  of  them  they 
shall  slay  and  f)er»ecute  : 

51)  That  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets,  which  was  shed 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  may  be  required  of 
this  general  ion  : 

51  ''  Kroni  the  blood  of  Abel  unto  'the  blood  of  Zach- 
anas,  which  perished  between  the  altarand  the  temple: 
verily  1  say  unto  you,  It  shall  be  required  of  this  gen- 
eratiou. 


49  tombs.  Therefore  also  said  the  wisdom  of  God,  I  will 
send  unto  theiu  prophets  and  apostles;  and  some  of 

50  theiu  they  shall  kill  and  persecute ;  that  the  blood 
of  all  the  prophets,  which  was  shed  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world,  may  be  required  of  this  gener- 

51  alion  ;  from  the  blood  of  Abel  unto  the  blood  of 
Zachariah,  who  perished  between  the  altar  and  the 
1  sanctuary  :  yea,  1  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  required 


a  Matt.  23:  34.... 6  Geu.  4:  8....C  2  Chion.  24:  20,  21. 


dent  for  tliem  to  leave  the  tombs  of  the  pro- 
phets neglected  and  forgotten,  than  by  hypo- 
critical appearances  of  honor  to  them,  to  call 
up  the  remembrance  of  their  slaughter  at  the 
hands  of  men  like-minded  with  these  men. — 
They  indeed  killed  them,  and  ye  build, 
etc. — Their  sepulchres,  "  though  supposed, 
is  not  expressed  in  the  Greek.  Your  building 
is  the  natural  sequence  of  their  killing." 

49-51.  Therefore  also  said  the  wisdom 
of  Ciod,  I  will  send,  etc.  What  is  intended 
by  the  wisdom  of  God,  is  very  obscure.  We 
should  naturally  understand  it  to  designate 
some  Book  or  portion  of  the  Old  Testament. 
Not  only,  however,  is  there  no  Book  so 
named,  but  when  we  look  for  a  saying  like 
what  is  here  given,  we  find  nothing  very 
nearly  .similar.  A  variety  of  hypotheses  have 
been  suggested  to  meet  the  difficulty.  In 
Matthew  23:  84  ff.,  the  same  declaration  for 
substance  is  ascribed  to  Christ  himself:  "Be- 
hold I  send,"  etc.,  and  some  have  supposed- 
that  Jesus  here  means  the  wisdom  of  God 
speaking  through  him.  He  cannot,  of  course, 
be  here  quoting  himself  on  a  former  occasion, 
then,  because  the  two  reports  are  of  the  same 
discourse.  And  if  we  could  allow  the  en- 
tirely unparalleled  circumlocution  of.- "the 
wisdom  of  God"  for  "I,"  the  preterit  tense 
"said"  hinders;  for  it  should  be  "says." 
Some  would  have  it  that  an  Apocry))hal 
Book,  now  lost,  called  "Wisdom  of  God,"  is 
cited  here,  but  the  utter  singularity  of  such  a 
proceeding  by  Christ  proi>erly  excludes  this 
conjecture,  even  if  we  had  some  intimation 
that  any  such  Book  had  been  lost.  Godet 
and  others  imagine  that  in  the  early  church, 
the  "Proverbs  of  Solomon"  were  called  sim- 
ply Wisdom,  or  Wisdom  of  God  (comp. 
apoehryphal  Wisdom  of  Jesus  son  of  Sirach, 
Wisdom  of  Solomon),  and  that  then  the  quo- 
tation is  from  the  closing  verses  of  the  first 
chapter.  This  is  "clutching  out  of  the  air" 
a  fancy,  more  pleasant,  perhaps,  than  the 
acknowledgment   of    ignorance,    but    not  so 


profitable.  Somewhat  more  probable,  in  our 
judgment,  is  the  supposition  that  Christ  has 
in  mind  here  several  passages  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, partly  historical  (as  2  Chron.  24:  18 
ff. ;  36:  14  ff.),  partly  predictive  (as  Prov.  1: 
15  ff. ),  taking  the  main  sense  of  which,  as  ap- 
propriate to  his  own  present  use — "I  serld 
unto  you"  (Man. 23:34),  he  throws  it  back  into 
the  purpose  of  God,  which  the  history  simply 
fulfilled.  As  he  was  thus  adapting  to  himself 
what  God  in  his  wisdom  had  planned  and  ex- 
ecuted, he  might  express  himself  in  such  way 
that  the  thought  would  be  both  "the  wisdom 
of  God  said  I  will  send,"  and  "I  will  send." 
One  other  view  may  be  suggested,  that  Jesus, 
seeing  all  this  abuse  and  murder  of  the  an- 
cient prophets  to  be  but  a  type  of  what  the 
early  ministers  of  the  New  Testament  were  to 
meet,  simply  declares  that  this  also  was  a  part 
of  God's  plan.  The  wisdom  of  God=God,  in 
his  wisdom,  said,  viz.,  within  himself,  I  will 
send,  etc.  As  God  would  do  this  through 
Christ,  the  mode  of  his  expression  might  have 
allowed  the  equivalent  report,  1  send,  etc. 
This  would  be  an  unparalleled  form  of  state- 
ment with  our  Lord,  but  in  no  other  .sense 
unnatural.  These  conjectures  are  ventured 
merely  as  such,  where  nothing  but  conjecture 
is  possible,  and  where  room  for  conjecture 
seems  exhausted.  It  must  be  left  as  a  very 
dark  expression.  The  prophets  spoken  of 
I  are  those  of  the  New  Testament  Church 
l(Rph.4:ii),  and  they  are  mentioned  before 
!  apostles  (comp.  "messengers,"  2  Chr.  36: 
j  15),  not  because  of  superior  rank,  for  in  the 
'  New  Testament  they  everywhere  stand 
second,  but  to  bring  Christ's  ministry  into  ob- 
vious association  with  that  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment as  the  objects  of  a  continuous  persecu- 
tion.— And  some  of  them  they  shall  kill 
and  persecute.  This  was  literally  fiilfilled 
within  the  period  of  the  inspired  history. — 
Acts  13:  1-3;  2  Cor.  11 :  23  ff. ;  1  Thess.  2:  14  f. 
50.  That  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets, 
etc.     All  the  prophets  that  had  been  slain  in 


Ch.  XI.] 


LUKE. 


209 


52  «  Woe  unto  you,  lawyers!  for  ye  have  taken  away 
the  key  of  knowledge:  ye  entered  not  in  yourselves, 
and  theui  that  were  entering  in  ye  hindered. 

5;{  And  as  he  said  these  things  unto  theiu,  the  scribes 
and  the  Pharisees  began  to  urge  him  vehemently,  and 
to  provoke  him  to  speak  of  many  things : 


52  of  this  generation.  Woe  unto  you  lawyers!  for  ye 
took  away  the  key  of  knowledge:  ye  entered  not 
in  yourselves,  and  them  that  were  entering  in  ye 
hindered. 

53  And  when  he  was  come  out  from  thence,  the 
scribes  and  the  Pharisees  began  to  '  press  upon  hiin 
vehemently,  and  to  provoke  him  to  speak  of  ^many 


a  Matt.  23:  13. 1  Or,  ttt  themtelvet  vthtmtntly  aga{n<(  him 4  Or,  more. 


tho  world  were  slain  by  the  Jewish  people, 
and  these  men  might  be  held  responsible  for 
the  guilt,  as  every  generation  must  inherit  the 
con.sequences  of  the  conduct  of  every  preced- 
ing generation  of  their  line. 

51.  But  Jesuc,  looking  at  the  spirit  of  his 
contemporaries  as  that  of  all  hostility  to  true 
piety,  the  genuine  spirit  of  Cain,  includes 
Abel  among  the  prophets,  and  charges  them 
with  the  murder  of  the  first  righteous  man, 
recorded  in  the  first  book  of  their  Bible,  and 
of  Zacharias— the  last  recorded,  in  the  last 
book,  as  it  stood  in  the  order  of  the  Jewish 
Scriptures,  namely,  in  2  Chron.  24:  20  ff.— 
Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  It  shall  be  re- 
quired, etc. — The  certainty  of  prophetic  fore- 
.sight,  and  the  tenderness  of  national  sym- 
pathy, both  speak  in  this  repetition  of  the 
solemn  and  dreadful  truth.  Each  genera- 
tion had,  indeed,  experienced  something  of 
the  consequences  of  its  own,  and  of  the  for- 
mer sins;  but  in  a  peculiar  sense  would  the 
penalty  of  all  fall  on  this  generation,  because 
it  was  to  be  the  last  on  its  ancestral  ground, 
and  was  to  perish  most  miserably.  There 
were  those  then  living  who  could  witness  and 
suffer  the  unspeakable  horrors  of  the  war  of 
Titus,  including  the  siege  and  destruction  of 
their  idolized  capital. 

52.  Woe  unto  you,  lawyers  ! — Christ  re- 
turns to  the  enumeration  of  their  sins,  and 
emphasizes  their  darkening  and  perversion  of 
the  teachings  of  their  Scripture.  In  that, 
rightly  understood  and  applied,  lay  the 
knowledge  which  should  serve  as  a  key  to 
open  the  door  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — 
Ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of  knowl- 
edge— namely,  the  key  to  unlock  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  which  key  consists  in  knowl- 
edge. The  possessive  case  is  one  of  apposi- 
tion, like  "the  city  of  New  York.''  Right 
knowledge  of  the  teaching  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, as  John  the  Baptist  would  have  led 
them  to  see  it,  was  suited  to  prepare  for  the 
reception  of  Jesus.  But  such  knowledge,  the 
lawyers,  through  their  hard,  formal,  lifeless  in- 
terpretations, and  through  the  multiplication 


O 


of  burden.some  traditions,  had  precluded,  had 
taken  away  from  the  sight  of  those  wlio  de- 
pended on  them  for  light.— Ye  entered  not 
in  yourselves — a  truth  of  fearful  significance 
to  them  personally,  but  which  is  mentioned 
to  signalize  a  truth  that  weighed  still  more 
heavily  on  the  heart  of  our  Lord,  that  they 
had,  by  their  errors  and  willfully  false  instruc- 
tions, led  away  a  multitude  of  simple  souls, 
ready  to  enter  upon  the  way  of  life.— And 
them  that  were  entering  in  ye  hindered. 
The  Saviour  recalls  "the  crowds,"  "multi- 
tudes," that  have  hung  on  his  teaching,  and 
been  melted  by  his  beneficence,  and  who 
seemed  at  times  to  have  ranked  themselves 
under  his  banner,  as  his  disciples,  and  sharers 
of  his  kingdom.  But  around  them  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  and  lawyers  have  lurked, 
watching,  reproving  them  for  their  attach- 
ment to  Jesus,  making  light  of  his  claims, 
contradicting  what  he  taught,  and  even  charg- 
ing him  in  his  holiest  self-manifostations  with 
being  the  agent  of  the  devil.  AVhat  wonder, 
then,  that  he  should  once  and  again  have 
been  grieved  to  see  many  of  his  disciples  go 
back,  and  walk  no  more  with  him?  And 
when  we  think  how  powerfully  these  religious 
leaders  had  hindered  the  saving  influence  of 
Jesus  over  the  mass  of  his  nation,  is  it  strange 
that  his  denunciation  now,  on  the  very  verge 
of  the  national  opportunity',  should  thunder 
and  blaze  against  them  ? 

53,  54.  Further  Snares  Laid  eor  Je- 
sus BY  THE  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 

53.  And  as  he  said  these  things  unto 
them  (better,  nnd  when  he  was  come  out  from 
thence);  the  Revision  conforms  to  the  text  as 
restored  according  to  the  best  authorities. 
The  Pharisees  followed  him  out,  full  of  ani- 
mosity, and  eager  still  to  harm  him. — The 
Scribes  (^aioyers)  and  the  Pharisees 
began  to  urge  {^press  npon)  him  vehe- 
mently— by  words  and  acts  of  enraged  hos- 
tility— and  to  provoke  him  to  speak  of 
many  things.— The  rare  Greek  verb  here 
used  would  seem  to  mean  "to. urge  tO'  speak 


210 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XII. 


54  Laying  wait  for  him,  aiid  "  seeking  to  catch  some- 
thing out  oi  his  mouth,  that  they  might  accuse  him. 

CHAPT 

IN  ''the  mean  time,  when  there  were  gathered  to- 
gether an  innumerable  muUitude  of  people,  inso- 
much that  tliey  trode  one  upon  another,  lie  began  to 
say  unto  his  disciples  first  ol  all,  "^Beware  ye  of  the 
leaven  of  the  Fluuisees,  which  is  liypocrisy. 

2  ''For  there  is  nothing  covered,  that  shall  not  be 
revealed;  neither  hid,  that  shall  not  be  known. 

3  Therelore,  whatsoever  ye  have  spoken  in  darkness 
shall  be  heard  in  the  light;  and  that  which  ye  have 
spoken  in  the  ear  in  closets  shall  be  proclaimed  upon 
the  housetops. 


I  54  things;  laying  wait  for  him,  to  catch  semething  out 
{        of  his  mouth. 

EK  XII. 

1  In  the  mean  time,  when  '  the  many  thousands  of 
the  multitude  were  gathered  together,  insomuch 
that  they  trode  one  upon  another,  he  began  to  2 say 
unto  his  disciples  first  of  all.  Beware  ye  of  the  leaven 

2  of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy.  But  there  is 
nothing  covered  up,  that  shall  not  be  revealed:  and 

3  hid,  that  shall  not  be  known.  Wherelore  whatso- 
ever ye  have  said  in  the  darkness  shall  be  heard  in 
the  light;  and  what  yc  have  spoken  in  the  ear  in  the 
inner  chambers  shall  be  proclaimed  upon  the  house- 


rk  12:  13.... 6  Mau.  16:6;  Mark  8:  15.... c  Matt.  16;  V2...  .d  Matt.  10:  26;  Mark  4  :  22  ;  ch.8:17.- 
say  unto  his  disciples,  First  o/  alt  beware  ye. 


-1  Gr.  the  myriads  of. 2  Or, 


off-hand,"  and  so  McClellan  translates;  why, 
is  explained  by  the  next  clause. 
54.  Laying  wait  for  him,  and  seeking 

(all    the   best   editors   omit   and;    most   omit 


Jesus  had  used  it  before  (Matt.  16:  12),  to 
denote  the  "teaching"  of  the  Pharisees,  that 
which  they  taught,  their  characteristic  prin- 
ciples, which  determined  their  spirit  and  con- 


seeking)   to    catch    something   out  of   his     duct.     Here  also  it  means  the  same.     Jesus 


mouth.  They  hoped  to  induce  him  to  say 
something  without  premeditation,  which  they 
could  make  a  ground  of  accusation  against 
him.  This  purpose  is  expressed  in  the  last 
clause  of  the  Common  Version,  with  slender 
support  of  the  authorities.  What  conduct  of 
theirs  could  better  justify  his  denunciations 
of  the.m? 

Ch.  12:  1-3.  "Warntxg  Against  the 
Principles  of  the  Pharisees. 

1.  In  the  mean  time,  when  there  were 
gathered  together  an  innumerable  mul- 
titude of  people  (better  Revised  Version, 
when  the  tnnny  t/iousnnds — Greek,  myriads — 
of  the  multitude  were  gathered  together). 
During  the  period  of  the  preceding  discourse 
the  people,  hetiring  that  Jesus  was  in  that 
place,  had  been  assembling  from  various 
quarters,  (ii:29),  and  now  constituted  a  vast 
throng  about  him.— Insomuch  that  they 
trode  one  upon  another,  in  the  eagerness 
of  each  one  to  get  nearest  to  him. — He  began 
to  say,  a  phrase  which,  as  we  have  repeat- 
edly seen,  intimates  the  opening  of  an  im- 
portant discourse. — Unto  his  disciples  first 
of  all.  Many  prefer  to  connect  first  of  all 
with  what  foUovvs:  first  of  all  beware,  etc.; 
but  as  this  speech  is  interrupted  by  address  to 
others  ^ver.  13,  ff),  and  turns  entirely  from 
the  disciples  (13;  1,  ff',  we  may  as  well  refer 
the  phrase  to  them  in  this  place  :  to  the  dis- 
ciples first,  to  others  afterward.— Beware  ye 
of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  which  is 
hypocrisy.     Leaven  was  an  apt  symbol  of 


had  just  had  a  very  impressive  specimen  of 
that  spirit  and  conduct,  which  had  led  him  to 
portray  them  in  the  unflattering  coU>rs  of  his 
rebuke.  Had  he  been  moved  also  by  the  dis- 
covery that  the  seeming  courtesy  of  his  invi- 
tation, 11:  37,  had  been  all  part  of  a  stratagem 
to  involve  him  in  hostilities  with  the  religious 
authorities?  This  may  possibly  have  entered 
into  his  reasons.  The  reason  why  they  should 
beware  of  what  distinguished  these  sancti- 
monious notables  was  that  it  was  hypocrisy. 
Not  their  by  pocrisy,  separately,  but  their  prin- 
ciples and  teachings,  as  being  all  hypocritical, 
insincere,  canting,  a  pre-eminent  specimen  of 
hypocrisy.  The  Greek  (iJTis)  for  which  is, 
means  strictly,  ''''seeing  that  it  is,"  thus  mark- 
ing the  fact  as  a  reason  for  being  on  one's 
guard  against  the  thing.  Every  view  that  he 
took  of  their  character  and  proceedings,  in 
the  fuller  report  of  Matthew  (23:  i3, 15, 23,  etc.), 
called  forth  the  appellation,  "hypocrites"! 
No  one  could  be  infected  with  their  leaven 
without  being  a  hypocrite,  and  nothing  of 
this  would  he  have  in  his  kingdom. 

3.  Bid  (not  For)  there  is  nothing  covered 
(up. — Revision),  that  shall  not  be  revealed, 
uncovered,  etc.  Ever^-  pretext  is  sure  to  be 
stripped  off;  every  imitation  of  truth  to  be 
exposed  in  its  real  falseness ;  every  counter- 
feit of  honesty  and  goodness  to  be  branded 
as  spurious  ;  all  sham  righteousness  to  be  held 
up  as  base  and  pernicious  fraud.  This  result 
will  be  reached,  if  not  before,  at  the  day  of 
judgment,  and  it  will  be  reached  in  the  case 


any  active  principle  calculated  to  spread  its  \  of  those  who  claim  to  be  my  disciples,  as  well 
influence,  and  bring  .surrounding  objects  into  |  as  in  that  of  the  Pharisees  and  their  like, 
correspondence    with    itself,     (i3:  21;  1  cor.  5:6).  |      3.  Therefore,  whatsoever  ye    have 


Ch.  XII.] 


LUKE. 


211 


4  "And  I  say  unto  you  'my  friends,  Be  not  afraid  of 
tlieni  mat  kill  the  body,  and  alter  tiiat  have  no  more 
that,  (hoy  can  do. 

.')  Hut  1  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall  fear:  Fear 
him,  which  alter  he  hath  killed  hath  power  to  east  into 
hell ;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  Fear  hiiu. 


4  tops.  And  I  say  unto  you  my  friends.  Be  not  afraid 
ol  them  that  kill  the  body,  and  alter  that  have  no 

5  more  that  they  can  do.  liul  I  will  warn  you  whom 
ye  shall  tear;  Fear  him,  who  alter  he  hath  killed 
hath  '  power  to  cast  into  -  hell ;  yea,  1  say  unto  you, 


a  Isii.  51  :  7.  8.  U,  13;  Jer.  1 ;  8;  Mail.  10:  iS 5  John  15:  14,  15. 1  Or,  authority 2  Gr.  Gekenna. 


spoken  (ye  said)  in  (the)  darkness,  etc.  In 
applying  the  general  remark  to  his  disciples, 
by  way  of  conclusion,  thereft>re,  he  views 
them  in  reference  to  all  their  words,  private 
conversation,  as  well  as  public  discourse,  as 
a  revelation  of  their  character;  and  demands 
that  all  shall  be  sincere  and  truthful.  The 
darkness,  in  which  some  of  their  words  will 
have  been  spoken,  is  the  state  of  imperfect 
discernment  of  character  and  tendencies  in 
the  present  life ;  and  the  light  is  tlie  full 
publicity  of  the  day  of  judgment.  Simply 
parallel  to  these  expressions  are,  in  the  ear 
in  closets,  and  on  the  house  tops,  respect- 
ively. They  tire  two  pairs  of  metaphors  for 
a  state  of  ignorance,  and  one  of  knowledge,  of 
its  concealment,  and  of  complete  manifesta- 
tion. The  preterit  tense,  ye  said,  puts  the 
bearer  at  the  point  of  final  disclosure — what 
at  that  time  it  will  be  seen  that  ye  said,  etc. 
It  is  hard,  with  Meyer  and  others,  to  confine 
this  to  the  preaching  of  tiie  apostles,  and  make 
the  darkness  mean  the  privacy  necessitated 
by  persecution,  and  the  light  the  libertj'  of 
proclamation  which  they  would  afterwards 
enjoy. 

4-12.  God  will  Protect  Ag.\inst  the 
Hatred  and  Danger  which  Frank  Sin- 
cerity IN  the  Utterance  of  the  Truth 
will  Incur. 

4.  And  I  say  unto  you  my  friends.  The 
disciples  are  still  addressed ;  but  a  new  and 
important  branch  of  the  discourse  opens. 
My  friends,  must  have  had  a  touching  signifi- 
cance to  him  and  to  them,  after  the  treatment 
which  he  had  just  received  frotn  the  Pharisees. 
—Be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body, 
and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they 
can  do.  Men  may,  in  their  displeasure  at 
your  fidelity  to  the  truth,  put  you  to  death. 
(So  they  did  afterward  to  James,  Peter,  Paul, 
and  many  such).  But  their  rage  cannot  go 
beyond  the  bounds  of  natural  life,  readiness 
to  lose  which,  for  Christ's  sake,  is  one  of  the 
known  conditions  of  discipleship  (9:  23-2")). 
The  actual  loss  of  it  was,  moreover,  according 
to  Christ's  teaching  and  the  belief  of  the  early 
Christians,  the  more  speedy  attainment  of  the 


higher  heavenly  life  (pmi.  i :  21-23).  There  would 
be  even  to  them  a  dread  of  that  physical 
wrench  which  parts  soul  and  body,  a  sorrow 
for  the  loss  to  those  who  loved  them;  but 
deeper  fear  of  death  they  did  not  feel. 

5.  But  I  will  forewarn  (better,  warn)  you, 
etc.  The  Saviour  seems  to  say,  Ye  are  indeed 
in  peril;  fear  is  an  inevitable  incident  of 
thoughtful  human  experience;  whichever 
course  ye  take,  ye  will  excite  displeasure. 
But  much  depends  on  whose  fear  ye  cherish, 
and  whose  hatred  ye  brave. — Fear  him 
which,  after  he  hath  killed  hath  power 
to  cast  into  hell.  This  undoubtedly  de- 
scribes God,  who  inflicts  the  final  penalty  for 
sin,  toward  whom  that  "fear  wliich  is  the 
beginning  of  wisdom"  is,  even  under  the 
gospel,  a  reasonable  state  of  mind,  and  most 
reasonable  in  the  face  of  temptation  to  dis- 
obey him.  Several  modern  expositors,  among 
them  even  Stier  and  Van  Oosterzee,  have 
strangely  understood  that  Jesus  here  incul- 
cates on  his  disciples  the  fear  of  Satan.  If 
any  one  needs  argument  that,  after  God  has 
"delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness, 
and  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear 
Son"  (Col.  1:13),  we  need  more  in  order  to 
avoid  all  harm,  than  to  fear  God,  he  may  read 
the  words  of  Alford  on  Matthew  10 :  28, 
which  is  quoted  also  by  the  American  editor 
of  Lange  on  our  passage. — Yea,  I  say  unto 
you.  Fear  him.  An  empliatic  repetition  to 
intimate  the  solemnity  of  the  subject.  Hell 
iydevva.)  is  the  place  and  state  of  the  impenitent 
sinner  in  the  eternity  to  come.  The  Greek 
word  was  intended  to  be  a  mere  translitera- 
tion of  the  Hebrew,  Oe-Hinnom ;  valley  of 
Hinnom;  shortened  from  the  valley  of  the 
son,  or  sons,  of  Hinnom  (Josh  15 : 8;  2  Kings 23: 10). 
This  was  the  name  of  the  deep  vallej',  or  ra- 
vine, which  runs  along  the  west  and  .«outh  side 
of  Jerusalem.  Accordingto  some  authorities, 
the  name  was  applied  also  to  some  portion  of 
thevalley  of  Kidron.eastofthecity.  (Smith's 
Diet  of  Bib.,  Art.  Topheth.  Recovery  of  Je- 
rusalem, p.  2C9.)  It  was  naturally  a  pleasant 
and  fruitful  scene  ;  and,  as  such,  doubtless, 
was    appropriated    by   corrupt   and   apostate 


212 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XII. 


6  Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  "farthings,  and 
not  one  of  them  is  forgotten  before  God? 

7  But  even  tlie  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  num- 
bered. Fear  not  therefore:  ye  are  of  more  value  than 
luauy  sparrows. 

6  ''Also  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  confess  me 
before  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  also  confess  be- 
fore the  angels  of  God : 


6  Fear  him.    Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  pence? 
and  not  one  of  them  is  forgotten  in  the  sight  of  God. 

7  But  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered. 
Fear  not:  ye  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows. 

8  And  1  say  unto  you,  Every  one  who  shall  confess 
1  me  before  men,  2  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  also  con- 


1  See  Mart.  10  :  29 b  Matt.  10  :  32  :  Mark  » :  38  ;  2  Tim.  2:12;  1  John  2 :  23. 1  Gr.  im  me 2  Gr.  in  Mm. 


kings  to  the  idolatrous  worship  of  Baal  and 
'Moloch,  with  all  the  cruelties  involved  in  it. 

■(2Ciiron.28:3;:«:6;  Jer. 7  ;31;  19:2-6.)        A       particular 

portion   of   the    valley,    called    Topheth,    or 
Tophet,  was  specially  polluted  by  this  pagan 
worship.     King  Josiah,  and  others,  took  great 
pains   to   defile   the  spot,  so  as  to  prevent  a 
repetition    of  the    wickedness,   by  depositing 
there    the    carcasses    of    beasts,    and    bodies 
of    executed   criminals,    and    making    it  the 
dumping-ground  of  all  refuse  and  filth  of  the 
city.     It  thus  became  an  abomination  to  all 
pious  Jews,    and   is   reported,    in    Talmudic 
traditions,  to  have  been  made  still  further  hor- 
rible by  the  presence  of  perpetual  fires,  which 
were   necessary   to   consume   the    pestiferous 
■oflTal.     Although  this  last  statement  is  denied 
by  Dr.  Edward  Kobinsonand  others  (impliedly 
by   Winer,    Realwortej-bnch,    Art.   Hinnom), 
the  traditions  seem  to  fall  in  with  the  necessities 
of  the  case,  as  some  such  consumption  of  the 
refuse  must  have  been  necessary  to  the  health 
of  the  city,  and  to  its  ceremonial  purity.     If 
only  from   the   remembrance   of  the   fires  of 
Moloch,  the  valley  was  called  later,  "Gehenna 
of  fire."     To   it,  specially  to   Tophet,  Isaiah 
probably  refers  (sfi :  24),  when  he  speaks  of  the 
carcasses  of  transgressors  there,  and  says,  "their 
worm  shall  not  die;  neither  shall  their  fire  be 
quenched."     He   expressly  names  the   place 
(30:33),  when  he  says,  symbolically,  that  the 
Lord  hath  widened  and  deepened  it,  to  make 
it  capable  of  holding  all  that  should  be  buried 
there  (comp.  Jer.  7  :  31-33),  and   adds,  "the 
breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream  of  brimstone, 
doth  kindle  it."     Thus  early  was  the  natural 
conception  of  this  horrid  place  becoming  fit 
to  represent  the  scene  of  future  punishment  to 
God's  enemies.     The  idea  of  such  punishment 
was  not  yet  distinctly  revealed  ;  but  it  became 
clearer  with  the  progress  of  revelation  in  the 
Old  Testament.     In  the  Apocalyptic  Book  of 
Enoch,  dating  from  not  earlier  than  100  B.  c, 
the   Messianic    judgment    on   the   wicked   is 
made   to   take  place   in    an   accursed  valley, 
which  is  for  those  who  shall  be   accursed  to 
eternity.     (See  the  passage  cited   in   Smith, 


Diet,  of  the  Bib.,  p.  880.)  When,  therefore, 
our  Saviour  needed  a  term  to  denote  his  view 
of  the  future  condition  of  those  who  died  dis- 
obedient to  God,  the  name  of  that  opprobrious 
valley  was  ready  to  his  hand.  Gehenna,  sug- 
gestive of  the  fires  of  shameful  and  cruel  idol- 
atry, of  reeking  corruption,  and,  probably, 
also,  of  perpetual  flames  and  smoke,  and  of- 
fensive odors,  would  be  as  expressive  a  symbol 
of  the  place  of  eternal  punishment,  as  would 
be  the  banquet  with  Abraham,  the  thrones  of 
honor,  the  Father's  house  with  its  many  man- 
sions, of  the  scene  and  circumstances  of  the 
eternal  felicity  of  the  saints. 

6.  Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two 
farthings?  only  about  four  mills  apiece;  a 
sum  too  small  for  us  to  represent  by  any  coin, 
though  itisprobable  that  its  purchasing  power 
may  then  have  been  greater  than  that  of  one 
cent  now. — And  not  one  of  them  is  forgot- 
ten before  (or,  in  the  sight  of)  God.  What 
a  proof  of  the  sleepless  vigilance  and  care  of 
the  Creator  for  all,  even  the  least,  of  his  crea- 
tures ! 

7.  But — so  far  from  his  forgetting  a  spar- 
row—even the  very  hairs  of  your  head 
are  all  numbered  ;  have  all  been  counted. 
Such  is  his  attention  to  his  created  things, 
merely  as  such.— Ye  are  of  more  value 
than  many  sparrows.  Ye  are  more  than 
mere  creatures — servants,  children,  redeemed 
ones,  who  will  far  less  be  left  uncaredfor  than 
they.  The  argument  is  of  the  same  force  as 
that  in  Matthew  6:  26-30. 

8.  9.  These  verses  add  another,  not  less 
powerful,  incentive  to  fidelity  to  Christ,  drawn 
from  the  experiences  of  the  last  day.  Who- 
soever shall  confess  me  before  men.  To 
confess  Christ  is  to  avow  one's  faith  in  him 
as  being  that  which  he  claims  to  be,  Messiah 
and  Saviour,  and  to  render  to  him  in  practice 
that  religious  recognition  which  is  due.  This 
involves  self-denial  always,  generally  some- 
thing of  sacrifice,  and  sometimes  the  hazard 
of  life;  but  not  for  naught.  The  recompense 
is  to  be  ample.— Him  shall  the  Son  of  man 
also  confess  ;  i.  e.,  recognize   as  a  faithful 


Cn.  XII.] 


LUKE. 


213 


9  But  he  that  denieth  me  before  men  shall  be  denied 
before  the  angels  of  (>od. 

IJ  And  "whosoever  shall  speak  a  word  against  the 
Son  of  mau,  it  shall  be  forgiven  hiiu:  but  unto  hiui 
that  blasphemeth  against  the  Holy  Uhost  it  shall  not 
be  forgiven. 

11  *And  when  thev  bring  you  unto  the  synagogues, 
and  unto  mag'strales,  and  powers,  take  ye  uo  thought 
how  or  what  thing  ye  shall  answer,  or  what  ye  shall 
say: 

12  For  the  Holy  (ihost  shall  teach  you  in  the  same 
hour  what  ye  ought  to  say. 


9  fess  before  the  angels  of  (Jod:  but  he  that  denieth 
me  in  the  presence  of  men  shall  be  denied  lu  ihe 

10  presence  of  the  angels  of  liod.  And  every  one  who 
shall  sjjeak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall 
be  forgiven   him:  but  unto  him   that  blasphemeth 

11  against  the  Holy  Spirit  it  shall  not  be  forgiveu.  And 
when  they  bring  you  before  the  synagogues,  and  the 
rulers,  and  the  authorities,  be  not  auxious  hoxv  ojt 

12  what  ye  shall  answer,  or  what  ye  shall  say:  lor  the 
Holy  Spirit  shall  teach  you  in  that  very  hour  what  ye 
ought  to  say. 


aUatU  12:31,32;  Marli  3  :  28;  IJiiha  5  :  16 b  Halt.  10:  19;  Mark  13:  11;  cb.  21 :  14. 


and  worthy  disciple,  <;ntitled  to  the  eternal 
honor  and  reward  which  will  lie  in  the  mani- 
festation of  the  divine  favor  before  the  uni- 
verse. Such  recognition,  in  that  day  and 
scene,  will  outweigh  all  the  temporal  pleas- 
ures and  honors  of  all  the  generations  that 
will  have  lived  on  earth. 

Then  will  he  own  my  worthless  natne 
Before  his  Father's  face. 

9.  But  he  that  denieth  me,  etc.  The 
opposite  to  this  confession,  on  the  part  of  the 
wicked,  is  expressed  by  denying  Christ  before 
men;  i.  c,  eitlier  formally  or  practically  re- 
fusing to  give  him  the  reverence,  trust,  obedi- 
ence, and  lo%'£  which  he  claims;  aj\d  by  his 
denying  the  unbeliever  to  be  entitled  to  his 
favor  when  the  angels  are  assembled  for  the 
eternal  judgment.  Thestatement  needs  little 
explanation,  but  much  serious  thought. 

10.  Blasphemy  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This 
verse  meets  us  abruptly,  without  clear  evi- 
dence of  connection  with  the  context.  It  may 
quite  possibly  have  been  transferred,  in  the 
document  followed  by  Luke,  from  the  con- 
nection after  U :  23,=Matthew  12:  82;  Mark 
3:  29.  There  the  subject  of  blasphemy  against 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  obviously  in  place  (comp. 
Luke  11 :  15).  The  former  half  of  our  verse, 
about  speaking  against  the  Son  of  man,  is 
sufficiently  apposite  to  the  preceding  thought 
of  denying  him,  to  account  for  the  whole 
having  been  placed  here;  although  the 
second  half  requires  the  other  connection. 
A  man  might  speak  against  the  Son  of  man, 
in  his  humiliation,  so  different  from  what  was 
generally  expected  of  the  Messiah,  through 
personal  misinterpretation  of  the  prophecies, 
through  the  effect  of  erroneous  teaching  on  the 
part  of  respected  but  perverse  religious  guides, 
or  through  the  power  of  unthinking  preju- 
dice. This  would  not  presuppose  incorrigible 
stubbornness  of  unbelief.  It  was  what  in  some 
measure  pertained  to  almost  every  one  who 


came  to  him.  Light  might  pierce  through  it, 
love  might  melt  it,  furtiier  evidence  turn  it 
to  faith.  Then  it  could  be  forgiven. — But 
unto  him  that  blasphemeth,  etc.  Not  but 
that  this  also  would  be  forgiven,  if  in  its  case 
there  c(juld  be  that  repentance  and  faith  on 
which  all  forgiveness  depends.  But  blas- 
phemy against  the  Holy  Spirit  appeared,  in 
the  only  case  of  which  we  have  a  description, 
in  a  state  of  mind  which  by  speech  confounded 
God  and  the  devil,  ascribing  the  work  of  the 
former  to  the  latter,  his  opposite,  and  his 
arch-enemy  (11 :  15  and  par. ).  What  repent- 
ance could  there  be  for  a  mind  to  which  the 
clearest  manifestations  of  God's  holiness  and 
kindness  appeared  to  be  diabolical  conduct? 
To  such  a  person  the  acts  and  character 
of  Beelzebub  would  be  just  as  well  suited  to 
awaken  penitence  and  faith  as  those  of  Christ 
himself. 

11.  Continuation  from  ver.  9.  It  is  assumed 
that,  as  afterward  happened  a  thousand  times, 
they  will  be  delivered  unto  the  syna- 
gogues. This  had  a  certain  jurisdiction, 
with  power  to  inflict  minor  penalties,  in  re- 
ligious causes. — And  unto  magistrates 
{stricily,  magistracies)  and  powers  {niitlwri- 
ties),  terms  which  cover  all  sorts  of  govern- 
ment, civil  and  religious,  Jewish  or  heathen. 
—Take  ye  no  thought  {be  not  anxious— 
have  no  care)  how  or  what  thing  ye  shall 
answer.  This  does  not  prohibit  the  exercise 
oftheir  faculties  in  the  way  of  j»reparation  to 
meet  charges,  so  far  as  this  was  practicable 
without  perturbation  and  loss  of  peace;  but 
does  forbid  whatever  would  unfit  them  for 
calm  and  clear  subserviency  to  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

12.  For  the  Holy  Ghost  (Spirit)  shall 
teach  you  in  the  same  hour  (namely, 
when  ye  are  called  to  plead)  what  ye  ought 
to  say.  This  is  no  warrant,  to  those  who  un- 
dertake to  teach  men  the  way  of  life,  to  depend 
lazily  on  divine  ability.     Such  are  likely  to 


214 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XII. 


13  And  one  of  the  company  said  unto  him,  Master, 
speak  to  my  brother,  that  he  divide  the  inheritance 
with  uie. 

U  And  he  said  unto  him,  "Man,  who  made  me  a 
judge  or  a  divider  over  you? 

15  And  he  said  unto  them,  'Take  heed,  and  beware 
of  covetousiiess:  for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the 
abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth. 


13  And  one  of  the  multitude  said  unto  him,  i  Master, 

14  bid  my  brother  divide  the  inheiilauee  wiih  me.  But 
he  said  unto  him,  Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or 

15  a  divider  over  you  ?  And  he  said  unto  them,  Take 
heed, and  keep  yourselves  from  all  covetousuess:  2)or 
a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  tiie  abuudance  of  the 


1  John  IS:  36 6  1  Tim.  6;  7,  elc. 


-1  Or,  Teacher 2  Gr.  /or  not  in  a  man's  abundance  consisteth  his  li/e,  from  the  i 

possesseth. 


be  left  without  any  ability  at  all.  But  it  en- 
courages Christ's  servants  who  are  exposed  to 
persecutions  for  their  sincere  and  frank  fidel- 
ity to  him  to  wait  on  him  for  needed  aid  in 
defending  themselves.  They  are  not  assured 
of  deliverance  from  their  peril,  but  what  they 
shall  say  for  the  honor  of  the  cause  will  not 
fail  them.  We  have  the  justification  of  such 
counsel  in  subsequent  history.  In  the  ac- 
counts of  persecution  in  the  Actsand  Epistles, 
and  in  reading  the  testimony  of  Christian  con- 
fessors and  martyrs  in  all  the  subsequent  ages, 
we  can  see  how  wonderfully  common  men 
and  women  were  enabled  to  answer  their 
accusers,  so  as  nobly  to  honor  "  the  name," 
whether  they  were  saved  from  harm  or  not. 
Often  have  their  simple,  hearty,  patient  con- 
fessions of  the  Saviour,  proved  more  powerful 
arguments  for  his  truth  than  the  most  logical 
and  eloquent  treatises  of  its  undistressed 
professors. 

13-21.  A  Warning  Against  Covetous- 

NESS. 

13-14.  The  occasion.     And    one   of  (out 

from  among)  the  com-pany  {multitude)  said 
unto  him,  Master,  speak  to  my  brother, 
that  he  divide  the  inheritance  with  me. 

The  man  appears  to  have  been  so  impressed 
with  the  authority  and  reasonableness  of  the 
Saviour's  words,  that  he  conceived  the  idea  of 
turning  these  to  account  in  a  matterof  worldly 
interest  to  him,  quite  aloof  from  the  line  of  the 
Teacher's  proper  work.  What  the  particulars 
of  his  grievance  were  we  oan  only  conjecture. 
There  was  a  dispute  about  the  partition  of  an 
estate,  in  which  he  was  interested,  with  his 
brother.  His  complaint  was  not,  in  form,  that 
he  could  not  get  an  equitable,  but  that  he 
could  not  get  any,  division.  It  would  not 
have  been  consistent  with  the  usual  course  of 
Jesus  to  assume,  in  any  such  case,  the  func- 
tion of  a  temporal  magistrate.  Here  he  ap- 
pears to  have  seen  evidence  of  a  greediness 
for  gain,  which  simply  suggested  to  him  a 
lesson  of  general  prudence  and  piety. 


14.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Man,  who 
made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over  yon? 

This  was  all  the  answer  vouchsafed  to  the 
man,  and,  by  its  severity  of  tone,  showed  that 
the  thing  desired  was  impossible.  But  for 
him  was,  doubtless,  intended  a  large  share  of 
what  was  added  for  the  mass  of  the  audience. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  Take  heed,  and 
beware  of  {keep  yourselves  from  every  kind 
of)  covetousness.  Greedfor  more  of  worldly 
good,  of  wealth,  and  apparently  with  the 
added  quality  of  intense  selfishness,  and  dis- 
regard for  others'  rights,  is  the  Scriptural  con- 
ception of  covetousness.  It  is  throughout 
spoken  of  as  a  very  bad  thing,  classed  with 
the  meanest  vices  and  ungodliness,  equivalent 
even  to  idolatry  in  heinousness  (Rom.  i  :29;  i  cor. 
5:10;  Eph. 4:19 — lit.,  work  all  unclcanness  with 

covetousness — 5  :  3;  Col.  .S  :  5;  2  Pet.  2  ;  3,  14  al).      It    WaS 

the  very  antithesis  of  Christ's  own  disposition, 
who  "emptied  himself"  of  the  glories  of 
heaven;  and  he  wisely  took  this  opportunity 
to  notify  all,  that  his  disciples  must  guard 
themselves  against  it;  and  he  supports  his 
prohibition  by  a  reason  which  might  have 
force  with  merely  temporal  prudence.  For 
a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abund- 
ance of  the  things  which  he  possesseth. 
Life  is  to  be  understood,  primarily,  in  its 
natural  sense,  earthly  existence  (comp.  ver. 
20).  But  this  existence  is  of  value  as  an  op- 
portunity for  welfare ;  real  happiness.  And 
this  depends  on  soundness  of  body  and  mind, 
the  proper  regulation  of  the  desires,  and  the 
harmony  of  all  our  tendencies  and  experi- 
ences with  our  relations  to  God  and  the  world. 
It  certainly  does  not  consist  in  "the  abund- 
ance of  worldly  possessions."  That  may  occa- 
sion great  and  peculiar  care  and  anxiety,  and 
prompt  to  even  more  insatiable  greed,  with- 
out the  slightest  power  to  gratify  one  of  the 
nobler  aspirations  of  a  human  soul.  Its  char- 
acteristic craving  is  simply  for  more  of  what 
has  already  proved  itself  vanitj'.  All  this  the 
Saviour  intimates  in  the  parable  which  he 
proceeds  to  speak  to  them. 


Ch.  XII.] 


LUKE. 


215 


IG  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  theni,  saying,  The 
ground  ot  a  certain  ricli  man  brought  forth  plenti- 
lully: 

17  And  he  tliought  within  himself,  saying,  What 
shall  I  do,  because  J  have  no  room  where  to  bestow  my 
fruits? 

18  And  he  said.  This  will  I  do :  I  will  pull  down  my 
barns,  and  build  greater;  and  there  will  I  bestow  all 
my  fruits  and  my  goods. 

19  And  I  will  say  to  my  .soul,  <"SouI,  thou  hast  much 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years;  take  thine  ease,  eat, 
drink,  iind  be  merry. 

20  But  (iod  said  unto  him.  Than  fool,  this  night  'thy 
soul  shall  be  required  of  thee:  'then  whose  shall  those 
things  Ije,  which  thou  hast  provided? 

21  So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  •'and 
is  not  rich  toward  (io<'.. 


16  things  which  he  possesseth.  And  he  spake  a  parable 
unto  them,  saying.  The  groundof  a  certain  rich  n  an 

17  brought  forth  plentifully  :  and  he  reasoned  witliin 
self,  saying.  What   shall  1  do,  because   I   have   not 

18  where  to  bestow  my  fruits?  And  he  said.  This  will 
I  do:  I  will  pull  down  my  barns,  and  build  greater; 
and  tliere  will  I  bestow  all  my  corn  and  my  goods. 

19  And  I  will  say  to  my  'soul,  'Soul,  thou  hiust  much 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years;  take  thine  ease,  eat, 

20  drink,  be  merry.  But  tiod  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool- 
ish one,  this  night  2  is  thy  'sou!  required  of  thee; 
and  the  things  which   thou    bast   prepared,  whose 

21  shall  they  be?  So  is  he  tliat  layeth  up  treasure  for 
himself,  and  is  not  rich  toward  God. 


a  Kccles.  11 :  9;  1  Cor.  15:  32;  James  5:5 5  Job  20  :  '22  ;  27  :  8;  Ps.  52  :  7  :  James  4  :  14 c  Ph.  ;<9  :  6  ;  Jer.  17:  11. 

3:<  ;  I  Tim.  6 :  18,  19  ;  Jaiues  2  :  5. 1  Or,  li/e 2  Gr.  they  require  thy  aoul. 


.d  Matt.  6:  20 ;  rer. 


16-21.  Parablk  of  the  Rich  Fool. 
16-17.  The  ground  of  a  certain  rich 
man,  etc.  It  is  not  a  bad  man,  according  to 
the  standard  of  the  world — whether  of  the 
church  also? — that  the  Saviour  sets  before  us. 
He  does  no  direct,  positive  harm  to  anybody, 
("and  men  will  praise  thee  when  thou  doest 
well  for  th^'self,"  Ps.  40:  18);  he  simply  pros- 
pers pecuniarily  for  himself,  without  a  thought 
of  obligation  to  God,  or  care  for  fellow- 
men.  We  see  him  at  the  forks  of  his  road, 
when  in  deep  reflecti<m. 

17.  What  shall  I  do?  Had  his  question 
meant,  "  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for 
all  his  benefits  toward  me?  "  and  had  he  said: 
"I  will  employ  my  teeming  wealth  in  such 
manner  as  safely,  prudently,  tobetter  the  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  condition  of  as  many  as  I 
can  of  my  fellow-creatures,  especially  of  those 
by  whose  aid  I  have  prospered,"  he  would 
have  been  a  wise  tind  a  rare  man.  But  when  he 
consumes  his  time  and  thought  in  projects  for 
the  larger  accumulation  and  safe  bestowal  of 
the  treasures  that  stream  in  upon  him,  mean- 
time only  anticipating  sordid,  swinish  happi- 
ness, which  is  never  to  come  to  him,  we 
recognize  a  common  sort  of  man,  and  are 
prepared  for  the  judgment  that  God  will  pass 
upon  him. 

19.  When  he  shall  have  reached  the  point 
where  his  overflowing  abundance  is  all 
housed,  and  made  secure  against  moths  and 
rust  and  thieves,  then  he  promises  himself 
that  he  will  lie  thus  to  himself:  Soul — mean- 
ing his  appetite,  his  capacity  of  animal 
activity  and  gratification —  thou  hast  much 
(many)  goods  laid  up  for  many  years. 
What  a  sarcasm  upon  himself,  in  this  applica- 
tion of  the  term  "good,"  in  his  circumstances! 
Even  to  his  low  grade  of  anticipated  pleasure 
there  is  one  condition  of  which  he   has  not 


thought,  i.  e.,  breath.    But  that  is  in  another's 
hand.     (See  Dan.  5:  28,  last  sentence.) 

20.  But  God  said  unto  him— perhaps 
through  some  significant  twinge,  or  shock,  to 
his  physical  frame,  interpreted  by  a  reproving 
conscience. — Thou  fool,  this  night  (which 
has  already  begun)  thy  soul  shall  be  re- 
quired of  thee  (Greek,  they  are  demanding 
back  from  thee  thy  .wul).  His  time  for  re- 
pentance is  past,  and  God's  messengers  are 
alread^"^  charged  to  summon  him  to  his 
account.  So  far  from  having  a  vast  store 
of  gratifications  for  his  soul,  his  soul  itself  is 
not  his  own ;  and,  regarded  as  his  organ 
of  pleasure,  is  now  reclaimed  by  God. — Then 
whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou 
hast  provided  ?  And  the  things  mhich  thou 
didst  prepare,  whose  shall  they  be?  This 
indicates  the  si»irit  of  the  original  better  than 
the  Common  Version.  That  thy  soul  is  taken 
from  thee  forbids  that  thou  shouldst  have  any 
good  of  them,  and  whose  are  they  to  be? 
"He  heapeth  up  riches  and  knoweth  not  who 
shall  gather  them."   (p».  39:  6.) 

21.  So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure 
for  himself,  and  is  not  rich  toward  God. 
Laying  up,  or  amassing,  treasure  for  one's 
self  is  to  gather  merely  for  personal  use  and 
gratification,  as  did  the  Rich  Fool.  To  be  rich 
toward  God  is  to  do  the  things  that  please 
him,  so  as  to  stand  high  in  his  gracious  favor; 
which  is  "the  treasure  in  heaven,"  "the 
fruit  that  increaseth  to  your  account."  (Phil. 
4:  17;  Revision,  comp.  ver.  19,  and  Rom.  10: 
12.)  This  is  impartially  open  to  the  man  who 
has  no  worldly  possessions,  and  its  full 
fruition,  beginning  at  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ, 
will  continue  through  eternity.  But  the 
death  of  every  prosperous  worldling  is  only 
another  instance  of  the  man  to  whom  God 
said,  Thou  fool ! 


216 


LUKE. 


[Gh.  XII. 


22  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  Therefore  I  say 
unto  you,  "Take  no  thought  lor  your  liie,  what  ye 
shall  eat;  neither  lor  the  body,  what  ye  shall  put  on. 

28  The  life  is  more  than  meat,  and  the  body  is  more 
than  raiment. 

z4  Consider  the  ravens:  for  they  neither  sow  nor 
reap:  whicli  neither  have  storehouse  nor  barn;  and 
'(jrod  feedetli  them:  how  much  more  are  ye  better  thau 
the  fowls? 

25  And  which  of  you  with  taking  thought  can  add 
to  his  stature  one  cubit? 


22  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples.  Therefore  I  say  unto 
you.  Be  not  anxious  for  your  '  life  what  ye  shall  eat ; 

23  nor  yet  tor  your  body,  what  ye  shall  put  on.  For 
the  'life  is  more  than  the  food,  and  the  body  thau 

24  the  raiment.  Consider  the  ravens,  that  they  sow 
not,  neither  reap  ;  which  have  no  store-chaiuber  nor 
barn ;  and  God  feedeth   them  :  of  how  much  more 

25  value  are  ye  than  the  birds  !  And  which  of  you  by 
being  anxious  can  add  a  cubit  unto  2  the  measure  of 


a  Matt.  6:  '^5 b  Job  38  :  41;  Ps.  147:  9. 1  Or,  soul. 2  Or,  Ilia  stature. 


22-34.  Instruction  to  the  Disciples 
Concerning  Earthly  Goods.  This  is 
closely  piirallel  to  what  Matthew  includes  in 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  Authorities  differ 
as  to  its  connection.  On  the  whole,  it  seems 
most  likely  that  Luke  has  the  right  order, 
and  that  Matthew,  for  special  reasons,  gave  it 
in  his  sixth  chapter. 

22.  The  preceding  discourse  had  been  ad- 
dressed to  the  multitude;  now  he  said  unto 
his  disciples,  Therefore — considering  the 
truth  that  life  consists  not  in  abundant  pos- 
sessions—I say  unto  you.  Take  no  thought 
for  your  lile.  In  older  English,  thought 
meant  care,  anxiety,  trouble  of  mind. 
"Here's  pansies;  that's  for  thought.'' — Ham- 
let. "Lest  he  take  thought  and  kill  himself." 
— Julius  Ccesar.  This  is  designed  simply  to 
guard  against  all  and  every  distraction  of 
mind  that  would  hinder  undivided  attention 
to  present  duties.  These,  for  the  Christian, 
centre  in  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  and  that  he  is 
to  seek  first.  But  he  is  forbidden  to  give  care, 
or  even  thought,  to  what  may  be  in  the 
future,  which  God  holds  in  his  own  hand,  and 
by  study  about  which  the  present  might  be 
lost.  Such  is  clearly  the  key  to  the  whole 
instruction  in  Matthew,  as  seen  in  6:  34: 
"Take  no  thought  for  the  morrow."  (Comp. 
Meyer  on  Matt.  6:25,  34,  and  Dr.  Conant's 
note  on  ver.  25.)  This  reference  to  the  future 
is  implied  also  in  Luke,  where  care  for  the 
life,  etc.,  is  care  for  its  continuance  and  future 
well-being.  The  rendering  "be  not  anxious" 
of  the  Kevision  is  preferable  to  take  no 
thought,  as  now  likely  to  be  understood  ; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  should  not  imply 
that  care  not  amounting  to  anxiety  was 
allowed  the  disciples  for  to-day.— For  your 
life.  The  word  translated  life  is  ambiguous. 
Meaning  originally  breath,  then  the  principle 
of  life,  or  the  condition  of  being  alive,  it 
passed  naturally  into  that  of  the  "soul,"  as 
the  basis  of  sense  and  all  animal  functions. 
It  might  with  equal  propriety  be  translated 


here  "soul,"  as  it  is  in  ver.  19,  20  regarded  as  the 
principle  of  the  natural  life.— What  ye  shall 
eat.  This  goes  closely  with  the  preceding: 
Be  not  concerned  in  the  interest  of  your  soul, 
or  life,  as  to  whence  food  and  drink  are  to 
come,  to  sustain  and  prolong  it. — Neither  for 
the  body — the  material  tenement  in  which 
the  soul  is  housed,  or  organ  through  which 
the  life  acts  and  manifests  itself 

23.  The  reason  by  which  that  injunction  is 
sustained  is  intimated,  rather  than  drawn  out. 
For  the  life  is  more  than  meat  (better,  the 
food),  etc.  Add  that  God  has  given  the  more 
important  gift,  the  end,  to  which  the  others 
are  only  means;  and  we  see  that,  in  reason, 
he  cannot  withhold  the  latter  while  the  former 
should  last. 

24.  This  is  illustrated,  first,  by  the  care 
which  God  has  for  the  inferior  creatures  of 
his  hand.  Having  made  them,  and,  presum- 
ably, for  the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose, 
he  does  not  let  them  fail  of  sustenance  until 
that  purpose  is  fulfilled.  How  much  less,  then, 
shall  rational  creatures,  whom  he  has  not 
only  made  in  his  own  image,  but  entrusted 
with  a  great  service  to  be  performed  for  him- 
self, fail  of  support  while  earnestly  engaged 
in  that?  The  ravens  have  none  of  those  re- 
sources which  the  man  in  the  parable  was  so 
absorbed  in  acquiring — store-house  (or 
store- chamber),  nor  barn,  with  fruits  and 
goods  bestowed  therein.- And  God  feedeth 
them  ;  present  supplies  are  never  wanting. 

25.  26.  The  argument  in  regard  to  support 
is  confirmed  by  an  appeal  to  common  sense: 
Which  of  you  by  taking  thought,  etc.,— by 
any  studj-  or  care,  can  prolong  his  life  one  day 
beyond  the  limit  it  would  reach  in  the  quiet, 
resigned,  and  cheerful  endeavor  to  do  God's 
will?  We  much  prefer  the  marginal  read- 
ing, "age"  (term  of  life),  to  stature,  in  the 
text.  It  is  much  more  commonly  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Greek,  and  better  suited  here  to 
the  train  of  thought,  which  all  has  reference  to 
the  prolonging  of  life  by  food  and  clothing. 


Ch.  XII.] 


LUKE. 


217 


26  If  ye  then  be  not  able  to  do  that  thing  which  is 
least,  why  take  ye  thought  for  the  rest? 

27  Consider  the  lilies  how  they  grow:  they  toil  not, 
they  spin  not;  and  yet  I  say  unto  you,  that  bolouion 
in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  ot  these. 

•'H  If  then  (.iod  so  clothe  the  grass,  which  is  to  day 
in  the  field,  and  Uvmorrow  is  cast  into  the  oven  ;  how 
much  more  will  he  clothe  you,  O  ye  ol  lutle  iaith . 

2')  And  seek  not  ye  what  ve  shall  tat  or  what  ye 
shall  drink,  neither  be  ye  of  doubtlul  mind 

:{0  For  all  these  things  do  the  nations  ol  the  world 
seek  after :  and  your  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need 
of  these  things.  ,  ^   j  in 

31  a  But  rather  seek  ye  the  kingdom  of  God;  and  all 
these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. 


26  his  life?  If  then  ye  are  not  able  to  do  even  that 
which  is  least,  whv  are  ye  anxious  concerning  the 

27  rest?  Consider  the  lilies,  how  they  grow:  they  toil 
not,  neither  do  they  spin;  yet  1  say  unto  you,  Evfii 
Solomon  in  all  his  glorv  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of 

28  these.  Hut  if  (iod  doth  so  clothe  the  grass  in  the 
field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  ii.to  the 
oveu  ;  how  much  more  shall  he.  clothe  you,  ()  ye  of 

29  little  faith?  And  seek  not  ye  what  ye  shall  eat,  and 
what  ye  shall  drink,  neither  be  ye  of  doubtful  mind. 

30  For  all  these  things  do  the  nations  <  f  the  world  seek 
after:  but  your  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need 

31  of  these  things.    Howbeit  seek  ye  » his  kingdom, 


a  Matt.  6:  S:t. 1  Mmd."-  unciein  auttioiiiiea  ix-uJ.  Ifte  kingdom  of  God. 


Increased  stature  would  contribute  nothing 
to  this.  Who  could  expect,  or  at  all  desire, 
to  add  a  foot  and  a  half  to  his  bodily  height? 
But  to  lengthen  by  '"a  span,"  or  a  cubit, 
by  the  same  kind  of  figure,  one's  age,  or  life- 
time, many  have  desired,  and  worried  them- 
selves, to  bring  about.  One  near  to  death  is 
reported  to  have  said  :  "  Millions  of  money  for 
an  inch  of  time!"  It  would  seem  no  great 
thing  to  add  to  an  age  of  thirty  or  of  sixty  years, 
another  year,  a  half  year,  or  a  month  ;  but  to 
extend  an  ordinary  stature  by  one  half-yard 
could  not  well  be  called  "  that  thing  which  is 

least." 

27,  28.  As  the  case  of  the  ravens  might  re- 
prove anxiety  about  food,  so  might  the  lilies 
about  c  lothing.  They  toil  not,  neither  do 
they  spin— to  provide  for  future  needs;  they 
take  no  thought  for  the  morrow,  but  simply 
live  as  they  were  made  to  live.  There  is  no 
good  reason  to  doubt  that  the  word  translated 
lilies  was  used  to  denote  some  species  of  the 
flower  which  we  so  name.  We  cannot  tell 
which  species  of  tlie  liliaceous  blossoms  found 
in  Palestine  is  intended,  some  of  them  exceed- 
ingly gorgeous  in  colors,  and  some  of  exquisite 
fragrance.  These  flowers,  without  care  on 
their  part,  but  by  the  Creator,  just  because  he 
desires  them  so,  are  clothed  in  beauty  and 
splendor,  such  that  even  Solomon,  in  all  his 
glory,  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these. 

28.  If  then— better,  hut  if— God  (doth)  so 
clothe  the  grass  which  is  to-day  in  the 
field,  etc.,  the  argument  is  still  more  iiripres- 
sive  than  that  drawn  from  the  birds.  The 
lilies  are  treated  as  only  a  part  of  the  grass, 
or  coarse  herbage,  which,  in  the  scarcity  of 
other  fuel,  was  often  cut,  and,  being  soon 
dried  in  the  torrid  sun,  was  used  for  culinary 
fuel,  and  especially  for  heating  their  ovens, 
or  kilns.  So  the  lilies  had  not  even  a  sentient 
existence,  like  the  ravens,  but  they  were 
often  of  no  use  to  any  one,  blooming  in  the 


field,  away  from  view,  and  that  only  for  a 
short  time.  And  yet  they  were  clothed  with 
marvelous  beauty,  so  long  as  God  appointed 
them  to  flourish.— O  ye  of  little  faith.  Did 
our  Lord  speak  in  pity  or  in  anger?  Perliaps 
in  something  of  both.  He  probably  saw  them 
slow  to  accept  the  instruction  which  he  was 
the  more  patiently  trying  to  impress  upon 
them  ;  but  he  knew  too  well  how  hard  it  is  to 
rise  above  our  natural  concern  for  the  future 
welfare  of  our  natural  life,  not  to  mingle 
sympathy  with  his  dis])leasure. 

29.  And  seek  not  ye  what  ye  sliall  eat, 
etc.  The  Greek  laysstrongeinphasison  ye;  and 
do  not  ye,  more  than  the  ravens  and  the  lilies 
seek.  This  closes  up  and  condenses  (com p. 
the  "therefore"  in  Matthew)  the  whole  series 
of  directions.— Neither  be  ye  of  doubtful 
mind,  is  another  way,  in  conclusion,  of  for- 
bidding the  taking  thought,  or  being  anxious 
about  the  means  of  continued  life  and  com- 
fort.—Of  doubtful  mind;  "uncertain," 
"in  troubled  suspense,"  are  familiar  mean- 
ings of  the  Greek  word,  more  suited  to  this 
connection  than  "elated,"  "high-minded," 
which  Meyer  and  some  others  approve. 

30.  So  important  is  the  topic  of  the  dis- 
course, that  our  Lord  cannot  leave  the  state- 
ment just  made,  as  the  outcome  of  a  train  of 
reasoning,  without  an  argument  of  its  own. — 
For  all  these  things  do  the  nations  of 
the  world  seek  after ;  and  the  aspirations 
of  his  disciples  should  be  directed  toward 
other  objects  than  those  desired  by  common 
Gentiles.— And  (or,  hut)  your  Father  know- 
eth that  ye  have  need  of  these  things ;  and 
therefore  you  may  unhesitatingly  trust  that 
he  will  supply  them  as  you  need.  Your  is 
emphatic ;  they  (the  Gentiles)  have  none  such, 
and  try  to  make  themselves  their  Providence. 

31.  But  rather,  (howheit),  although  it  is 
unnecessary  and  wrong  for  you  to  make  those 
things  an   object  of   concern  ;— seek  ye  the 


218 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XII. 


32  Fear  not,  little  flock ;  for  « it  is  your  Father's 
good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kiugtlom. 

;«  ''.Sell  that  ye  have,  aud  give  alms;  "provide  your- 
self bags  which  wax  not  old,  a  treasure  in  the  heavens 
that  laileth  not,  where  uo  thief  approacheth,  neither 
moth  corrupteth. 

ai  For  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart 
be  also. 

35  t'  Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  'your  lights 
burning ; 


32  and  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you.  Fear 
not,  little  flock;  for  it  is  your  l-ather  s  good  pleasure 

33  to  give  you  the  kingdom.  Sell  that  ye  have,  and 
give  alms;  make  for  yourselves  purses  which  wax 
nut  old,  a  treasure  in  the  heavens  that  faileth  not, 
where  no  thief  draweth  near,  neither  moth  destroy- 

34  eth.  For  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your 
heart  be  also. 

35  Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lamps 


.6:  14;  IPet.  1:  13.... 


kingdom  of  God  ;  (rather,  his  kingdom) ;  let 
your  supreme  and  constant  labor  be  to  share 
in  and  promote  that.— And  all  these  things 
—which  pertain  to  the  support  of  the  natural 
life — shall  be  added  unto  you  ; — that  is,  ye 
shall  have  them  besides  the  essential,  spiritual, 
and  eternal  blessing  of  membership  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,    In  seeking  that  we  seek  all. 

3-i.  Fear  not,  little  flock.  The  Saviour 
evidently  saw  that  it  was  vei-y  hard  for  his 
disciples  to  receive,  with  hearty  trust,  the  con- 
soling but  unworldly  doctrine  which  he 
preached.  He  states  it  accordingly^  in  a  still 
more  assuring  form,  grounding  their  hope 
wholly  on  the  eternal  love  of  God.— It  is 
your  Father's  good  pleasure  {your  Father 
was  vjell  pleased)  to  give  you  the  kingdom. 
That  God  was  their  Father,  and  that  in  the 
electing  purpose,  according  to  which  they  be- 
came disciples,  he  eternally  designed  to  give 
them  part  in  the  finished  kingdom— what 
could  moreeft'ectually  relieve  them  of  anxiety, 
and  enable  them  to  concentrate  attention  on 
their  work  ? 

33.  Sell  that  ye  have,  and  give  alms. 
Instead  of  thought  about  what  you  are  to  get, 
rid  yourselves  of  what  j'ou  have  of  those 
things  that  distract  your  minds.  63-  giving 
them  as  alms,  they  become  not  only  no  in- 
cumbrance, but  a  positive  source  of  divine 
favor  and  eternal  fruition. — Provide — {make 
for)  yourselves  bags  —  purses),  etc.  For 
heavenly  riches  one  needs  imperishable  re- 
ceptacles, that  is,  figuratively,  that  they  should 
be  laid  up  with  God;  and  a  treasure  in  the 
heavens  that  faileth  not,  etc.  This  treasure 
can  be  nothing  other  than  the  gospel  right- 
eousness, following  upon  faith  in  Chri.st; 
but  which,  while  it  is  a  present  possession  of 
the  believer,  is  increased  by  all  labors  and 
sacrifices,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  especially  by 
kindness  and  charity  to  those  in  need.  It  is 
here  spoken  of  as  the  assured  material  of 
future  blessedness,  and  so  laid  up  in  heaven. 
(See  on  ver.  31,  last  clause.)     This  is  the  only 


unfailing  treasure.  "What  I  gave  away  I 
keep,"  said  a  pious  bankrupt ;  "and  what  I 
kept  I  have  lost."  The  principle  applies  to 
all  sacrifices  of  self-gratification  for  Christ 
and  his  cause. 

34.  For  where  your  treasure  is,  there 
will  your  heart  be  also.  The  maxim 
emits  light  for  every  soul,  and  gives  a  power- 
ful motive  for  turning  all  possessions  into  a 
heavenly  lodestone  to  our  hearts.  Its  truth  is 
self-evident,  that  where  our  treasure,  the  chief 
matter  of  interest  to  us,  is,  there  our  thoughts 
and  affections,  our  hearts,  will  centre. 

Kemark. — Three  things  are  to  be  con- 
sidered on  the  foregoing  teaching,  in  its 
general  tenor,  and,  particularly,  in  the 
directions  of  ver.  22,  29,  83 : 

1.  That  our  Lord  addresses  his  disciples 
with  special  reference  to  their  then  existing 
circumstances  and  duties.  They  were  pro- 
fessedly consecrated,  without  any  reserve,  to 
the  furtherance  of  his  kingdom.  The  ad- 
vancement of  it  was  their  whole  aim.  If  any 
disciples  are  differently  situated  toward  him 
and  his  work,  a  coiTesponding  modification 
of  his  precepts  and  promises  might  be 
required  in  their  case. 

2.  What  he  assures  them  of,  temporally,  is 
a  present  sustenance  so  long  as  God  would 
have  them  continue  in  his  service.  Has  this 
ever  failed  any?  Further  expectations  were 
not  warranted  by  his  words. 

3.  Such  instruction  would  make  a  different 
impression  on  men  living  in  a  dark  and 
troublous  time,  and  with  a  bright  confidence 
that  the  glories  of  the  future  recompense  were 
very  soon  to  be  realized,  from  that  which  we 
generally  receive  in  a  time  of  settled  pros- 
perity, where  the  blessed  appearing  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  recedes  further  from  our 
thought  in  proportion  as  it  draws  actually 
nearer. 

35-40.  Watchfulness   for   the   Lord's 
Return. 
35.  Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  etc. 


Ch.  XIL] 


LUKE. 


219 


30  And  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  that  wait  for 
their  lord, "when  he  will  return  from  the  wedding;  that 
when  he  oometh  and  knocketh,  they  may  open  unto  him 
immediately. 

37  o  Blessed  are  those  servants,  whom  the  lord  when 
he  Cometh  shall  find  watcliinj,':  verily  I  say  unto  yf)u, 
that  he  shall  Kxrd  himself,  and  make  them  to  sit  down 
to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  ami  serve  them. 

3S  And  if  he  shall  come  in  the  second  watch,  or  come 
in  the  third  watch,  and  find  thvm  so,  blessed  are  those 
servants. 

3i)  *  And  this  know,  that  if  the  goodman  of  the  house 
had  known  what  hour  the  thief  would  come,  he  would 
have  walche<l,  and  not  have  suffered  his  house  to  be 
broken  through. 

41)  '^  lie  ye  therefore  ready  also:  for  the  Son  of  man 
Cometh  at  an  hour  when  ye  think  not. 


3S  burning;  and  be  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  look- 
ing for  their  lord,  when  he  shall  return  from  the 
marriage  lea-st ;  that,  when  hecometh  and  kimcketh, 

37  they  may  straightway  open  unto  him.  Ulesseil  are 
those  'servants,  whom  the  lord  when  he  comclh 
shall  find  watching:  verily  1  say  unto  you,  that  he 
shall  gird  him.self,  and  make  them  sit  down  to  mual, 

3S  and  shall  come  and  serve  them.  And  if  he  sha.I 
come  in  the  second  watch, and  if  in  the  third,  and 

39  find  Ihi-tn  so,  blessed  are  tho.se  sernintx.  -15ut  know 
this,  that  if  the  master  of  the  liou.sc  had  known  in 
what  hour  the  thief  was  coming,  he  would  ha\e 
watched,  and  not  have  left  his  house  to  be  ^  broken 

40  through.  He  ye  also  ready:  for  in  an  hour  that  ye 
think  not  the  Sou  of  man  comelh. 


a  Malt.  24:  46.... ft  Matl.  24  :  4:i;  1  Thesa.  5  :  2;  2  Pet.  3  :  10;  Rev. 
1  Thesa.  6 :  6  ;  2  Pet.  3  :  12. 1  Gr.  bondatrvanf . 


3:3;  16:15....c  Malt.  24  :  44  ;  25  :  13  ;  Mark  13  :  .33  ;  ch.  21 :  .11,  36; 
. .  .2  Or,  But  thU  ye  know. . .  .3  Gr.  digged  through. 


The  heavenly  treasure  will  become  fully 
ours  at  the  return  of  the  Son  of  man,  in  the 
fully  manifested  glory  of  his  reign.  The 
figure  which  he  here  uses  was  finely  suited  to 
express  a  state  of  readiness  for  activity'  and 
eflSuient  service,  when  the  outer  garment  was 
a  loose,  shawl-like  robe,  which  must  be  con- 
fined about  the  waist  whenever  exertion  and 
free  movement  were  required. — And  your 
lights  {lamps)  burning.  As  Jesus  is  about 
to  represent,  iu  a  figure,  his  future  advent  as 
occurring  in  the  night.  readinc.«s  to  meet  and 
serve  him  is  denoted  by  having  the  lamps 
burning. 

36.  And  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men 
that  wait  for  their  lord.  The  di.sciples 
are  conceived  of  as,  after  Christ's  departure 
from  th<?  world,  in  the  case  of  servants  sitting 
up  for  their  iniister"s  return  from  a  late  ban- 
quet, in  order  thtit,  at  his  corning,  they  maj' 
let  him  in  without  delay,  with  due  cere- 
mony, and  may  render  him  all  needed  and 
appropriate  .service.  (Comp.  the  parableof  the 
Ten  Virgins.)  As  a  failure  to  be  in  readiness 
would  bring  reproach  and  di.sgrace  on  such 
servants,  so  vigilance  and  promptness  would 
receive  honor  and  praise.  This  latter  idea  is 
expressed  in  the  next  ver.se  with  a  warmth 
which  shows  that  the  antitypical  truth  blends 
itself  with  the   earthly  figure. 

37.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  shall 
gird  himself,  etc.  Surely  it  is  not  the 
thankfulness  of  tiny  human  master  which 
speaks  in  this  declaration  ;  but  it  is  the  friend- 
ship which  Chri.st  will  display  to  the  faithful 
disciples  whom  he  shall  find  awake  and  wait- 
ing through  all  the  delay  of  his  return. 

38.  And  if  he  shall  come  in  the  second 
watch,  or  come  (rather,  and  if)  in  the 
third,  etc.  The  watch  was  a  military  divi- 
sion of  the  night,  covering  the  hours  occupied 


by  each  of  the  four  relays  of  guards  stationed 
from  6  p.  M.  to  6  A.  M.  Before  the  Roman 
rule,  the  Hebrews  seem  to  have  made  but 
three  periods,  giving  four  hours  to  each.  The 
first  watch,  ending  at  9  P.  M.,  is  not  named 
here,  because,  in  a  case  like  that  supposed,  the 
Lord  could  not  be  expected  so  early  ;  but  the 
third  might  come  within  the  time  of  absence. 
Such  intimations  should,  it  would  seem,  have 
guarded  the  early  Christians  from' the  over- 
confident expectation  of  an  immediate  re-ap- 
pearance of  the  Master.  Tlieir  teaching  was, 
rather,  that  peculiarly  blos.sed  would  those 
servants  be  who  might  have  to  wait,  even  int  > 
the  morning  hours  of  the  night  of  iiis  absence. 

39.  The  Saviour  employs  another  illu.s- 
tration,  to  show  the  necessity  of  perpetual 
readiness  for  his  coming,  which  will  steal 
on  men  "as  a  thief  in  the  night."  And 
(rather,  but)  lest  ye  should  suppo.se  it  safe 
to  lay  aside  vigilance  for  any  one  hour, — 
this  know— give  it  due  consideration  ;  un- 
less we  prefer  the  alternative  reading  of  the 
Revision:  "but  this  ye  know."  That  if  the 
good  man  (master)  of  the  house  had 
known  what  hour  the  thief  would  come. 
For  would  come  the  Greek  is  cnmeth — 
"is  wont  to  come,"  which,  as  the  thief  has  no 
particular  hour,  cannot  be  known.  Hence 
heedlessness  at  any  moment  is  likely  to  be 
at  the  wrong  moment ;  and  proved  .so,  in  the 
case  of  the  supposed  householder  who  went  to 
sleep  and  was  robbed.  The  good  man  is 
not  any  definite,  known  one,  but  the  one  who 
stands  for  the  whole  class  of  careless,  plun- 
dered people.  The  lesson  of  the  implied  par- 
able is  that,  as  the  precise  time  of  Christ's  ad- 
vent cannot  be  known,  unremitting  vigilance 
and  perpetual  preparation  are  required. 

40.  That  lesson  is  explicitly  and  solemnly 
stated. 


220 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XI  I. 


41  Then  Peter  said  unto  hiui,  Lord,  speakest  thou 
this  parable  unto  us,  or  even  to  all? 

42  And  the  Lord  said,  »  Who  then  is  that  faithful  and 
wise  steward,  whom  his  lord  shall  make  ruler  over  his 
household,  to  give  them  their  portion  of  meat  in  due 
season  / 

48  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  lord  when  he 
Cometh  shall  find  so  doing. 

44  ''Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  will  make  him 
ruler  over  all  that  he  hath. 

4o  =But  and  if  that  servant  say  in  his  heart.  My  lord 
delayeth  his  coming;  and  shall  begin  to  beat  the  men- 
servants  and  maidens,  and  to  eat  and  drink,  and  to  be 
drunken ; 


41  And  Peter  said.  Lord,  speakest  thou  this  parable 

42  unto  us,  or  even  unto  all !  And  the  Lord  said. 
Who  then  is  Hhe  faithful  and  wise  steward,  whom 
his  lord  shall  set  over  his  household,  to  give  them 

43  their  portion  of  food  in  due  season?  Bles.sed  is  that 
servant,  whom  his  lord  when  he  cometh  shall  lind 

44  so  doing.     Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  will  set 

45  him  over  all  that  he  hath.  But  if  that  ^serxant 
shall  say  in  his  heart.  My  lord  delayeth  his  coming; 
and  shall  begin  to  beat  the  menservants  and  the 
maidservants,  and    to  eat    and  drink,  and   to    be 


a  Matt.  21:  15;  25:  21;  1  Cor.  4:  2 5  Halt.  24:  47. 


.  .c  Matt.  24:  48. 1  Or,  the  faithful  steward,  the  wise  man  whom,  etc.... 2  Gr.hond- 

servant. 


41-48.  Special  Application  of  these 
Truths  to  the  Apostles. 

41.  Speakest  thou  this  parable  unto 
us,    or    even    to    all?    The   parable    was 

probably  that  which  was  spoken  (ver.  as-ss), 
rather  than  the  half-expressed  comparison  in 
ver.  39.  Considering  that  Jesus  liad  been 
long  speaking,  sometimes  to  Pharisees,  to 
lawyers,  to  the  multitude,  tohisdisciples,  Peter 
might  naturally  be  at  a  loss  whether  this  por- 
tion of  it  was  addressed  specially  to  all  actual 
or  possible"  disciples,  or  to  the  doubly  chosen 
twelve.  The  question  may  have  expressed 
some  curiosity — not  without  a  shade  of  as- 
sumption— whether  the  apostles  would  really 
be  distinguished,  "in  the  regeneration"  (Matt. 
19:28),  above  the  mass  of  believers,  according 
to  ver.  37. 

4*2.  Who,  then,  is  that  faithful  and  wise 
steward,  etc.  The  Greek  is  nearly  as  in  the 
margin  of  Revision  :  the  faithful  steward,  the 
prudent  [one].  The  Saviour  answers  not  di- 
rectly, but  by  a  return  question  sets  Peter  and 
all  to  consider  what  was  becoming  to  his 
servants  of  apostolic  rank ;  and  especially  to 
one  to  whom,  as  to  Peter,  a  certain  pre-emi- 
nence, even  in  this  office,  had  been  already 
assigned. — The  steward  is  not  exactly  one  of 
the  servants  of  the  former  parable,  brought 
forward  again,  but  stands  for  a  servant  of 
Jesus,  in  a  different,  a  more  specific,  relation. 
His  master  is  here  supposed  to  be  absent  for 
a  prolonged  stay,  and  to  be  testing  certain 
servants,  by  placing  them  in  charge  over  fel- 
low-servants during  this  period;  that,  on  his 
return,  he  may  be  able  to  give  all  his  aifairs 
into  the  hands  of  the  one  who  has  proved 
himself  worthy.  The  question,  therefore,  says, 
in  effect,  to  Peter:  Instead  of  asking  whether 
that  parable  is  spoken  to  you,  as  you  must 
know  that  in  some  sense  it  is,  ask  yourselves, 
rather,  what  qualities  each  of  you  apostles 
should  exhibit,  in  his  position  as  a  steward 


over  my  household ;  and  especially  thou, 
Peter,  in  order  to  meet  with  honor  at  my  re- 
turn. Household,  here,  is  the  body  of  do- 
mestic servants  (Latin,  fami/ia),  sometimes 
very  numerous,  constituting  the  service  of  a 
great  proprietor  at  that  time. — Portion  of 
meat  {food,  rations). — In  due  season,  that 
is,  for  the  day,  on  the  day  ;  for  the  week,  in 
the  week,  etc.  To  do  this  punctually  and 
well  required  the  steward  to  be  faithful,  and 
the  faithfulness  supposes  prudence.  He  must 
be  wise  to  see  what  is  needed,  and  to  have 
ready  in  supply  the  requirement  for  con- 
stantly recurring  needs,  and  dispense  every- 
thing so  equitably  that  all  concerned  shall  be 
satisfied,  and  the  work  of  the  place  go  forward 
efficiently'. 

43.  If  the  servants  before  described  were 
happy  and  honored  because  of  merely  watch- 
ing and  readiness,  a  higher  reward  would 
seem  appropriate  to  this  one  who  shall  be 
found  so  doing;  that  is,  prudently  and  faith- 
fully administering  the  important  business 
entrusted  to  him.  The  Saviour  thus  answers 
the  question  of  the  preceding  verse,  by  show- 
ing what  character  that  steward  will  evince. 

44.  His  reward  will  be  great  according  to 
his  fidelity  and  proved  efficiency.  He  will  be 
promoted  to  a  higher  charge  :  He  will  make 
him  ruler  (Greek,  set,  or  establish,  hhn)  over 
all  that  he  hath.  The  talent  which  he  has 
manifested  and  cultivated  shall  have  scope 
for  its  eternal  exercise  in  a  nobler,  happier 
sphere.  The  principle  of  recompense  is  like 
that,  "Be  thou  ruler  over  ten  cities,"  only 
still  more  free. 

45.  But  if  (omit  and)  that  servant  shall 
say  in  his  heart,  etc.  The  di.sgrace  and 
punishment  of  the  servant  who,  in  his  place 
as  a  steward,  is  neither  faithful  nor  wise,  will 
be  as  conspicuous  and  miserable  as  the  reward 
of  the  other  is  blessed  and  glorious.  My  lord 
delayeth  his  coming,  so  that  I  can  take  time 


Ch.  XIL] 


LUKE. 


221 


4  >  The  lord  of  that  servant  will  coiuo  in  a  day  when 
he  looketh  not  lor  him,  and  at  an  hour  when  he  is  not 
aware,  and  will  "cut  him  in  sunder,  and  will  appoint  him 
his  portion  with  the  unbelievers. 

4/  And  '  that  servant,  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and 
prepared  not  hlinxflf,  neither  did  according  to  his  will, 
shall  Ik'  beaten  with  many  slripcx. 

4-i  '^But  he  that  knew  not,  and  did  commit  things 
worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few  stripes.  For 
unto  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much 
required;  and  to  whom  men  have  committed  much,  of 
him  they  will  ask  the  more. 


46  drunken  ;  the  lord  of  that '  servant  shall  come  in  a 
day  when  he  expecteth  not,  and  in  an  hour  wlieu 
he  knoweth  not,  and  shall  cut  him -asunder,  and 

47  appoint  his  portion  with  the  uulaithl'ul.  And  that 
1  servant,  who  knew  his  lord  s  will,  and  maile  not 
ready,  nor  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  lieaten 

48  with  many  stripes ;  but  he  that  knew  not,  and  did 
things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripi-s.  And  to  whomsoever  much  is  given,  ot  him 
shall  much  be  required:  and  to  wliom  they  commit 
much,  of  him  will  Ihey  ask  more. 


...6  Num.  16:  30;  Deut.  ffi:  2;  John  9:  41 ;  15:  22:  Acts  17:  30;  Jamea  4:  17 c  Lev.  5:  17  ;  1  Tim.  1 :  13. 1  Ur.  6on<l- 

servant 2  Or,  severely  scourge  him. 


for  mischief  and  pleasure.  It  contains  another 
intiiiiiition  that  Jesus  tnay  tarry  long — so  long 
that  his  apostle,  or  other  minister,  may  forget 
that  he  is  himself  only  a  steward,  and  act  as 
if  he  were  master  of  the  place. — And  shall 
begin  to  beat  the  men-servants,  etc.  In 
the  decline  of  faith  through  long  waiting,  the 
natural  passions  may  re-assert  themselves; 
self-indulgence,  intemperance,  and  tyranny 
may  take  the  place  of  self-denial  and  Christ- 
like  love.  In  the  sphere  of  the  ministry,  from 
the  Pope  down  to  the  lowest  grade  of  a  men- 
made  hierurchy  of  every  communion,  such 
degeneracy  has  been  so  often  witnessed  as  to 
prove  a  divine  prevision  in  the  warning  which 
Christ  left  on  record.  Church  history  shows 
that  what  is  here  spoken  of  as  a  hypothetical 
possibility,  became,  and  has  continued,  a  fa- 
miliar reality,  and  imparts  a  sad  significance 
to  the  threat  of  penalty  in  the  next  verse. 

46.  For,  however  he  nuij'  have  concluded 
otherwise,  the  lord  of  that  servant  will 
come ;  he  will  come,  in  effect,  by  death,  in  a 
thousand  cases;  to  some,  at  last,  in  his  glori- 
fied person. — In  a  day  when  he  looketh 
not  for — [e.rpccteth  not)  etc. — the  terrible 
surprise!  —  And  will  cut  him  asunder. 
Such  treatment  of  the  guilty  steward  would 
be  according  to  the  severe  and  barbarous 
modes  of  inflicting  the  death  penalty  in  an- 
cient times  (1  Sam.  15:  33;  2  Sam.  12:  31; 
Dan.  2:5;  and  ample  proofs  relating  toother 
nations  in  Wetstcin  on  Matt.  24:  51).  Nor 
is  it  inconsistent  with  this  view,  that  the 
threatening  adds:  And  will  appoint  him 
his  place  with  the  unbelievers— ("the 
hypocrites  "  Matt.  24: 53).  We  have  onlj-  to  sup- 
pose that  the  thought  passes  from  the  figure  to 
the  reality,  leaving  the  parable,  or  hovering 
between  it  and  its  religious  signification,  join- 
ing to  the  sentence  of  bloody  death  that  of 
the  bani.shment  of  the  deatliless  soul  from 
God  and  heaven.  The  rendering  of  "severely 
scourge,"    in   the    margin    of    Revision,    has 


been  adopted  by  many  authoritie.*,  including 
Grrimm  {C'lavis,  under  the  word  Sixoro/ieu)),  and 
is  sufficiently  warranted  by  Greek  usage  to  be 
accepted,  if  we  were  constrained  to  take  what 
follows  as  relating  to  temporal  punishment; 
but  we  are  not. 

47.  And  that  servant  which  knew  his 
lord's  will  and  prepared  not — (omit  him- 
self), —  made  not  ready,  that  is,  for  iiis  lord's 
due  reception  at  his  return — neither  did 
according  to  his  will — in  the  general  ad- 
ministration of  his  office — shall  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes,  etc.  A  statement  of 
the  general  principles  of  divine  punishment. 
Its  severity  will  vary  according  to  the  meas- 
ure of  light  against  which  sin  has  been  com- 
mitted. 

48.  But  he  that  knew  not.  The 
preterit  tense  in  both  sentences  looks  back 
from  the  day  of  judgment.  Of  whatsoever 
servant  of  Christ  it  shall  then  appear  that  he 
knew  not,  during  his  term  of  service,  his 
Master's  will;  that  is  to  say,  in  his  specific 
requirements  and  prohibitions,  and  who  can- 
not, therefore,  have  sinned  against  full  light; 
but  who,  nevertheless,  did  things  worthy 
of  stripes,  as  being  in  violation  of  the  essen- 
tial principles  of  sen'ice,  suggested  by  reason 
and  conscience,  he  shall  be  beaten  with 
few  stripes.  His  punishment  will  be  cor- 
respondingly light. — For — and — to  state  the 
principle  in  the  most  general  way — unto 
whomsoever  much  is  (was)  given,  of  him 
shall  be  much  required.  —  Was  given, 
during  his  period  of  earthly  discipleship. — 
Much  of  opiwrtunity,  ability,  knowledge,  to 
further  the  cause  of  the  Master,  by  increasing 
the  welfare  of  men. — And  to  Avhom  men 
(more  vaguely,  Me?/)  have  committed  (they 
committed)  much,  of  him  they  will  ask  the 
more;  more,  namely,  than  of  him  who  had 
not  the  same  powers  and  means.  It  may  sig- 
nif3',  also,  "more  than  he  would  otherwise 
have  been  expected  to  return." — They  indi- 


222  LUKE  [Ch.  XIL 

4!»  « I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth ;  and  what  i  4'J      I  came  to  cast  firp  upon  the  earth  ;  and  '  what  do  I 


will  I,  il  it  be  already  kindled 

oj  But ''  1  liave  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with  ;  and  how 
am  I  straiteiied  till  it  be  accomplished  ! 

61  'Suppose  ye  thai  I  am  come  to  give  peace  ou  earth? 
I  tell  you,  Nay;  ''but  rather  division  : 

52  'For  from  hencelbrth  there  shall  be  five  in  one 
house  divided,  three  against  two,  and  two  against 
three. 

o.i  The  father  shall  be  divided  against  the  son,  and 
the  sou  against  the  lather;  the  mother  against  the 
daughter,  and  the  daughter  against  the  mother;  the 
uiotiier  in  law  against  tier  daugliter  in  law,  and  the 
daughter  iu  law  against  her  mother  in  law. 


5J  desire,  if  it  is  already  kindled','  But  1  have  a  bap- 
tism to  be  baptized  with  ;  and  hoVv  am  I  straitened 

51  till  it  be  accomplished!  Think  ye  that  J  am  come 
to  give  peace   in   the  earth?     I   tell  you,  Nav ;  but 

52  rather  division  :  for  there  shall  be  from  henceforth 
live  in  one  house  divided,  three  against   two,  and 

53  two  against  three.  They  shall  be  divided,  lather 
against  son,  and  son  against  father  ;  motlier  against 
daughter,  and  daughter  against  her  mother;  mother 
in  law  against  her  daughter  in  law,  and  daughter  in 
law  against  her  mother  in  law. 


ver.  51 b  M-.M.  20 :  Ti  {  Mark   lU:3a.. 


Malt.  10:  34;  v.-r.  ti)....d  Mio.  7:fi;  John  7  :  43;  9 :  16;  10:  19. 
how  I  would  that  it  ware  already  kindled  I 


.  .6  Malt.  10;  35.- 


cates  the  persons  concerned  indefinitely,  con- 
sistently witli  tiie  idea  of  a  general  ma.xirn, 
while  in  reality  it  is  Christ's  own  agency 
which  has  commissiotied  and  reclaims. 

49-33.  Trials  to  be  Endurkd  by 
Christ  and  his  Followers, 

49.  I  am  come  (exactly,  came)  to  send 
fire  on  the  earth.  The  painful  thought  is 
forced  on  the  mind  of  Christ,  by  a  foresight 
of  the  trials  and  troubles  which  were 
to  be  encountered  by  his  disciples  in  ex- 
ercising that  fidelity  which  he  had  just 
enjoined. — Fire  is  an  emblem  of  that  ex- 
citement of  minds,  for  and  against,  which 
the  operation  of  his  truth  will  of  necessity 
cause.  As  this  was  foreseen  in  the  counsels 
of  redemption  to  be  a  necessary  incident  to 
the  realizing  of  its  glorious  results,  it  might 
be  said  that  to  bring  it  to  pass  had  been  a  'ie- 
sign  of  his  coming  from  heaven  to  earth. — 
And  what  will  I,  if  it  be  already  kindled  ? 
The  translation  should  rather  be  :  And  how  I 
wish  it  were  already  kindled!  The  warrant 
for  this  may  be  found  in  Meyer's  note  on  the 
passage,  and  in  Grimm's  Ciavin  (under  n's,  1.  e. 
y ;  ",  I.  4).  The  reason  for  this  wish  lay  in  the 
foreseen  necessitj'  of  the  sufferings  on  his  part 
which  must  intervene,  and  which  he  would 
fain  have  already  endured.  The  fire  could 
not  fully  blaze  until  the  "offence  of  the 
cross"  to  a  hostile  world  was  added  to  its 
agony  to  himself  Not  till  then  would  the 
pains  of  Gethsemane  and  Calvary  be  over. 

50,  But — it  is  now  quite  otherwise — I  have 
a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with — an  experi- 
ence of  sufferings  to  be  endured,  comparable 
to  nothing  so  well  as  to  immersion  in  a  flood 
of  distress.  "A  baptism  to  be  baptized  with" 
is  a  solecism  of  English  speech,  which  nothing 
but  unreflecting  familiarity  could  have  made 
tolerable  to  our  ears.    The  Greek  idiom  would 


but  the  sense  is,  in  English,  "an  immersion 
to  undergo."  To  be  itnmersed,  overwhelmed, 
in  business,  pleasure,  cares,  trouble,  sufferings, 
is  a  figure  of  rhetoric  very  familiar  to  us; 
how  familiar  it  was  to  the  Greek  may  be  seen 
from  the  numerous  examples  in  Conant's 
Baptizein,  its  Meaning  and  Use  (pp.  43-67). — 
And  how  am  I  straitened  until  it  be  ac- 
complished !  Paul  could  afterward  speak 
of  being  in  a  strait  between  his  desire  to 
be  more  immediately  with  Christ,  and  his 
conviction  of  the  importance  of  his  remaining 
longer  in  the  work  on  earth.  So  here,  Christ 
feels  himself  greatly  straitened  (the  verb  is 
the  same  as  Paul  used).  The  pains  of  death 
already,  in  anticipation,  "gat  hold  upon" 
him,  and  the  prospect  was  dreadful  to  the  Son 
of  man.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  his 
Father's  will,  and  equally  his  own,  that  he 
should  thus  suffer,  and  for  that  hour  had  he 
come  into  the  world.  How  inevitable  that  he 
should  be  sore  pressed  by  these  conflicting 
considerations,  until  the  end  had  come. 

51.  Suppose  {think)  ye  that  I  am  come  to 
give  peace  on  the  earth?  Are  ye  so  mis- 
taken as  to  think  that  all  will  be  quietness 
and  harmony  among  men,  as  the  result  of  my 
mission?  Yet  the  end  was  to  be  peace  (i:  V8;  2;  u). 
— Nay;  but  rather  division.  The  rather 
is  better  left  out.  (Comp.  Matt.  10:  34,  "but 
a  sword.'")  The  Greek  (a\K'  ij)  emphasizes 
division  as  the  result  of  Christ's  coming;  so 
much  more  conspicuously  prominent  now,  in 
view  of  the  intense  opposition  which  is  ready 
to  put  him  to  death,  and  will  mark  the  path 
of  the  early  gospel  with  the  blood  of  his  saints. 
Division  alone  is  what  he  proceeds  to  speak 
of. 

53.  Henceforth — from  the  date  of  his  res- 
urrection, which  is  just  at  hand — there  shall 
be  five  in  one  house  divided.  This  was  the 
saddest  aspect  of  the  separating  power  of  his 
easily  allow  a  construction  nearly  equivalent;  I  truth,  the  breaking  up  of  the  concord  of  fami- 


Ch.  XII.] 


LUKE. 


223 


54  And  he  said  also  to  the  people,  <•  When  ye  see  a 
cloud  rise  oiii  ot  the  west,  straigHtway  ye  say,  Ihere 
couielh  a  shower;  and  so  it  is.  .    ,   .,  „   .„„ 

55  And  when  y>:  .v"  the  south  wind  blow,  ye  say. 
There  will  In-  heat  ;  and  it  couieth  to  pass. 

m  ie  hypocrites,  ve  can  discern  the  lace  of  the  sky 
and  of  the  earlh  ;  but  how  is  it  that  ye  do  not  discern 

''  57  'vca,'  and  why  even  of  yourselves  judge  ye  not 

"^rif'-'whell'thou  goest  with  thine  adversary  to  the 
iiiaK'istrale,  'as  Ih.m  art  in  the  way,  give  diligence  that 
thou  uiavest  be  delivered  from  hiui ;  lest  h*^  >';''<;■  <>'; 
to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  othcei, 
and  the  othcer  cast  thee  into  prison. 


54  And  he  saia  to  ihe  multitudes  also,  When  ye  see  a 
cloud  rising  in  the  west,  sliaightway  ye  say,  Tliere 

55  Cometh  a  shower;  and  so  it  comelh  lo  pass.  And 
when  ye  .vw  a  south  wind  blowing,  ye  say,  Ihere 
will   be   a  'scorching  beat;  and  it  coiiieth  to  pass. 

5G  Ye  hvpocrites,  ve  know  how  to  ^  interpret  the  lace 
of  the  earth  and  the  heaven  ;  but  how  is  it  that  ye 

57  know    not  how  to  -i interpret  this  time.'     And  why 

58  even  of  yourselves  judge  ye  not  what  is  right.'  tor 
as  thou  art  going  with  ibine  adversary  be. ore  the 
magistrate,  on  the  wav  give  diligence  to  be  quit  of 
him;  lest  haply  he  drag  thee  unto  the  judge,  and 
the  judge  shall  deliver  thee  to  the  ^ollicer,  and  the 


a  Ma.t.  16 :  2. . .  .*  Prov.  .5:8;  M..tt.  5  :  35. . . .c  See  P».  ^'i  :  6;  I.a.  55  :  6— 1  Or,  ftot  u>ind. ..  .'l  O:.  prove. ..  .^  P..  enactor. 

and  when  it  continues  for  a  time,  it  becomes 
a  heat  (a  scorching  heat),  the  baleful  "si- 
mootn"  of  those  parts,  dreaded  by  man  and 
beast. 

56.  Ye  hypocrites.  The  charge  of  hy- 
pocrisy rested  on  their  willing  blindness,  in  the 
religious  sphere,  to  tokens  more  plain  from 
revelation  than  these  signs  which  their  own 
reason  had  collected  fr<mi  the  phases  of  na- 
ture. Doubtless,  the  teachers  and  leaders 
were  principally  intended;  but  "the  doctrine 
of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocri.sy,"  had 
more  or  less  influenced  the  mass. — Ve  can 
discern— scrutinize,  so  as  to  form  a  correct 
judgment  about— the  face  of  the  sky  and 
of  the  earth  (or,  the  earth  and  the  heavens), 
a  skill  which  they  were  bound  in  consistency 
to  exercise  in  more  important  matters.— How 
is  it  that  ye  do  not  discern  this  time 
(season),  namely,  that  in  which  Christ  s  pres- 
ence with  them— having  been  preceded  by 
John,  and  fulfilling  the  ancient  prophecies  by 
his  teaching  and  his  works— proved  that  now 
was  the  crisis  of  the  nation's  destiny.  This 
they  might  have  seen  if  they  would. 

57-59.  The  Sklf-evident  Need  of  Rk- 

PEXTANCE     AND     PREPARATION      FOR      THE 

Judgment. 

57.  .\nd  why  even  of  yourselves  judge 
ye  not  what  is  right  ?  Had  they  duly  con- 
sidered what  a  sign  Jesus  was,  they  would 
have  found  in  him  a  mighty  motive  and  aid  to 
repentance  and  peace  with  God.  And  even 
though  they  shut  their  eyes  to  this,  why  do 
they  not,  from  the  teaching  of  Scripture,  as  it 
is  open  to  all ;  from  reflection  on  past  sins  and 
God's  forbearance  to  them  personally,  as 
well  as  from  the  indications  of  an  approach- 
ing visitation  on  the  people,  repent  and  turn 
to  God  in  obedience  and  love? 

58.  When  thou  goest  (rather,  For  as  thou 
art  going— since  such  is  already  the  fact)  with 


lies.  Herein  is  foreseen  the  whole  long,  sad, 
even  bloody,  story  of  social  and  civil  persecu- 
tion, dis.sension,  and  strife,  arising  from  Uie 
propagation  of  the  gospel.  In  some  families, 
they  would  stand  fewer,  two  on  his  side,  op- 
po.«ed  by  three  hating  them;  in  others,  the 
proportions  would  be  reversed;  but  discord, 
wherever  there  was  partial  or  diverse  recep- 
tion of  his  truth. 

53.  The  statement  is  made  more  pathetic 
by  .specification:  the  believing  son  will  be 
l)ersecuted  by  his  worldly  father ;  the  daugh- 
ter, likewise,  by  her  mother;  in  other  cases, 
these  positions  of  the  parties  will  be  inverted  ; 
and  so  through  all  the  tender  relations  of  life. 
For  ages  after  Christ,  this  prediction  was  a 
literal  description  of  facts;  and  not  a  year  has 
elapsed,  until  now,  in  which  it  did  not  apply 
to  certain  instances  of  hatred  on  the  part  of 
relatives  toward  followers  of  Christ.  Yet, 
while  he  is  the  occasion  of  all  this,  it  is  not  his 
spirit  which  hates  and  contends,  but  which 
rather  suffers  hatred  and  opposition,  for  his 
name's  sake,  at  the  hands  of  those  otherwise 
nearest  and  dearest.  This  very  dissension  in- 
volves necessarily  a  condemnation  of  all  who 
rage  against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  Christ. 
54-59.  Blindness  of  the  People  Gen- 
erally TO  the  Approach  of  such  a  Con- 
demnation*. 

The  long  address  to  his  disciples  is  ended. 
54,  55.  And  he  said  also  to  the  people 
itmdtitudrs),  When  ye  see  a  cloud  rise  out 
of_properly,  rising  in— the  west,  etc.  Tliey 
were  quick  to  note  the  indications  of  coming 
weather,  and  to  interpret  them,  so  as  to  regu- 
late the  conduct  prudently.  The  great  Medi- 
terranean Sea  lay  to  the  west  of  them  ;  hence, 
a  cloud  rising  in  that  quarter  would  be 
charged  with  moisture,  and  might  well  bring 
rain.— The  south  wind  reaches  Palestine 
from  over  the  torrid  wilderness  of  Arabia; 


224 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIII. 


59  I  tell  thee,  thou  shalt  not  depart  thence,  till  thou  |  59  '  officer  shall  cast  thee  into  prison.    I  say  unto  thee, 
hast  paid  the  very  last  "mite.  Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till  thou 

I       have  paid  the  very  last  mite. 

CHAPTEK    XIII. 

rpHERE  were  present  at  that  season  some  that  told  |  1  Now  there  were  some  present  at  that  very  season 
i  him  of  the  tialilseans,  whose  blood  Pilate  had  min-  who  told  him  of  the  Ualilasans,  whose  blood  Pilate 
gletl  with  tiieir  sacrifices.  I 


(  See  Hark  12  :  i'i. 1  Gr.  exactor. 


thine  adversary  to  the  magistrate.  The  i 
magistrate  can  be  none  other  than  God,  who 
must  also,  perhaps  as  represented  bj'  Christ, 
be  the  adversary.  The  illustration  is  intro- 
duced to  enforce  the  obligation  on  their  part 
to  become  reconciled  with  God  in  "this 
time."  Ver.  56,  to  judge  and  do  what  is  right. 
Ver.  57.  According  to  the  supposition  of  the 
p;irable,  the  creditor  had  the  right  to  seize  his 
delinquent  debtor  where  he  might  find  him, 
take  him  before  a  magistrate,  and,  on  proving 
his  case,  have  him  condemned  to  imprison- 
ment, until  the  claim  was  satisfied.  The 
details  of  the  application  may  be  variously 
filled  out;  but  the  lesson  is  perfectly  obvious. 
— Art  in  the  way^before  thou  hast  reached 
the  bar  of  God,  the  supreme  magistrate— 
before  whom  thou  must  appear — give  dili- 
gence that  thou  mayest  be  delivered 
from  him;  be  quit  of  him  (Revision).  This 
may  be  effected  with  our  adversary,  God,  by 
humble,  penitent  acknowledgment  of  "our 
debts,"  and  the  plea  for  forgiveness,  according 

to  the    gospel   (Matt.  6:  12  ;  Luke  is  :  13.  U). — Lest    he 

— wearied  with  "thy  hardness  and  impenitent 
heart,"  close  the  door  of  conciliation — and 
hale  thee  unto  the  judge.  He  who 
might  have  been  a  magistrate  to  pacify, 
is  now  only  a  judge  to  condemn. — And  the 
judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  etc. 
The  officer — exactor — is  in  effect  the  bailiff, 
or  constable,  who  will  see  that  the  sentence  is 
duly  carried  into  effect.  The  prison  is  Ge- 
henna, hell,  to  which  the  verdict  of  the  last 
day  will  consign  those  careless  sinners  who 
have  trifled  away  their  day  of  visitation. 

59.  I  tell  thee,  thou  shalt  not  [shalt  by 
no  means)  depart  thence  till  thou  hast 
(have)  paid  the  very  last  mite.  The  mite 
was  the  smallest  coin  then  in  use,  probably 
one-half  the  value  of  the  "farthing"  (ver.s). 
The  Saviour's  discourse,  starting  with  the 
case  of  the  Jews  threatened  with  national 
destruction,  through  their  rejection  of  him, 
has  turned  into  a  most  solemn  declaration  of 
the  remediless  ruin  which  hangs  over  every 
one  living  unreconciled  to  God.     If  the  lan- 


guage in  this  verse  does  not  ab.solutely  pre- 
clude the  idea  of  a  payment  of  the  debt  in 
prison  by  one  who  was  unable  and  unwilling 
while  the  chance  was  afforded  him,  yet,  when 
we  think  that  the  debt  to  God  consists  of  sins, 
to  be  cancelled  and  undone,  we  feel  that  un- 
der the  figure  employed,  the  impossibility  of 
payment  could  not  be  more  impressively  set 
forth. 

i-5.  The  Necessity  of  Repentance 
Enforced  by  Occurrences  of  the  Day. 

1.  {Noio)  there  were  present  at  that 
(very)    season   some   that    told   him,  etc. 

They  were  probably  visitors  from  Jerusalem, 
who  reported,  as  a  matter  of  news,  without 
any  particular  feeling  on  the  subject,  an  inci- 
dent of  recent  occurrence  there.  The  time 
was  just  as  he  had  completed  the  long  series 
of  discourses  running  through  chapters  XI  and 
XII,  and  while  he  was  yet  in  the  place  where 
he  had  given  the  instruction  concerning 
prayer,  11:  Iff,  in  the  same  place,  as  well  as 
at  that  very  season.  McClellan  (New  Tes- 
tament., p.  552),  who  teems  with  novelties  of 
harmonization,  and  can  hardly  allow  any 
event  of  the  Gospels  to  fail  of  assignment  to 
its  precise  day  and  hf-ur,  here,  on  the  ground 
that  Luke  does  not  say  "  at  that  same  hour," 
but  ''season"  will  see  no  reference  at  all  to 
the  preceding  chapter,  but  whirls  our  passage 
back  to  a  passover  season,  at  the  time  of  Luke 
5:  16,  17,  and  of  the  interval  between  John 
4:  54  and  5:  1.  The  event  narrated  is  not 
mentioned  elsewhere ;  but  we  see  that  Pilate, 
the  Roman  Procurator,  had  visited  upon 
certain  Galileans,  guilty  of  we  know  not  what 
crime,  a  bloody  slaughter.  There  is  no  indi- 
cation that  they  were  supposed  to  have  been 
heinously  criminal ;  but  a  circumstance  of 
their  punishment  which  peculiarly  impressed 
the  Jewish  imagination  was,  that  in  the 
temple  courts  they  wore  actually  engaged  in 
offering  sacrifices  at  the  moment  when  they 
were  cut  down,  so  that  their  blood,  sprinkling 
the  parts  of  the  victim,  could  be  said  to  have 
been  mingled  with  their  sacrifices.    The 


Ch.  XIII.] 


LUKE. 


225 


2  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  tliem,  Suppose  ye 
that  these  (iulilu:uns  were  siuuers  abov"  all  the  liali- 
laeaus,  because  Ihey  surt'ered  such  things',' 

3  I  tell  you,  Nay:  but,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all 
likewise  perish. 

4  Or  I  hose  eighteen,  upon  whom  the  tower  in  Siloaiu 
fell,  and  slew  theiii,  think  ye  that  they  were  "sinners 
above  all  mi'n  that  dwelt  in  .lerusaleni .' 

5  I  tell  you,  Nay:  but,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall 
all  likewise  perish. 

6  He  sp;ike  aUo  this  parable;  'A  certain  man  had  a 
fig  tree  planted  in  his  vineyard;  and  he  came  and 
sought  fruit  thereon,  and  found  none. 

7  Then  said  he  unto  the  dresser  of  his  vineyard,  Be- 
hold, these  three  years  I  come  seeking  fruit  on  this  lig 
tree,  and  tiiid  none:  cut  it  down;  wliy  cumbereth  it 
the  ground  ? 


2  had  mingled  with  their  sacrifices.  And  he  answered 
and  said  unto  them.  Think  ye  that  these  lialilifan.s 
were  sinners  above  all  the  iialilieans,  because  they 

3  have  sutlered  these  things?  I  tell  you.  Nay:  but, 
except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  in  like  manner  perish. 

4  Or  those  eighteen,  upon  whom  the  tower  in  .Siloam 
fell,  and  killed  them,  think  ye  that  they  were  '  of- 
fenders above  all  the  men  that  dwell  in  Jeru.salenr.' 

5  1  tell  you.  Nay:  but,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all 
likewise  perish. 

6  And  be  spake  this  parable:  A  certain  man  had  a 
fig  tree  |)lanted  in  his  vineyard;  and  he  came  seek- 

7  ing  fruit  thereon,  and  found  none.  .\nd  he  said 
unto  the  vinedresser.  Behold,  these  three  years  I 
come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig  tree,  and  find  none: 
cut  it  down  ;  why  doth  it  also  cumber  the  ground  ? 


a  Matt.  l»:2i;  ch.  11:  4 b  Un.  5:2;  Matt.  21 :  19. 1  Gr.  debtor: 


Galileiins  were  pjirticularly  fierce,  turbulent, 
and  intructiiblo,  and  gave  the  Roman  authori- 
ties a  large  jiroportion  of  their  trouble  in 
governing  the  nation. 

2.  Our  Lord's  answer  shows  how  ready  he 
was  to  turn  an  item  of  current  news  into  a 
lesson  of  duty  toward  his  1<ingdom.  Sup- 
pose ye  that  these  Galilnnans  were  sinners 
above  all  the  Galilreans,  because  they 
(have)  surt'ered  such  (these)  things?  The 
verb  were  represents  the  Greek  verb  "to  be- 
come," "prove  oneself,"  "turn  out  to  be";  so 
that  the  question  seems  to  refer  to  the  opinion 
betraj'ed  in  John  9:  2:  Did  they  prove  them- 
selves great  sinners  by  the  fact  that  they  have 
suffered  these  things? 

3.  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  like- 
wise (i.  e.,  in  iikemnnner)  perish.  Likewise 
might  mean  no  more  than  "also."  Tliis 
might  be  intended  specially  for  the  Galilean 
portion  of  the  crowd  which  accompanied  him. 
Tliey  were  noted  for  their  turbulence  and 
fractiousness  in  the  State.  In  like  maymer 
does  not  probably  point  to  the  identical 
method  of  punishment,  although  it  has  often 
been  noted  how  literally  multitudes  of  the 
nation,  including  some,  it  may  be,  to  whom 
Christ  was  speaking,  perished  in  the  same 
way,  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  It  is 
enough  that  being  also  sinners,  they  were  to 
perish  as  those  sinners  had ;  as  surelj',  as 
dreadfullj',  as  irremediably.  The  expression, 
ye  shall  all  .  .  perish,  as  truly  indicates 
Christ's  judgment  that  all  men  are  sinners  as 
would  any  explicit  and  dogmatic  statement 
to  that  etfcct. 

4.  Or — to  take  another  similar  case — those 
eighteen,  etc.  Another  fact,  outside  of  all 
other  historical  record.  Siloam  was  a  pool, 
south  of  Jerusalem,  fed  by  the  fountain  Siloah. 


structure,  or  one  connected  with  the  wall  of 
the  city,  and  as  to  anything  definite  about  it, 
we  are  without  information.  Its  fall,  from 
whatever  cause,  had,  at  some  previous  time, 
caused  the  death  of  eighteen  j)ersons,  and  may 
have  also  led  to  the  opinion  that  those  persons 
were  specially'  guilty  before  God— sinners 
(Greek,  debtors)  above  all  (the)  men  that 
dwell  in  Jerusalem. 

5.  The  denial  is  the  same  in  regard  to  them 
as  in  regard  to  the  Galileans;  and  the  truth 
which  is  thus  declared  in  relation  to  the  two 
extremities  of  the  country,  all  in  Galilee  and 
all  in  Jerusalem,  may  surely  apidy  to  all 
men  everywhere.  Repentance  is  es.sential  to 
salvation. 

6-9.  Thk  Jewish  Nation  a  Barrkn 
Fig  Tree. 

6.  And  he  spake  this  parable— following 
up,  and  bringing  to  a  close,  this  long  line  of 
various  discourse.  The  lack  of  any  appear- 
ance in  the  nation  of  that  repentance  which 
he  had  just  declared  nccessarj%  may  have 
guided  to  this  admonition.  A  certain  man 
had  a  fig  tree  planted  in  his  vineyard, 
etc.  Spare  ground  in  the  vineyard  would, 
from  the  preparation  which  it  had  received, 
furnish  the  most  desirable  site  for  other  fruit 
trees  also.  The  fruit  of  the  fig  tree  was  very 
highlj'  esteemed  in  the  pomology  of  the  He- 
brews, and  was  thus  a  suitable  symbol  of  the 

(;h0Sen    peOJ^le    of  God   (.Icr.  24  :  .l ;  Hos.  9:  lO;  Matt.  21: 

19).  Placed  in  a  situation  mo.st  favorable  for 
the  growth  of  moral  excellence,  they  should 
have  yielded  fruit  in  lives  of  piety  and  obe- 
dience. 

7.  But  such  fruit  God  had  come  seeking 
again  and  again,  and  found  none.  This 
conden.<es  the  hi.story  of  that  people  from  the 
days  of  the  Judges.     The  three  years  are  not 


Whether  the    tower    was   an    independent  '  to  be  understood  literally,  but  represent  gen- 

P 


226 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIII. 


8  And  he  answering  said  unto  him,  Lord,  let  it 
alone  this  ytnii'  also,  till  1  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung 
U: 

9  And  if  it  bear  fruit,  well :  and  if  not,  then  after  that 
thou  shalt  cut  it  down. 

lu  And  lie  was  teaching  in  one  of  the  synagogues  on 
the  sabliath. 

11  And,  behold,  there  was  a  woman  which  had  a 
spirit  of  iiitirmity  eighteen  years,  and  was  bowed  to- 
gether, and  could  in  no  wise  lift  up  kenvif. 


8  And  he  answering  saith  unto  him.  Lord,  let  it  alone 
this  year  also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it: 

9  and  if  it  bear  Iruit  thenceforth,  well ;  but  it  not, 
thou  shalt  cut  it  dow  n. 

10  And  he  was  teaching  in  one  of  the  synagogues  on 

11  the  sabbath  day.  And  behold,  a  woman  who  had  a 
spirit  of  infirmity  eighteen  years;  and  she  was 
bowed  together,  and  could  in  no  wise  lilt  herself  up. 


erally  the  period  (being  itself  a  long  period 
to  wait  for  figs  on  a  mature  tree)  tli rough 
which  God  had  loolved  in  vain  for  repentance 
and  holiness. — Cut  it  down.  The  Greek 
form  of  the  verb  implies  instant  urgency.  It 
would  have  the  excision  done  at  one  stroke. 
— Why  cunibereth  it  the  ground?  Better 
as  the  Revision.  Cumbereth,  as  now  used, 
hardly  conveys  the  sense  so  well  as  "render 
useless,"  "sterilize."  (Farrar).  While  it 
yields  no  fruit,  it  occupies  ground  which 
might  be  profitably  taken  for  something  else. 
The  dresser  of  the  vineyard  stands  for  Jesus 
Christ. 

8.  He,  with  the  natural  tenderness  of  a  man 
for  a  tree  on  which  he  has  lavished  long  care, 
pleads  for  a  short  delay — this  year  also — 
covering  the  forty  years  before  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  that  he  may  try  still  further 
expedients,  the  last  resources  of  his  art,  to 
bring  it  to  fruitfulness. 

9.  And  if  it  bear  fruit  (henceforth=for  tlte 
future),  though  it  has  been  barren  in  the  past. 
The  ditference  between  the  two  versions  here 
depends  on  a  transposition  of  "after  that,"  in 
the  Common  Version,  to  the  previous  member 
as  "  hencef(jrth,"  according  to  both  the  proper 
meaning  of  the  Greek,  and  to  the  order  of  the 
most  approved  MSS.  The  possibilitj',  not  to 
say  likelihood,  that  it  still  will  not  bear,  chokes 
the  gardener's  utterance.  The  sentence  re- 
mains unfinished  by  the  rhetorical  figure  called 
aposiopesis ;  well  is  put  in  by  the  translators 
to  weaken  and  complete  it.  What  could  riiore 
touchingly  indicate  the  yearning  tendwrness 
with  which  our  great  High  Priest,  in  heaven, 
intercedes  with  his  Father  for  the  salvation  of 
those  in  wliose  behalf  he  died?  And  if  not, 
then  after  that  (omit  then  after  that)  thou 
shalt  cut  it  down;  let  thy  command  (ver. 7) 
be  executed.  The  vine-dresser  does  not  say, 
"I  will  cut  it  down."  but  consents  that  it 
shall  be  done.  "He  will  cease  to  remon- 
strate."— Ben  gel. 

In  this  parable,  the  vineyard  is  the  goodly 
land,  with  its  civil  and  religious  institutions, 
originally  assigned  to  Israel.     The  fig  tree  is 


the  chosen  and  favored  people.  The  vine- 
dresser is  Jesus  Christ.  The  failure  to  pro- 
duce fruit,  as  sought,  is  the  obstinate  rejection 
of  God's  ways  by  that  people,  their  worldli- 
ness,  hypocrisy,  and  unbelief.  The  cumber- 
ing the  ground  is  their  .standing  in  the  way  of 
its  occupancy  by  men  more  willing  and  able 
to  render  acceptable  service  to  God.  The  cut- 
ting down  is  the  approaching  destruction  of 
the  existing  state  and  nation,  delayed  for  this 
year  also,  that  they  might  have  full  oppor- 
tunity to  repent. and  accept  the  Messiah;  but 
which,  it  is  intimated  by  the  agitation  of  the 
gardener,  will  then  have  to  come.  But,  like  all 
the  parables  which  were  primarily  adapted  to 
the  case  of  temporal  Israel,  this  one  also  has 
its  obvious  apj)lications  to  the  case  of  an^'  men 
who  have  failed  to  render  to  God  just  love  and 
service. 

10-17.  A  Miraculous  Cure  on  the  Sab- 
bath Gives  Fresh  Occasion  for  the  Dis- 
play OF  Hypocrisy. 

10-13.  The  miracle.  The  mention  of  some 
synagogue,  not  more  definitely  specified,  is 
the  first  decisive  hint  of  a  change  of  scene, 
further  than  from  the  outside  to  the  inside  of 
a  house,  or  vice  versa,  since  the  mention  of  "a 
certain  place."    (u-.  i.) 

10.  On  his  journeys  the  Saviour  still 
sought  the  synagogues,  and  turned  to  ac- 
count the  opportunities  of  the  Sabbath.  He 
was  teaching  here,  in  conformity  with  the 
practice  seen  in  4:  16. 

11.  A  woman  which  had  a  spirit  of 
infirmity  eighteen  years.  We  have  before 
seen  that  demoniacs  and  persons  otherwise 
diseased  frequented  the  synagogues.  They 
might  sometimes  seek  there,  not  the  con- 
tributions of  the  charitable,  but  the  light 
and  comfort  of  religious  worship,  in  their 
habitual  weakness  and  pain.  This  spirit 
of  infirmity  was  probably  conceived  of 
as  a  demon,  whose  influence  resulted  in 
that  peculiar  feebleness  under  which  she  suf- 
fered. She  was  bowed  together — "bent 
double,"  as  it  is  often  said.  Whether  her 
symptoms  were  those  of  palsy,  or  of  chronic 


Ch.  XIII.] 


LUKE. 


227 


12  And  when  Jesus  saw  her,  he  called  her  to  him,  and 
Baid  uuto  her,  Wouiun,  ihou  art  Ioi»sc<i  I'roui  thiue  in- 
liriuity. 

i;{«And  he  laid  A;'.v  liands  on  her :  and  immediately 
she  was  made  .straight,  aud  gloritied  tiod. 

14  And  the  ruler  olthc  sjiian<»giie  answered  with  in- 
dignation, hecause  that  JeMis  had  liealed  on  the  sab- 
bath (lav,  aud  said  unto  the  people,  '-There  are  six 
days  in 'which  men  ou^'ht  to  work  ;  in  lliem  therefore 
come  and  he  healed,  and  '  not  on  the  sabliulh  day. 

15  The  Lord  then  answered  him,  and  said,  T/iou 
hypocrite, ''doth  not  each  one  ol'  you  on  the  sabbath 
loose  his  ox  or  hi.i  ass  I'rom  the  stall,  and  lead  him 
away  to  watering? 

lii'  And  ought  not  this  woman,  'being  a  daughter  of 
Abraham,  whom  .Satan  hath  bound,  lo  these  eighteen 
years,  be  loosed  from  tliis  bond  on  the  sabbath  day? 

17  And  when  he  had  said  these  things,  all  his  adver- 
saries were  ashamed:  and  all  the  people  rejoieed  for  all 
the  glorious  things  that  were  done  by  him. 


12  And  when  .Tesns  saw  her,  he  called  her,  and  said  to 
her,  Woman,  thou  art  loosed  from  thine  inhrmity. 

13  And  he   laid  lii.s  bands  upon  her:  aud  immediately 

14  she  was  made  straight,  and  glorihed  (hhI.  And  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue,  beiijg  moved  with  indigna- 
tion because  .lesus  had  healed  on  the  sabbath,  an- 
swered and  said  to  the  multitude.  There  are  six 
days  in  which  men  ought  to  work:  in  them  there- 
fore come  and  be  healed,  aud  not  on  the  day  ol  the 

15  sabbath.  Hut  the  Lord  answered  him,  and  saiil,  Ve 
hy])ocrites,  doth  not  each  one  of  you  on  the  sabbath 
loose  his  ox  or  his  ass  Iroiu  the  'stall,  and  le:id  bim 

16  away  to  watering?  And  ought  not  this  wdiiian, 
being  a  daughter  of  .\braham,  whom  .Satan  bad 
bound,  lo,  /he.se  eighteen  years,  to  have  been  loosed 

17  from  this  bond  on  the  day  of  the  sabbath?  .\iid  as 
he  said  these  things,  all  his  adversaries  were  put  to 
shame:  and  all  the  multitude  rejoieed  for  all  the 
glorious  things  that  were  done  by  him. 


1  Miirk  16:  18;  Acts  9:  1T....»  Bx.  20:  9....e  Matt.  12:  10;  Mark  3:  2  ;  ch.  6 :  7  ;  14 ;  3....dcli.  U :  5....«ch.  19:9 1  Gr.  manger. 


rheumatism,  is  uncertain.  The  severity  of 
her  iiiahidy  is  indiiated  by  the  words,  and 
could  in  nowise  lift  up  herself,  or,  "and 
could  not  lift  herself  up  entirely,"  as  Meyer 
and  some  prefer. 

12.  The  sight  of  such  mi.«cry  appeals  again 
irresistibly  to  the  ct)mpassi()n  of  our  Lord. 
It  was  itself  a  prayer. — He  called  her  to 
him — as  an  expression  of  his  friendliness — 
and  said  unto  her,  Woman,  thou  art 
loosed  from  thine  infirmity.  This  form 
of  expression  was  specially  appropriate,  when 
the  trouble  was  as  if  she  had  been  bound 
down  with  cords. 

13.  And  he  laid  his  hands  on  her.  This 
gave  to  the  unspiritual  thought  of  the  woman 
and  of  the  rest  an  api)rehensible  medium 
through  which  the  healing  grace  migltt  ap- 
pear to  flow. — And  immediately  she  Avas 
made  straight  (literally,  was  straightened 
up),  a  palpable  proof  that  the  Satanic  bondage 
was  broken;  and,  considering  how  long  she 
had  been  held  fast  in  it,  a  mighty  token  of 
the  present  power  of  God.  And  glorified 
God — rendered  to  him  that  praise  and  thanks- 
giving which  so  wonderful  and  beneficent  a 
deed  deserved. 

14-17.  The  hypocrisy. 

14.  And  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue 
(ch.  8:41)  answered  with  indignation,  etc. 
"We  have  seen  before  (oh. «:  i-n)  how  Pharisaic 
legality  had  made  a  crime  of  healing  sick- 
ness on  the  Sabbath.  This  ruler  did  not  ven- 
ture a  direct  reproof  to  Jesus,  but,  in  a  cow- 
ardly way,  tried  to  scourge  him  over  the  backs 
of  the  people.  The  people  were  upbraided, 
because,  forsooth,  one  of  their  number  had 
listened  to  a  word  of  mercy  which  relieved  her 
of  the  distress  of  half  a  life-time.  He  professes 


to  honor  Scripture. — There  are  six  days  in 
which  men  ought  to  work.  True;  but 
there  had  been  no  stroke  of  work;  no  one 
had  even  come  to  the  place  for  the  purpose 
of  being  bodily  saved.  A  word  spoken,  the 
stretching  out  of  a  hand,  a  straightening  of 
herself  upon  the  part  of  the  woman — that 
was  all. 

15.  Well  might  the  Lord  say.  Thou  hyp« 
ocrite  (rather,  Fe  hypocrites),  addressing  the 
class  of  which  this  ruler  was  a  specimen.— 
Doth  not  each  one  of  you  on  the  sabbath 
loose  his  ox,  etc.  These  things  they  did,  and 
it  would  have  been  wrong  for  them  not  to  do 
them.  But  it  made  their  hypocrisy  appear 
all  the  more  glaring.  Did  they  say  that  mercy 
required  them  to  prevent  the  suffering  of 
dumb  brutes? 

15,16.  Hear  the  Saviour's  answer:  Ought 
not  this  woman  — not  merely  a  human 
being,  but  also  being  a  daughter  of  Abra- 
ham— and  thus  appealing  strongly  to  the  pity 
of  a  ruler  of  a  synagogue  for  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham—whom Satan  hath  bound — viz.  :  by 
his  unclean  spirit  (v.  11),  the  abominable 
tyrant— lo,  these  eighteen  years— not  for 
one  single  day,  as  with  the  ox — be  loosed 
from  this  bond  on  the  sabbath  day  ? 

17.  And  when  he  had  (better,  as  he)  said 
— before  he  had  finished — these  things,  all 
his  adversaries  were  ashamed  (or,  put  to 
shame).  Well  might  they  be;  for  their  as- 
sumption of  special  piety  had  been  shown 
hollow  and  insincere,  due  entirely  to  causeless 
malignity  toward  him. — And  all  the  people 
(literally,  rrmltitude)  rejoiced,  etc.  We  can 
SCO  that  a  large  and  increasing  measure  of 
popular  favor  attended  the  Lord  as  he  drew 
nearer  the  end  of  this  journej-,  and  the  end  of 


228 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIII. 


18  "Then  said  he,  Unto  what  is  the  kingdom  of  God 
like?  and  whereunto  shall  I  resemble  it? 

19  It  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  which  a  man 
took,  and  cast  into  his  garden  ;  and  it  grew,  and  waxed 
a  great  tree;  and  the  fowls  of  the  air  lodged  in  the 
branches  of  it. 

•20  And  again  he  said,  Whereunto  shall  I  liken  the 
kingdom  of  Uod? 

21  It  is  like  leaven,  which  a  woman  took  and  hid  in 
three  'measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened. 

a  Matt.  13  :  31 ;  Mark  4 :  30. . 


18  He  said  therefore,  Unto  what  is  the  kingdom  o( 

19  God  like?  and  whereunto  shall  I  liken  it?  it  is  like 
unto  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  which  a  man  took, 
and  cast  into  his  own  garden  :  and  it  grew,  and 
becauie  a  tree;  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  lodged 

20  in  the  branches  thereof.    And  again  he  said,  Where- 

21  unto  shall  I  liken  the  kingdom  of  (iod?  It  is  like 
unto  leaven,  which  a  woman  took  and  hid  in  three 
1  measures  of  meal,  till  it  was  all  leavened. 


his  life.  They  saw,  at  least,  that  he  was  the 
friend  of  the  common  people ;  they  were 
hopefully  awaiting  further  developments  con- 
cerning him,  and  rejoiced  at  this  and  all  the 
glorious  things  that  were  done  by  him, 
not  less  heartily  because  of  the  discomfiture 
of  their  blind  guides. 

18-21.  Two  Parables  Illustrating  the 
Growth  and  Extension  of  the  Kingdom 
OF  God. 

They  are  given  by  Matthew  and  Mark,  in  a 
different  connection.  They  were  probably 
preserved  as  separate  sayings  in  the  treasure 
of  apostolic  memories  of  Christ,  and  were 
brought  into  our  several  Gospels  in  such  rela- 
tions as  their  respective  sources  suggested. 
"We  can  hardly  trace  any  link  of  thought  be- 
tween these  parables  and  what  precedes. 

18.  Unto  what  is  the  kingdom  of  God 
like?  We  behold  the  deliberation  and  rhe- 
torical search  of  the  mind  of  Jesus  for  that 
feature  of  the  kingdom  which  would  serve  as 
a  ground  of  classification,  and  afford  a  com- 
parison suitable  to  the  present  aim  of  his  dis- 
course.— And  whereunto  shall  I  resemble 
(better,  liken)  it  ?  This  question  would,  of 
course,  be  answered  vnth  the  other.  We  know 
beforehand  that  he  is  in  pursuit  of  an  image 
to  represent  the  advancement  of  his  truth, 
from  its  then  merely  germinal  condition,  to 
the  possession  and  control  of  all  men's  minds 
in  all  the  earth. 

19.  We  seem  to  hear  him  say :  I  have  it;  it 
is  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed.  The 
smallness  of  this  seed,  "smaller  than  all  the 
seeds  "(Matt.  13:32),  was  well  suited  to  symbolize 
the  diminutive  compass  of  his  cause  at  the 
time.  It  comprised,  so  far  as  we  are  distinctly 
aware,  himself  and  some  hundred,  more  or 
less,  who  had  so  caught  the  true  idea  and 
spirit  of  his  mission,  that  they  might  chari- 
tably be  regarded  as  the  germ  of  what  it  was 
to  become. —Which  a  man — standing  for 
God — took  and  cast  into  his  (own)  garden 
— meaning  the  Jewish  Theocracy. — And   it 


grew,  and  waxed  a  great  tree,  etc.  The 
contrast  between  the  mustard  seed  and  the 
full  grown  herb  is  very  striking,  even  with  us; 
but  in  Palestine  the  expansion  is  much  greater. 
Under  favorable  conditions  it  takes  almost  a 
shrubby  character,  becoming,  in  appearance,  a 
small  tree.  Thomson  {Land  and  Book),  Tris- 
tram (Nat.  Hist,  of  the  Bible),  and  Hackett 
(Smith's  Die!'.  ofBih.,p.  2043,  and  Illustrations 
of  Script.  131f. ),  speak  of  seeing  the  mustard 
plants  growing  to  the  height  of  the  rider  on 
his  horse,  and  with  branches  strong  enough  to 
support  birds,  which  actually  lodged  in  them. 
There  seems  no  need  of  the  doubt  and  its 
solution,  offered  by  Stanley  {Sinni  and  Pal., 
p.  419  n.)  This  lodging  in  the  branches  is 
not,  necessarily,  nesting  there,  but  perching 
there  at  night,  and  at  other  times,  when  rest- 
ing in  the  shade.  This  parable  is  a  prophecy 
of  the  vast  expansion,  in  point  of  numbers, 
which  the  little  handful  of  his  di.scii)les  then 
apparent  would  experience  in  the  course  of 
ages. 

20.  And  again  he  said,  M'hereunto,  etc. 
Thinking  now  of  another  aspect  of  the  increase 
of  the  kingdom. 

21.  It  is  like  leaven,  which  a  woman 
took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal 
— where  it  operated — till  the  whole  was 
leavened.  Nothing  could  be  better  adapted 
than  this  homely  figure  to  signify  that  holy 
contagion,  by  which  the  spiritual  principle  of 
a  new  life,  once  planted  by  God  in  the  heart, 
spreads  and  grows,  until  all  the  faculties  and 
affections  are  entirely  pervaded  by  its  influ- 
ence, and  brought  into  a  meetness  for  heaven, 
according  to  the  pattern  of  Christ.  And  not 
only  so,  but  its  power  goes  out  into  all  kin- 
dred souls  with  which  it  comes  in  contact, 
contributing  to  their  transformation,  while  it 
also  receives  helpful  impulse  from  them.  The 
process  is  described  in  Ephesians  4:  11-16,  the 
result  being,  that  from  Christ,  the  Head,  "the 
whole  body,  fitly  framed  and  knit  together, 
through    that   which   every  joint    supplieth, 


Cii.  XIII.] 


LUKE. 


229 


22  "And  he  went  thruugh  the  cities  and  villages, 
teaching,  and  juurneying  tuwurd  .leniisaleiu. 

2'S  ThcD  said  one  uulu  hiiu,  Lord,  are  there  few  that 
be  saved?    And  he  said  uuio  them, 

24  'Strive  to  enter  in  at  tlie  strait  gate:  fori; many,  I 
say  unto  you,  will  seek  tu  enter  in,  and  shall  nut  be 
able. 

2"i  <'  When  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen  up, 
and<hath  shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  tostand  with- 
out, and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying,  /Lord,  Lord, 
open  uuto  us;  and  he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you, 
f  I  know  you  not  whence  ye  are : 


22     And  he  went  on  his  waj'  through  cities  and  vil- 
lages, teaching,  and  journeying  on  unto  Jerusalem. 
2.3  And  one   said   unto   hiiu.   Lord,  are   they   lew  that 

24  are  saved?  And  he  said  unto  theui,  Strive  to  enter 
in  by  the  narrow  door:  for  many,  I  say  unto  you, 
shall   seek    to    enter    in,   and   shall    not    be   'able. 

25  When  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,  and 
hath  shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  bejiiu  to  stand  with- 
out, and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying,  Lord,  open  to 
us;  and  he  shall  answer  and  say  to  you,  1  know  yon 


a  Uui.  9  :  .16 ;  Muk  S :  6. 


.&  M;iU.  7:  1.1.... c  See  John  7  .  .14 ;  R:  21  ; 
'cli.  6:  46 g  Uatl.  T  :ii;  25: 


.<  Matt.  25:  10. 


according  to  the  working  in  due  measure  of 
each  several  part,  nial<eth  the  incretise  of  the 
body  unto  the  building  up  of  itself  in  love" 
(Revision).  The  self-propagating  quality  of 
leaven,  or  yeast,  made  it  a  tit  symbol  of  the 
vital  pri noiple  of  Christianitj',  whose  spontane- 
ous diffusion  through  the  whole  being  of  the 
individual  believer,  and  so,  eventually,  of  all 
believers,  was  to  be  set  forth.  It  is  intrinsically 
as  appropriate  to  denote  the  spread  of  a  bad 
influence  as  of  a  good.  Hence,  Paul  could 
use  it  as  an  image  of  sin,  when  viewed  in  ref- 
erence to  its  contagiousness  (i  cor.5:  6.7).  It 
was  directed  to  be  put  away  from  the  houses 
of  the  Jews  during  the  seven  days  of  the 
Passover  every  year,  to  commemorate  the 
haste  with  which  the  fathers  (Ex.  12:  34-39)  for- 
sook the  land  of  bondage,  with  their  dough 
unleavened  in  their  baking-troughs.  Leaven 
was  not  regarded  by  them  as  essentially  bad. 
It  was  an  element  of  their  ordinary  food,  and 
was  as  much  commanded,  therefore,  to  be 
used  and  eaten  on  the  Feast  of  Pentecost 
(Le»-.  13:  17),  as  to  be  avoided  during  the  Pass- 
over. 

22-30.  Further  Incidents  of  this 
solkmn  joltrnky. 

22.  And  he  went  through  the  cities  and 
Tillages  (omit  the  before  cities)  teaching,  j 
and  journeying  towards  Jerusalem.  ' 
This  statement  brings  afresh  to  the  reader's 
mind  that  Jesus  was  still  on  his  last  journey 
to  the  holy  city,  and  shows  how  careful  he 
was  to  reach  each  town,  and  so  to  evangelize 
the  whole  region. 

23.  Then  said  one  (and  one  said)  nnto 
him.  Lord,  arc  there  (better,  they)  few  that 
be  (are)  saved?  It  is  as  likely  as  not  that 
this  was  the  inquiry  of  a  nominal  disciple, 
whose  zeal  ran  rather  to  unpractical  and  in- 
soluble speculations  about  religion,  than  to 
the  earnest  exercise  of  faith  and  love.  To 
such  questions  Jesus  never  returned  categor- 
ical answer,  but  made  them  texts  for  useful 


lessons. — And  he  said  unto  them.  Unto 
them,  because  he  knew  that  the  inciuirer  had 
been  a  spokesman  for  others,  or  simply-  be- 
cause all  might  be  profited  by  his  reply. 
This  is,  in  substance,  that  it  was  of  no  conse- 
quence about  the  number  that  were  attaining 
to  salvation,  but  of  supreme  importance  that 
each  man  should  make  sure  that  he  himself 
was  saved. 

24.  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate : 
(better,  through  tlie  narrow  door).  Salvation, 
— the  kingdom, — is  conceived  of  as  a  house, 
now  the  scene  of  a  banquet  (ver.  29),  which  can 
be  entered  only  through  a  narrow  door. — 
Strive  implies  the  necessity  of  strong  exer- 
tion, such  as  was  required  to  win  a  valuable 
prize  from  a  powerful  and  practiced  antago- 
nist— carry  through  a  successful  contest.  The 
narrowness  of  the  portal  signifies  the  necessity 
for  humility,  repentance,  and  self-denial ;  and 
implies  that  only  the  soul  stripped  bare  of 
pride,  and  luxury,  and  worldly  ambition,  can 
pass  through. — For  many,  I  say  unto  you, 
will  seek  to  enter  in.  Seek  is  the  designa- 
tion of  a  feeble  effort,  which,  perhaps,  looks 
rather  for  a  broad  door.  Some  desire  and 
endeavor  after  heaven  will  be  roused  in  the 
minds  of  a  multitude  who  shall  hear  the 
gospel,  but  who  will  put  forth  no  adequate 
endeavor. — And  shall  not  be  able  :  with  so 
little  of  the  spirit  of  faith  and  self-sacritice. 
But  the  full  significance  of  the  future  tense  in 
these  verbs  must  include  the  idea  of  a  seeking 
which  will  prove  ineffectual,  because  it  comes 
in  place  of  the  striving,  when  even  that 
would  be  too  late.  "When,  and  how,  is  ex- 
plained in  the  following  verses. 

25-27.  When  once  the  master  of  the 
house  is  risen  up — from  the  sitting  posture, 
in  which  he  had  waited  until  the  return  at 
night  of  the  proper  inmates — and  hath  shut 
to  the  door — for  the  securitj'  and  rest  of  the 
night.  The  master  of  the  house  here  is  evi- 
dently the  Lord  Jesus  in  his  ascended  glory  in 


230 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIII. 


26  Then  shall  ye  begin  to  ray,  We  have  eateu  and 
drunk  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  liast  taught  in  our 
streets. 

27  <•  But  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you,  I  know  you  not 
whence  ye  are;  'dejiart  from  uie,  all  ye  workers  of 
iniquity. 

2»  "^ There  shall  he  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth, 
''when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
and  all  the  prophets,  in  the  kingdom  of  Uod,  and  you 
yoni:ielve.:  thrust  out. 

29  And  they  shall  coiue  from  the  east,  and /ram  the 
west,  and  Irom  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and 
shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

30  "And,  behold,  there  are  last  which  shall  be  first, 
and  there  are  first  which  shall  be  last. 


26  not  whence  ye  are;  then  shall  ye  begin  to  say,  We 
did  eat  and  drink  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  didst 

27  teach  in  our  streets;  and  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you,  I 
know  not  whence  ye   are;  dejiart  Irom   me,  all  ye 

28  workers  of  iniquity,  'there  shall  be  the  weeping 
and  gna.shing  of  teelh,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham, 
and  Jsaiic,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the 
kingdom  of  (iod,  and  yo'irselves  cast  forth  without. 

29  And  they  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and 
from  the  north  and  south,  and  shall  'sit  down  in 

30  the  kingdom  of  (iod.  And  behold,  there  are  last 
who  shall  be  first,  and  there  are  first  who  shall  be 
last. 


a  Matt.  7  :  2:1 ;  25 :  41 ;  ver.  25. . .  .5  1 


.d  Matt.  8:  11 e  Matt.  19:30;  20:  16;  Mark 


the  heavenly  mansion,  to  which  he  has  ad- 
mitted those  (after  the  judgment)  who  had 
any  ehiim  to  be  recognized  as  his. — And 
(when)  ye  begin  to  stand  without — after 
the  door  of  heaven  is  closed  upon  all  who  did 
not  strive  in  time  to  enter  in — and  to  knock 
— as  if  they  had  a  right  to  enter  without  hav- 
ing striven — and  (when)  he — from  within, 
without  seeing  them,  but  finding  their  voices 
strange,  and  knowing  that  his  household  is 
complete — shall  answer  and  say  unto  you, 
I  know  you  not  whence  ye  are:  Combin- 
ing the  sense  of  Matthew?:  23;  and  25:  12. 
— Whence  ye  are — where  ye  belong ;  cer- 
tainly not  to  me,  or  to  my  house. 

26.  Then  shall  ye  begin  to  say.  Begin, 
as  if  they  were  going  on  with  an  argument, 
which,  however,  is  soon  cut  short— We  have 
eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  presence,  and 
thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets.  They 
cannot  say  what  some  will,  who,  nevertheless, 
will  be  equally  rejected  :  "  Did  we  not  proph- 
esy by  thy  name,  and  by  thy  name  cast  out 
devils,  and  by  thy  name  do  many  wonderful 
works?  (Mritt. 7:27.  Revision.)  If  Only  they 
might  be  able  to  add  to  their  plea,  "And  we 
repented  at  thy  word  and  believed  thy 
gospel  !''  Then  would  they  now  have  been 
in  the  palace.  Without  striving,  or  even 
seeking  at  the  proper  time,  they  had  trusted 
to  mere  national  and  other  external  connec- 
tions with  the  Messiah,  as  sufficient  to  secure 
for  them  his  eternal  favor.  They  have  made 
their  request;  and  when  refused,  have  sup- 
ported it  by  the  only  .sembliince  of  argument 
possible — as  good  as  multitudes  will  offer,  who 
go  to  the  judgment  impenitent,  and  trusting 
only  to  an  external  connection  with  the 
church,  its  ordinances,  or  its  preaching — and 
now  they  hear  the  final  denial  arid  denunci- 
ation. 

27.  But  he  shall  {will)  say,  I  tell  you  I 


know  you  not  Avhence  ye  are.  Ye  never 
manifested  yourselves  to  me,  and  1  do  not 
recognize  you  as  mine. — Depart  from  me, 
all  ye  workers  of  iniquity.  Not  having 
been  workers  of  righteousness,  they  were,  of 
necessity,  workers  of  iniquitv;  more  so,  rather 
tlian  less,  because  of  tlieir  former  enjoyment 
of  religious  advantages,  whicii  they  had  ut- 
terly neglected. 

28.  There — in  that  outer  void  to  which 
they  must  depart — shall  be  [the)  weeping 
and-gnashing  of  teeth.  "  The  article  points 
to  the  well-known  (super-eminent)  misery 
reigning  in  hell  (Matt.  8: 12.  is,  42.  so,  .a.)." — Meyer. 
The  Greek  hasthetirticle,  also,  before  "gnash- 
ing" and  "teeth";  but  the  English  idiom 
does  not  require  them.  The  weeping  betrays 
pain  ;  the  gnashing  of  teeth,  rage.  And  tiiis, 
not  on  account  of  the  separation  from  God 
and  Christ  ojily :  when  ye  shall  see  Abra- 
ham,  etc.  The  sight  of  the  felicity  of  all  the 
ancient  worthies,  including  the  prophets 
whom  their  fathers  killed,  and  whose  tombs 
they  themselves  hypocriticallj-  beautified, 
while  they  find  themselves,  who  were  of  that 
earthly  company,  "getting  thrust  out,"  will 
give  a  si>ecial  pungency  to  their  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

29.  And  they  shall  come  from  the  east, 
and  from  the  west,  and  from  the  north, 
and  from  the  south — converts  to  the  Lord 
from  am(Mig  all  the  Gentiles — and  shall  sit 
down  (recline  at  table)  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  This  will  be  a  great  aggravation  of  the 
penalty  on  those  who  regard  the  hciitlien  as 
dogs,  and  have  no  doubt  that  thej'  themselves, 
as  natural  descendants  of  Abraham,  are  en- 
titled to  share  in  the  heavenly  banquet.  The 
Greek  tersely  omits  from  the  in  the  four 
cases,  except  from  in  the  first— from  east  nyid 
west,  and  north  and  so7ith. 

30.  And  behold  there  are  last — namely. 


Ch.  XIIL] 


LUKE. 


231 


31  The  same  day  there  came  certain  of  the  Phari- 
sees, saying  unto  him,  (iel  thee  out,  and  depart  hejiue  ; 
for  Jlerod  will  kill  thee. 

32  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go  ye,  and  tell  that  fox, 
Behold,  least  out  devils,  and  I  do  cures  to  day  and  to 
morrow,  and  the  third  itiiy  "  I  shall  be  perfected. 

:W  Nevertheless  I  must  walk  to  day,  and  to  morrow, 
and  the  <l<iy  following;:  for  it  cannot  be  that  a  prophet 
perish  out  of  Jerusalem. 

:14  '<)  Jerusalem,  Jeru.salem,  which  killest  the 
prophets,  and  stouest  them  tliat  are  sent  unto  thee ; 


31  In  that  very  hour  there  came  certain  Pharisees, 
saying  to   him,  (iet   thee    out,  and   ^o   hence:   lor 

32  Herod  would  fain  kill  thee.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  lio  and  say  to  that  fox,  Ueliold,  1  ca.st  out 
demons  and  perlorm  cures   lo-day  and   lo-niorrow, 

33  and  the  third  tlni/  '  1  am  perfected,  llowlieit  1  must 
go  on  my  way  to-duy  and  to-morrow  and  the  (lay 
following:  for  it  cannot  be  that  a   prophet   perish 

34  out  of  Jerusalem.  ()  Jerusalem,  Jerusaleni,  that 
killeth  the  prophets,  and  stonelh  lliem  that  are  sent 
unto  her !   how  oftea  would  1  have  gathered  thy 


a  Heb.  2 :  10. . .  .&  Halt.  23 :  37. 1  Or,  /  end  my  count. 


Gentiles  who  will  embrace  the  go.<pul — which 
shall  be  first — who,  in  the  day  of  finul  ac- 
count, will  .stand  on  the  same  footing  as  tho.se 
from  Abraham's  po.sterity  who Jimt  believed. 
They  will  be  reckoned  perfectly  equal  in  the 
gospel,  the  last  first,  and  the  first  last;  and 
individual  superiority,  in  any  instances,  will 
depend  on  degrees  of  faith,  which  are  possible 
for  Jew  and  Gentile  alike. 

31-33.  In  ExposingtheCraftofHkrod 
Antipas,  Jksu.s  Again  Proi'uesiks  His 
Nearly  AppRnAciiiNo  End. 

31.  The  same  day  (more  correctly,  in  ihnt 
very  hour)  there  came  certain  of  the  Phar- 
isees, saying  unto  him,  etc.  The  Phari- 
sees, as  a  class,  had  long  been  .so  inflamed 
with  anger  against  him,  that  they  would  fain 
have  put  him  to  death.  His  transparent  in- 
nocence, and  tlie  good  will  of  the  people 
toward  him,  hindered  that  inirpose  ;  and  to 
prevent  the  still  further  strengthening  of  that 
good  will,  the  Pharisees  of  sotne  neighbor- 
hood in  Perea  set  themselves  to  scare  him 
away  from  them.  Get  thee  out  and  depart 
hence — proceed  on  your  journey — for  Herod 
Will  (lit.,  wis/tex  to  or  would  f (7 in)  kill  thee. 
They  may  not  have  been  warranted  in  thus 
speaking  for  Herod ;  but  as  Jesus  had  been 
for  some  time  now  within  his  dominion,  and 
exciting  an  ever-widening  ferment  of  thought 
among  the  peofde,  the  tetrarch  may  have  been 
much  in  earnest  to  be  rid  of  him.  Nor  is  it  in 
the  least  inconsistent  with  this,  that  he  had, 
as  we  afterwards  learn,  been  desirous  to  see 
Jesus  (M:  8).  Thus  Herod  and  the  Pharisees 
would  have  a  like  interest  in  driving  the 
Saviour  oft". 

32.  That  he  saw  a  stratagem  in  the  message, 
is  intimated  by  the  metaphor  of  the  fox.  Go 
ye,  and  tell  that  fox.  His  cruelty,  sensuality, 
and  lack  of  con.sciencc,  would  have  warranted 
his  being  called  a  wolf;  but  the  slyness  of  the 
present  effort  suggested,  naturally,  the  char- 
acter of  the  fox. — Behold,  1  cast  out  devils  , 
[demon3)f  and  I  do  cures  to-day  and  to- 


morrow. I  go  forward  in  the  way  which  I 
have  pursued,  of  spiritual  and  physical  benefi- 
cence, for  a  short  time  longer.  And  the  third 
day  I  shall  be  (lit.,  lam)  perfected.  1  am 
coming  to  my  end,  and  that  end  is  perfection  as 
a  Saviour.  The  point  which  he  contemplates 
is  that  at  which  he  afterward  said,  "  It  is  fin- 
ished." The  days  are  understood  literally  by 
Wieseler  and  Meyer;  but  so  minute  a  specifi- 
cation does  notseem  consistent  with  thesolemn 
elevation  of  the  sentiment,  and  would  be  ir- 
reconcilable with  the  subsequent  facts.  What 
he  aims  at  is,  to  indicate  to  Herod  that,  while 
he  should  not  be  turned  aside  from  his  plans, 
the  latter  had  nothing  to  fear  concerning 
any  prolonged  stay  in  his  kingdom.  This  is 
more  particularly  stated  ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  the  Pharisees  are  notified  that  their  de- 
sires are  not  to  fail  of  accomplishment,  when 
he  adds  that  during  these  three  days  also  he 
must  be  journeying  on  to  his  death  in  Jerusa- 
lem. 

33.  Nevertheless— that  is  all  true,  but— 
I  must  walk  (go  on  my  way),  the  same 
verb  as  "go  hence"  (ver.  81) — travel  on, 
pursue  my  ji>urney — to-day  and  to-mor- 
row, and  the  day  following.  This  short 
time  (the  same  as  in  ver.  32)  must  suffice  to 
take  me  to  Jerusalem — keeping  up  my 
wonted  work  as  I  travel.— I  must  expresses 
his  solemn  sense  of  the  divine  ajujointment  to 
death,  which  he  had  voluntarily  assumed. — 
For  it  cannot  be  that  a  prophet  perish 
out  of  Jerusalem.  The  profound  irony 
of  a  heart  wounded  by  insults,  yet  concerned 
more  for  the  wrong-doers  (see  next  verse) 
than  for  the  injuries  to  itself.  Jerusalem  has 
this  high  prerogative,  and  an  indefeasible 
claim  to  inflict  death  on  God's  projjhets  of  all 
the  ages.  This  cry,  wrung  from  an  anguished 
soul,  does  not,  of  course,  take  note  of  such 
rare  exceptions  as  that  of  John  the  Baptist. 

34.  Lamentation  Over  jERr.sAi.EM. 
34.   O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem.   The  men- 
tion of  the  city,  as  necessarily  the  scene  of 


232 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIV. 


how  often   would   I   have  gathered  thy   children   to-  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gnlherelh  her  own 

gether,  as  a  hen  doth  gather  her  brood  under  her  wings,     35  brood  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not !     Behold, 


and  ye  would  not ! 

3;")  Behold,  <■  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate:  and 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  Ye  shall  not  see  me,  until  the, 
time,  couie  'when  ye  shall  say,  '  Blessed  is  he  that 
Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 


your  house  is  left  unto  you  (ln.soln/<- :  and  I  say  unto 
you,  Ye  shall  not  see  me,  until  ye  shall  say.  Blessed 
is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


»  ND  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  went  into  the  house  of  one 
J\  of  the  chief  Pharisees  to  eat  bread  on  the  sabbath 
day,  that  they  watched  him. 


1      And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  went  into  the  house 
of  one  of  the  rulers  of  the  Pharisees  on  a  sabbath  to 


aLev.  M:31,.12;  Ps.  69 :  25;  Isa.  1:1;  DaD.  9 :  27  ;  Mic.  3 :  12.... 6  Ps.  118:  26;  Mati.  21:9;  Mark  11:  10;  ch.  19:  38;  John  12:  13. 


his  death,  draws  from  him,  very  naturally, 
this  pathetic  apostrophe;  which  may  have 
been  repeated,  nearly  in  the  same  words,  on 
that  equally  appropriate  occasion  where  Mat- 
thew brings  it  in  (23  :  37  ff.),  in  the  Temple, 
two  daj's  before  our  Lord's  death.  Which 
killest  (rather,  kilieth)  the  prophets,  and 
stonest  {stoneth)  them  that  are  sent  unto 
thee  (rather,  her).  The  exalted  tenor  of  the 
feeling  runs  into  the  parallelism  of  Hebrew 
poetry.  What  a  description  of  that  city, 
which  had  once  been,  in  the  estimation  of 
inspired  psalmists,  "beautiful  for  situation, 
the  joy  of  the  whole  earth  "  ;  "  the  city  of  the 
great  king";  in  whose  palaces  "God  is 
known  for  a  refuge."  Isaiah  had  already 
seen  something  of  the  degeneracy,  when  he 
was  constrained  to  declare:  "Righteousness 
dwelt  in  her,  but  now  murderers."  For  such 
guilt,  terrible  retribution  must  follow.  This 
prospect  was  the  more  heart-rending  to  Jesus, 
regarded  as  the  sequence  of  all  his  pains  and 
solicitude  for  her  welfare.  How  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children — 
inhabitants — together,  as  a  hen  doth 
gather  her  {nvm)  brood  under  her  wings, 
and  ye  would  not.  I  would,  and  ye 
would  not.  God's  pleasure  in  men's  salva- 
tion leaves  them  free,  nevertheless,  as  they 
are,  alas !  too  often  disposed,  to  persist  in  the 
course  of  ruin.  The  sentence  beautifully  in- 
timates our  natural  helplessness  in  ourselves, 
Christ's  yearning  desire  to  make  us  safe  and 
holy  and  happy,  and  our  foolish  preference 
for  misery  and  peril  and  sin. 

35.  Behold,  your  house.  The  object  of 
address  changes  now  to  be  the  people  of  Je- 
rusalem; and  your  house  must  mean  the 
city,  Jerusalem  itself.— Is  left  unto  you. 
The  verb  is  in  the  present  tense— is  in  the  act 
of  being  left.  The  word  desolate  does  not 
belong  to  the  text  of  Luke,  and  need  not  be 
added.  The  city  is  being  left  to  you,  will  be 
completely'  given  up  by  God,  at  the  death  of 


your  Messiah,  and  then  it  will  be  seen  how 
you  will  keep  it.  Ye  shall  not  (by  no  means 
shall  ye)  see  me,  until  the  time  come 
when  ye  shall  say  (better,  until  ye  say,  or, 
^'' until  it  come  that  ye  say;"  so  Tiscliendorf 
still). — Blessed  is  he,  etc.  This  cannot  be 
limited  to  the  welcome  of  the  multitudes  when 
he  entered  into  Jerusalem  soon  afterwards 
(Matt.  21:9;  Mark  11:  9;  John  12:  13; 
comp.  Luke  19:  38),  because  the  other  evan- 
gelists ascribe  the  same  utterance  to  Christ 
after  that  entrance  had  taken  place.  It  here 
points  to  the  Parousia,  or  second  advent  of  our 
Lord.  Before  that  should  occur,  the  Jewish 
nation  would  believe  and  turn  to  their  Mes- 
siah (Rom.  11: 25-2T).  Then,  whcu  they  were  pre- 
pared to  receive  him  with  penitent  and  joyful 
adoration,  would  they  again  see  the  Son  of 
man  return  in  glory  to  assume  manifest  and 
eternal  dominion.  See  how  Peter  (Acts  s:  19-21) 
urges  his  countrymen  to  expedite  this  glorious 
consummation,  by  speedy  repentance  and 
faith.  

Ch.  14.  1-6.  In  the  House  of  a  Phar- 
isee HE  Heals  on  the  Sabbath,  and  Con- 
founds HIS  Opposers. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  (or,  ivhen)  he 
went  into  the  house  of  one  of  the  chief 
(lit.,  of  the  rulers  of  the)  Pharisees;  i.  c,  of  a 
Pharisee  who  enjoyed  recognized  leadership 
in  that  sect.  We  might  suppose  that  after  the 
rude  experience  of  chapter  11 :  37-54,  Jesus 
would  be  backward  to  place  himself  again  in 
such  company.  But  even  that  occasion  had 
served  for  the  deliverance  of  important  truth  ; 
and  on  another  (7:  .•i6-47),  he  had  met  with  a 
great  opportunity  in  a  Pharisee's  house.  As 
ho  was  invited  now  (ver.  12)  by  one  in  a  different 
place,  who  might  have  worthy  motives,  and  a 
kinder  personal  feeling,  he  would  not  neglect 
a  possible  opening  for  the  furtherance  of  his 
mission. — To  eat  bread  on  the  (a)  Sabbath 
day.    To  eat  bread — to  take  a  meal,  meant 


Cii.  XIV.] 


LUKE. 


233 


2  And,  behold,  there  was  a  certain  man  before  him 
which  hud  the  dropsy. 

3  And  Jesus  answering  spake  unto  the  lawyers  and 
Pharisees,  saying,  "  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  sabbath 
day? 

4  And  they  held  their  peace.  And  he  took  him,  and 
healed  him,  and  let  him  go; 

5  And  answered  them,  saying, 'Which  of  you  shall 
have  an  ass  or  an  ox  fallen  into  a  pit,  and  will  not 
straightway  pull  him  out  on  the  sabbath  day? 

6  And  they  could  not  answer  him  again  to  these 
things. 


2  eat  bread,  that  they  were  watching  him.  And  be- 
hold, there  was  belore  him  a  certain  man  who  had 

3  the  dropsy.  And  .lesus  answering  .si)ake  unto  the 
lawyers  and   Pharisees,  saying,  Is  it  fawUil  to  hial 

4  on  the  sabbath,  or  not?  liut  tliey  held  their  peace. 
And  he  took  him,  and  healed  hi'm,  and  let  him  go. 

0  And  he  said  unto  Ibeni,  Which  of  vou  shall  have 
Ian   ass  or  an   ox   fallen  into    a  well,  and  will  not 

6  straightway  draw  him  upon  a  sabbath  dav?  And 
they  could  not  answer  again  unto  these  things. 


a  Mutt.  12 :  10 6  Ex.  23  :  5 ;  Deut.  22 :  4 ;  eh.  13 :  16. 1  Manj  aucient  authorities  read, 


See  ch.  xiii.  15. 


here  to  participate  in  an  extensive  entertain- 
ment (ver.  7).  This  was  consistent  with  even 
Pharisaic  rigor  of  Sabbath  observance.  Nehc- 
miah  8:  10  f.,  shows  this  in  respect  to  a  day  of 
the'highest  sanctity;  and  Tobit  (2:  1)  shows  it 
in  the  case  of  a  man  typiciil  for  his  piety,  on 
the  Sabbath.  The  feast  in  John  12:  2  must 
have  been  on  the  Sabbath;  and  Wetstein,  on 
our  passage,  gives  copious  proofs  of  the  use  of 
the  Sabbath  for  social  entertainments.  (Comp. 
also  Lightfoot,  Exercit,,  on  this  passage.)  The 
food  was,  in  such  cases,  prepared  on  the  day  be- 
fore.— They  watched  (or,  were  rvatching) 
him.  They— they  themselves,  emphatically 
marks  the  Pharisaic  company  as  a  party  over 
against  him. 

2.  And,  behold,  there  was  a  certain  man 
before  him  which  had  the  dropsy.  We 
cannot  know  whether  he  was  one  of  the  family, 
or  one  of  the  guests;  or  one  who  had  sto- 
len in,  as  it  was  easy  with  their  customs 
to  do  (seeonTiST),  either  from  a  general  curi- 
osity, or,  most  probably  of  all,  from  the  hope 
of  receiving  help  of  the  wonderful  healer. 
However  he  came  there,  there  he  was,  a  suf- 
ferer who  greatly  needed,  even  if  he  did  not 
expect,  aid.  "And  they  were  watching  him," 
as  on  a  former  occasion  («:  7),  probably  to  see 
whether  this  ca.se  of  suffering  would  move 
him  to  attempt  a  cure. 

3.  And  Jesus  answering — to  their  in- 
quiring thoughts — spake  unto  the  lawyers 
and  Pharisees — whom  we  saw  closely  asso- 
ciated in  7  :  30  also —  saying.  Is  it  lawful  to 
heal  on  the  Sabbath  day  (omit  day,  and 
add,  or  not,  A  B  D  L).  Seeing  that  they 
were  lurkingto  catch  him  in  a  violation  of  the 
law  of  the  Sabbath,  he  would  have  prelimi- 
narily a  distinct  consideration  of  this  point. 

4.  And  they  held  their  peace.  Either 
they  .saw  that  they  could  make  no  rational 
objection  to  his  beneficent  purpose,  or  the^' 
contemptuously  refused  any  notice  of  his 
question." -And  he  took  him — in  hand — and 


healed  him,  and  let  him  go;  i.  c,  sent  him 
away  cured.  This  last  statement  strongly 
supports  the  supposition  that  the  man  had 
come  in  uninvited,  to  get  this  blessing.  He 
should  not  be  disappointed,  at  all  events. 

5.  And     answered     them — the    evidence 
favors  the  reading,  And  lie  snid  unto   them. 
Which   of  you  shall  have  an  ass  irather, 
according     to     A     B     E     G     M     S     U     V, 
etc.,  a  son)  or  an  ox  fall  into  a  pit  'or,  well}, 
and  will    not   straightway   pull   him  out 
(literally,   draw   him  up)  on   the    sahhath- 
day  ?    The  authority  is  stronger  for  the  word 
son   in   the   Greek   text.     The  sense   thus  is, 
"shall  have  a  son  or  even  an  ox.'   "Wetstein  : 
"  If  either  a  son,  who  is  dearer,  and  more 
easily  drawn  out,  or  even  an  ox,  which  is  of 
less  worth,  and  more  difficult  to  extricate." 
The  word  translated  pit  (or,  well),  is  ai)pro- 
priate  to  a  tank,  or  cistern,  or  collection  of 
water  from  a  spring,  and  does  not  neces.sarily 
imply  that  the  pit  or  hole  now  contains  water. 
Obviously  a  child  was  more  liable  to  such  an 
accident  than  an  ass,  and  Wetstein's  quotations 
on  the  passage  prove  that  the  idea  was  familiar 
in  the  discussions  of  the  Jewish  rabbis.    Thus, 
in  the  tract  Bava  Kama,  of  the  Mishna  (v.  G), 
"if  an  ox  or  an  ass  fall  into  a  well — a  son  or 
daughter,  a  servant  or  maid."    Vomn,  viii.,  6, 
7:  "Danger  to  life  always  banishes  the  sab- 
bath."   F.,  84,  2:  If   "one    fishing    (on     the 
sabbath)  sees  a  child  fallen  into  a  pit,  he  re- 
moves the  sand  and  brings  him  out."     It  is 
very  likely  that  this  passage  was  early  adapted 
in  some  copies  to  ch.  13:  15.     The  argument 
of  the  Saviour  in    his   question    is  the  same 
which  we  have  studied  in  the  connection  just 
cited.  (Comp.  Matt.  12:  11.) 

6.  And  they  could  not  answer  him 
again  to  these  things.  The  net-work  of 
bondage  for  the  unthinking  mass,  which  they 
had  woven  by  their  traditions,  proved  but  a 
cobweb  before  the  glance  of  a  truly  see- 
ing and  searching  soul. 


234 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIV. 


7  And  he  put  forth  a  parable  to  those  which  were 
bidden,  when  he  oiarlced  how  they  chose  out  the  chief 
rooms  ;  saying  unto  tlieiu, 

H  Wlien"  thou  art  bidden  of  any  mnn  to  a  wedding, 
sit  not  down  in  the  highest  room  ;  lest  a  more  honour- 
able man  than  th(»u  be  bidden  of  him  ; 

•J  And  he  that  bade  thee  and  him  come  and  say  to 
thee,  Give  this  man  place  ;  and  thou  begin  with  shame 
to  take  the  lowest  room. 

10  "But  when  thou  art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in 
the  lowest  room;  that  when  he  that  bade  thee  cometh, 
he  may  say  unto  thee.  Friend,  go  up  higher:  then 
shalt  thou  have  worship  in  the  presence  of  them  that 
sit  at  meat  with  thee. 

11  '  For  whosoever  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased  ; 
and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted. 

12  Then  said  he  also  to  him  that  bade  him,  When 
thou  makest  a  dinner  or  a  siijiper,  call  not  thy  friends, 
nor  thy  brethren,  neither  thy  kinsmen,  nor  thy  rich 
neighbours ;  lest  they  also  bid  thee  again,  and  a  recom- 
pence  be  made  thee. 


7  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  those  that  were 
bidden,  when  he  marked  how  they  cho.se   out  the 

8  chief  seats;  .saying  unto  them,  When  thou  art  b.d- 
den  of  any  man  to  a  marriage  feast,  i  sit  not  down 
in  the  chief  seat;  lest  haply  a  more  honourable  man 

9  than  thou  be  bidden  of  him,  and  he  that  bade  thee  and 
him  shall  come  and  say  to  thee,  (iive  this  man 
place  ;  and  then  thou  shalt  begin  with  shame  to  take 

10  the  lowest  place.  Kut  when  thou  art  bidden,  go  and 
sit  down  in  the  lowest  place  ;that  when  he  that  hath 
bidden  thee  cometh,  he  may  say  to  thee.  Friend,  go 
up  higher:  then  shalt  thou  have  glory  in  the  pres- 

Jl  euce  of  all  that  sit  at  meat  with  thee.  For  every 
one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled;  and  he 
that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted. 

12  And  he  said  to  him  also  that  had  bidden  him, 
When  thou  makest  a  dinner  or  a  supper,  call  not  thy 
friends,  nor  thy  brethren,  nor  thy  kinsmen,  nor 
rich  neighbours;  lest  haply  they  also  bid  thee  again, 


1  Piov.  ih :  6,  7 h  Job  22  :  29 ;  Ps.  18  :  27  ;  Piov.  29  :  23  ;  Matt.  23  :  12  ;  ch.  18  :  14  ;  James  4  :  6  ;  1  Pet.  5  :  5. 1  Gr.  recline  not. 


7-11.  A    Lesson   of  Humility   to   the 

GUKSTS. 

Tlie  Saviour's  mind  appears  not  at  all 
ruffled  by  this  scene;  for  he  proceeds,  with 
tiiat  seriousness,  tempered  by  good-nature, 
which  we  have  noticed  in  the  parable  of  the 
Unjust  Judge,  to  impart  counsels  of  great 
moment — first  to  the  guests : 

8-10.  When  he  iijarked  how  they  chose 
out  the  chief  rooms.  Certain  places  at  the 
table,  in  their  formal  meals,  were  then,  as 
now,  regarded  as  more  honorable,  and  so  were 
assigned  by  the  host,  according  to  the  dignity 
of  his  guests.  These  Christ  noticed,  as  many 
an  observer  has  since,  that  some  of  his  com- 
panions at  the  tiible  chose  out  for  them- 
selves. His  parable  is  simply  a  piece  of 
advice,  enforced  by  a  reference  to  the  natural 
conseiiucnces  of  two  supposed  courses  of  con- 
duct. It  is  in  the  form  and  tone  of  an  instruc- 
tion in  etiquette,  in  which  we  may  see  the 
Saviour  affable,  thoroughly  social,  and  while 
assuming,  as  of  course,  the  position  of  a 
teacher,  yet  masking  it  simply  and  kindly,  by 
a  homely  urbanity  of  phrase  and  illustration, 
which  divests  it  of  all  arrogance  and  stiffness. 
Room,  in  ver.  7,  8,  of  the  Common  Version, 
seat;  i.  e.,  couch,  on  which  they  reclined,  not 
sat;  in  ver.  9,  10,  place.  Worship,  ver.  10,  is 
honor,  respect. 

11.  What  the  Saviour  spoke  with  express 
reference  to  a  marriage  feast,  all  would  of 
course  understand  as  applying  to  all  similar 
occasions.  But  in  this  verse  we  may  see  how 
easily  in  his  conversation  counsels  of  worldly 
prudence,  even  in  minor  affairs,  might  glide 
into  a  sermon  of  the  highest  spiritual  signifi- 
cance, and  of  universal  cogencj'. — For  who- 


soever exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased, 

(literally  huynbled) — "brought  low,"  (ch.  3:  s), 
and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be 
exalted.  To  exalt  oneself  is  to  make  much 
in  thought  and  conduct  of  one's  claims  to  the 
esteem  of  others;  to  humble  oneself  is  to 
rate  high  the  claim  of  others.  The  Saviour's 
saying  is  probably  true,  in  the  best  sense  and 
in  the  long  run,  even  "in  the  corrupted  cur- 
rents of  this  world,"  and  might  have  been 
expressed  in  the  present  tense.  But  by  put- 
ting it  in  the  future,  he  carries  our  thoughts 
to  that  great  day  for  which  all  other  days 
were  made.  The  frequency  with  which  he 
repeated  this  declaration  shows  his  sense  of 
its  importance,  perha|)s  also  of  the  special 
need  of  its  reiteration,  that  his  disciples  might 
begin  to  realize  how  much  of  his  religion  lay 
in  humility  and  self-abnegation.  James  and 
Peter  echo  the   sentiment  of  the  Master  in 

their  Epistles  (James  4:  10;  1  Peter  5:  6);    but  both,  aS 

was  natural  for  them,  more  in  the  manner 
and  spirit  of  the  Old  Testament. 

12-14.  Advice  to  His  Entertainer. 

13.  Then  said  he  (and  he  said)  also  to 
him  that  bade  {had  bidden — invited)  him — 
when  he  marked  that  he,  after  the  ordinary 
manner,  had  invited  to  his  table  relatives  and 
friends,  the  rich  and  comfortable.  When 
thou  makest  a  dinner  or  a  supper,  call 
not  thy  friends,  etc.  Dinner — in  the  .«ame 
sense  as  in  ch.  11:  38.  Brethren— brothers, 
in  the  proper  sense.  That  he  does  not  mean 
absolutely  to  prohibit  such  courtesies  and 
gratifications  is  beyond  question,  both  from 
the  nature  of  the  case,  and  from  the  fact  that 
Jesus  was  now,  and  not  unfrequently,  present 
at  such  meals.     He  gives  as  the  reason,  that 


Ch.  XIV.] 


LUKE. 


2oO 


13  But  when  thou  makest  a  feast, call  "the  poor,  the 
maimeil,  the  lame,  the  blind  : 

14  And  thou  shall  he  blessed;  for  they  cannot  rec- 
ompense thee:  lor  thou  shall  be  recompensed  at  the 
resurrection  of  the  just.  .... 

15  And  when  one  of  them  that  sat  at  meat  with  hini 
heartl  these  ihings,  he  .said  unto  him,  '•blessed  in  he 
that  shall  eat  breatl  in  thekiuKdoni  of  God. 

16  '  Then  said  he  unlo  him,  A  certain  man  maile  a 
great  supper,  and  bade  many: 

17  And  rfsent  his  servant  at  supper  time  to  say  to 
them  that  were  bidden,  Come ;  for  all  things  are  now 
ready.  ,^  ^  , 

la  And  thev  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  ex- 
cuse. The  first  said  unto  bim,  I  have  bought  a  piece 
of  ground,  and  I  must  needs  go  and  see  it:  1  pray  thee 
have  me  excused. 


13  and  a  recompense  be  made  thee.  Bui  when  thou 
makest  a  lea-<t,  bid  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the  lame, 

14  the  blind;  and  thou  shall  be  blessed  ;  U cause  ihey 
have  not  uUn-cwilh  to  reeonipeiise  ihee:  lor  ihou 
shall  be  recompensed  in  the  ivsui  reclion  ol  llie  just. 

15  Anil  when  one  of  them  that  sat  al  meal  wiih  him 
heard  these  things,  he  .-aid  unto  him,  l,li.ssea  is  he 

10  that  shall  eat  bieati  in  the  kin^oom  ol  t.od.  Bui  he 
said  unlo  him,  A  cerlain  man   made  a  gital  supper; 

17  and  he  bade  many  :  and  he  sent  lorlh  his  i  servant 
at  supper  time  to'say  lo   iheni    thai   were   bidden, 

18  Come;  for  <///  ihings  are  imw  reiuiy.  And  Ihey  all 
with  one  coii.iint  began  to  make  e.xense.    The  lirst 

said  unto  him,  I   have  bought   a  field,  and   1   must 
needs  go  out  and  see  it:  1  pray  thee  have  me  ex- 


a  Neh.  8: 10,  12.. ..6  Bev.  19:  9....C  Malt.  M  :  2....d  Prov.  9:  2.  5. 1  Gr.  bondservant. 


entertaining  others  in  this  way  affords  no 
scope  fur  a  truly  religious  disi>osition.  It  is 
all  consi.stont  with  the  nu-rcenary  views  of 
worldly  ambition.— Lest  [hnply)  they  also 
bid  thee  a^ain,  and  a  recompense  be 
made  thee.  He  would  have  men  moved  by 
something  higher  than  an  earthly  quid  pro 
quo. 

13.  But  when  thou  makest  a  feast— 
(strictly,  a  recrpfion)— call  the  poor,  etc. 
Thus  he  would  fain  stimulate  his  host  to  re- 
ligious thought  and  enterprise,  us  he  had  liis 
fellow  guests,  by  an  apt  comment  on  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  moment.  "So  may  you 
hold  a  reception  which  wiiich  will  conduce  to 
your  spiritual  and  eternal  interests." 

14.  And  thou  shall  be  blessed.  The 
course  which  1  recommend  will  not  fail  of  its 
reward,  although  not  such  as  the  world 
admires  or  covets;  a  reward  consisting  in  the 
enrichment  of  the  soul,  to  be  experienced  in 
its  fullness  only  in  the  completed  kingdom  of 
God,  and  coming  necessarily  from  his  hand.— 
For  (or,  berait.sr\  they  cannot  recompense 
thee  :  for  thou  shall  be  recompensed  at 
the  resurrection  of  the  just.  God  himself 
will  own  the  debt  at  the  day  of  judgtnent,  on 
the  principle  of  Proverbs  19:  17;  Matthew 
25:  40.  The  time  is  when  the  just,  or  right- 
eous—of whom  the  host  shall  then  be  one- 
shall  be  raised  in  "the  resurrection  of  life." 
It  is  assumed  that  in  adopting  the  unselfish, 
beneficent  course,  now  advised,  the  Pharisee 
will  do  it  in  the  general  spirit  of  faith,  and 
obedience  to  the  precepts  of  Christ. 

15-'^ 4.  Parable  of  thk  Great  Supper. 

15.  And  when  one  of  them  that  sat  at 
meat  with  him  heard  these  things,  he 
said  unto  him.  The  Saviours  discourse 
had  evidently  suggested  in  this  man's  mind 
thoughts  concerning  the  Messianic  kingdom, 
as   had   been    his    intention.      How  far    his 


thoughts  corresponded  with  the  reality,  we 
cannot  clearly  know  ;  but  they  became  the 
occasion  of  further  interesting  and  importatit 
explanations. — Blessed  is  he  that  (who.'io- 
ever)  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Christ  went  into  the  Phari.^ee's  house 
(ver.i)  "to  eat  bread  "  (compare  Gen.  43:  25; 
1  Sam.  20:  24),  and  tiie  satisfaction  attending 
this  meal  with  Jesus  appears  to  have  led  the 
man  to  say  in  effect,  "  What  a  fine  thing  it 
would  be  to  do  this  in  the  i)resence  of  God!  " 
The  joy  of  a  feast  on  earth  suggests,  as  we  have 
before  seen,  various  figures  of  the  heavenly 
blessedness.  His  tone  probably  implied  that 
he  took  for  granted  that  the  bless(>dness  would 
be  hi.«.  Hence  the  bearing  of  the  Saviour's 
reply,  which,  without  following  up  the  nature 
or  extent  of  that  felicity,  teaches  very  impres- 
sively that  multitudes  who  were  exjiecting  it 
would  be  disappointed,  and  that  all  who  at- 
tained to  it  must  do  so  without  delay. 

16  A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper, 
and  bade— ?■»)'(■)'«/— many.  This  invitation 
was  preliminary,  according  to  a  custom  of 
that  part  of  the  world,  and  signified  specifi- 
cally that  those  who  received  it  were  to  be  in 
readiness  when  definitely  summoned.  He 
who  makes  the  supper  represents  (Jod,  pre- 
paring for  the  Jew  fir.<t,  and  also  for  the  Gen- 
tiles, the  salvation  of  the  Messianic  kingdom. 

17.  The  final  call  to  come  goes  forth  thnnigh 
John  the  Baptist,  who  is  the  servant  sent 
forth  at  supper  time  to  say,  Come,  for  all 
things  are  now  ready.  This  invitation 
Jesus  himself  continued  and  sharpened,  say- 
ing, "The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  at  hand;  repent  ye  and  believe  the 

gospel.       (Mark  1:  15.) 

18-20.  And  they  all  with  one  consent 
began  to  make  excuse — to  beg  off.  These 
are  the  leading  Jews,  to  whom,  as  in  the  case 
of  Nicodemus,  the  message  specially  appealed, 


236 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIV. 


19  And  another  said,  I  have  bought  five  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  them :  I  pray  thee  have  me  ex- 
cused. 

20  And  another  said,  I  have  married  a  wife,  and 
therefore  I  cannot  C(  me. 

21  Ho  that  servant  came,  and  shewed  his  lord  these 
things.  Then  the  master  of  the  house  being  angry 
said  to  his  servant,  Oo  out  quickly  into  the  streets  and 
lanes  of  the  city,  and  briug  in  hither  the  poor,  and  the 
maimed,  and  the  halt,  and  the  blind. 

2'2  And  the  servant  said.  Lord,  it  is  done  as  thou  hasi 
commanded,  and  yet  there  is  room. 

2.'i  And  the  lord  said  unto  the  servant.  Go  out  into 
the  highways  and  hedges,  and  compel  them  to  come  in, 
that  my  house  may  be  filled. 


19  cused.  And  another  said,  I  have  bought  five  yoke 
of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  them ;  I  pray  thee  have 

20  me  excused.    Aud  another  said,  I  have  married  a 

21  wife,  and  thereiore  1  cannot  come.  And  the  i  ser- 
vant came,  and  told  his  lord  these  things.  Then 
the  master  of  the  house  being  angry  said  to  his  ser- 
vant, (jo  out  quickly  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of 
the  city,  and  bring  in  hither  the  poor  and  maimed 

22  and  blind  and  lame.  And  the  i  servant  said.  Lord, 
what  thou  didst  command  is  done,  and  yet  there  is 

23  room.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  the  i  servant.  Go  out 
into  the  highways  and  hedges,  and  constrain  them 


1  Gr.  bondservant. 


because  on  their  decision  the  course  of  the 
nation  would  so  hirgely  depend.  And  they, 
with  a  form  of  apology,  but  a  heart  of  con- 
tempt, refused  the  call.  Their  reasons  all 
make  their  failure  to  come  depend  on  some 
temporal  interest  of  their  own,  and  in  no 
case  on  anything  which  could  reasonably 
stand  in  the  way.  The  third,  I  have  married 
a  wife,  is  perhaps  the  most  plausible,  and 
has  a  color  of  support  in  the  law  (Deut.  24:5); 
but  this  was  neither  a  summons  to  war,  nor  to 
any  business.  To  plead  a  recent  marriage  as 
a  reason  for  not  attending  a  festive  entertain- 
ment, was  as  frivolous  as  the  other  pretexts. — 
Have  me  excused — not  meaning  "get  me  ex- 
cused, "cause  my  excuse  to  be  accepted," 
but  hold,  or,  regard,  me  as  one  who  has  made 
a  satisfactory  excuse,  whose  regrets  are  ac- 
cepted. This  is  addressed  in  the  parable  to 
the  servant;  but,  in  the  application,  the  ser- 
vant is  Christ.  His  interpretation  of  the  I 
cannot  come  in  all  these  cases  would  be,  as 
in  13:  34,  "and  ye  would  not." 

2-1.  And  the  (not,  so  that)  servant  came, 
and  shewed  (reported  to)  his  lord  these 
things.  The  lamentation  of  Jesus  over  the 
doomed  people,  as  in  ch.  13 :  34,  may  have  been 
the  burden  of  many  of  the  reports  made  by 
him  to  God  in  the  hours  which  he  spent  in 
prayer. — Then  the  master  of  the  house 
being  angry.  What  could  be  more  suited  to 
raise  in  the  breast  of  a  holy  God  feelings  of  .sore 
displeasure,  than  the  scornful  rejection  by  lost 
men  of  grace  provided  for  them  with  such 
pains,  and  commended  to  them  by  the  affec- 
tionate, self-sacrificing  sympathy  of  his  dear 
Son  ? — Said  to  his  servant.  Go  out  quickly 
into  the  streets,  etc.  Give  the  invitation 
now  to  the  lower  grades  of  the  people  in  par- 
ticular— morally  speaking,  to  the  publicans, 
the  sinners,  the  harlots,  "this  multitude,  that 
know  not  the  law,"  and  in  the  estimation  of 


the  Pharisees,  "are  accursed." — Bible  Union 
Version.    John  7  :  49. 

22.  liord,  it  is  done  as  thou  hast  com- 
manded (lit.,  what  thou  didst  commnnd  is 
done).  Does  this  mean  that  the  servant  had 
done  a  second  errand,  in  fulfillment  of  the  di- 
rection in  ver.  21,  or,  that  he  instantly  replied 
on  receiving  that  command,  "It  is  already 
done"?  There  are  some  considerations  in 
favor  of  the  latter  view.  The  emphatic  posi- 
tion in  the  Greek  of  the  verb  "it  is,  i.  e.,  has 
been  done,"  favors  it,  as  does  the  consistencj'  of 
the  view  with  Christ's  spontaneous  readiness 
to  adopt  the  measure  which  his  Father  will  ap- 
prove. If  only  the  verb  "command"  were  in 
a  present  tense,  "what  thou  commandest," 
or,  "hast  commanded,"  there  could  be  no 
objection.  But  as  it  is,  correctly,  in  the  Re- 
vision, what  thou  didst  cornniand  (viz.,  in  ver.  21), 
at  a  time  prior  to  this  second  announcement 
of  the  servant,  seems  to  oblige  us  to  under- 
stand that  the  servant  has  been  out  again.  It 
shows  us  Jesus  as  having  made  converts  chiefly 
from  among  the  more  humble  and  needy  class 
of  the  people,  and  as  having  done  all  he  could, 
and  yet  there  is  room.  What  pathos  in 
this  sentence,  considered  as  Christs  report  of 
his  life's  work  ! 

23.  And  the  lord  said  unto  the  servant, 
Go  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges, 
and  compel  them  to  come  in.  This  invita- 
tion reaches  beyond  "the  city"  (ver.  21),  and 
is  intended  for  the  Gentiles,  who  are  destined, 
in  the  first  instance,  to  compo-se  the  chief  citi- 
zenship of  the  kingdotn.  This  command  is 
to  be  executed  by  Jesus  through  his  apostles 
and  other  ministers. — The  highways  and 
hedges  represent  the  region  outside  of  "  the 
city,"  which  stands  for  the  theocracy  ;  and 
that  it  is  among  the  hedges,  in  the  shelter  of 
which  the  unemployed  rustics  would  lounge, 
that  the  invitation  is  to  find  acceptance,  shows 


Ch.  XIV.] 

24  Frr  I  say  unto  voii,  "That  none  of  those  men 
which  were  bidden  sha'll  taste  «.i  uiy  supper. 

25  And  there  went  great  imitlitudes  with  hiui :  and 
he  turned,  and  said  unto  them,  ,.    ,    v 

2t)  *  If  any  mint  come  to  me,  <^and  hate  not  his  father 
and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and 
sisters,  ■'yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my 
disciple.  ...  J 

•27  And  'whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross,  and 
come  after  me,  cannot  be  my  disciple. 

2.S  For /which  of  you,  iuteudiiiL'  to  build  a  tower, 
sitteth  not  down  first,  and  counteth  the  cost,  whether 
he  have. vi///!V(V»Mo  finish //.''   ,  .,    ^    ^        ,  ,.  , 

2'J  Lest  haply,  after  he  hath  laid  the  foundation,  and 
is  not  able  to  finish  il,  all  that  behold  il  begin  to  mock 
bim,  ,    ., ,        J 

30  Saying,  This  man  began  to  build,  and  was  not 
able  to  tinish. 


LUKE. 


237 


24  to  come  in,  that  my  house  may  be  filled.  For  I  say 
unto  you,  that  none  of  those  men  that  «ere  bidden 
shall  taste  ol  my  supper. 
2o  Now  there  went  with  him  great  multitudes: 
2G  and  he  turned,  and  said  unto  them,  If  any  uum 
Cometh  unto  me,  and  hateth  not  his  own  father,  and 
mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren  and 
sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  be  cannot  l)e  my 

27  disciple.     Whosoever  doth   not  bear  his  own  cross, 

28  and  come  after  me,  cannot  be  my  disciple.  For  wlio 
of  you,  desiring  to  build  a  tower,  doth  not  first  sit 
down  and  count  the  cost,  whether  he  have  u/iiri;- 

29  with  to  complete  if.'  Lest  haply,  when  he  hath  laid 
a  foundation,  and  is  not  able  to  tinish,  all  that  be- 

30  hold  begin  to  mock  him,  saying,  This  man  began  to 


a  Malt.  21 :  43  ;  22  :  8  ;  Acta  13 :  46. . .  .6  Deut.  13:6:  33 :  9 ;  MaU.  10 


37....cRoin.  9:  13. .  ..d  Rev.  12  ;  11.... «  Matt.  16:24;  Mark  8:  34;  ch. 
I2..../P10V.  24:  27. 


that  "not  many  wise"  men  after  the  flesh, 
"not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble,"  of  the 
heathen,  could  be  expected  soon  to  fill  up  the 
vacuum  of  the  church.  The  direction  to  com- 
pel them  to  come  in,  like  the  "quickly  "  of 
ver.  21,  has  reference  to  the  shortness  of  the 
time,  now  tliat  the  supper  is  waiting.  It  in- 
dicates the  need  of  that  urgency  of  proclama- 
tion and  persuasion  which  we  see  exemplified 
in  the  work  of  Peter  and  Paul,  and  the  other 
most  faithful  mini.sters  of  the  word;  but  not 
at  all  of  that  earth-born  zeal,  in  church  and 
state,  which  has  often  abused  the  Lord's 
word,  as  a  warrant  for  violence  against  tho.*e 
who  refused  to  profess  a  belief  that  they  did 
not  hold.— That  my  house  may  be  filled. 
God's  merciful  purpose  to  save  an  innumer- 
able multitude  should  not  be  frustrated,  al- 
though the  Jews  of  that  time,  or  any  man  of 
that  or  any  generation,  might  slight  the 
oftered  opportunity,  and  count  himself  un- 
worthy of  eternal  life.  "While  there  is  room 
and  a  welcome  for  all,  some  will  be  found  to 
take  the  place  of  any  that  refuse. 

24.  For  I  say  unto  you.  That  none  of 
those  men  which  were  bidden  shall  taste 
of  my  supper.  How  fearfully  the  purport 
of  tliis  decree  was  realized  in  the  experience 
of  that  and  the  following  generation,  history 
shows,  written  in  lines  of  blood.  Did  Christ's 
questioner  (rer.  is)  receive  the  intended  ex- 
planation as  to  whether  many  are  being 
saved  ? 

25-35.  The  Tkkms  of  Discipleship 
Again  Stated  and  Illustrated. 

25,  '^6.  And  there  went  great  multitudes 
with  him.  lie  had  resumed  his  course 
toward  Jerusalem,  and  the  accompanying 
crowds  continue,  or  even  increase.  He  was 
doubtless    aware    that    few,    comparatively, 


understood  really  for  what  they  were  follow- 
ing him.  Hence  the  necessity  of  making 
know'n  to  them  all  what  he  had  before  told 
the  apostles,  of  the  conditions  of  his  service. 
—And  he  turned— so  as  to  face  the  throng, 
being  himself  in  advance— and— after  they 
had  gathered  within  hearing  — said  unto 
them.  If  any  man  come  to  me,  i.  e.,  to 
rank  himself  among  my  disciples  — and 
hateth  not  his  father,  etc.  There  is  no 
reason  for  .softening  the  definition  of  "hate," 
here  and  in  ch.  10:  13;  Matt.  G:  24;  John 
12:  25,  so  as  to  make  it  mean  "to  love  le.??."' 
Understand  only  that  Christ  speaks  with  ref- 
erence to  a  case  very  common  in  the  experi- 
ence of  the  first  disciples,  when  near  relations 
stood  in  hostility  to  the  claims  of  the  gospel ; 
and  to  follow  one  was  to  come  in  conflict  with 
the  other.  Here  it  was  not  a  lesser  attach- 
ment to  the  party  opposed  to  him,  that  he 
would  have ;  but  utter  separation,  disfiivor, 
hatred.  There  must  be  no  divided  devotion. 
This  would  require  great  sacrifice  often  ;  but 
he  may  not  shrink,  but  must  even  hate  his 
own  life,  as  explained  in  next  verse. 

27.  Whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  (otrn) 
cross — as  I  must  bear  mine — and  come  after 
—obey  and  imittite— me,  cannot  be  my  dis- 
ciple (comp.  on  9 :  2:?).  Thus  must  he  "  hate 
his  own  life,"  when  to  keep  it  he  would  fail 
in  duty  to  the  Saviour.  This  principle  is  thus 
distinctly  stated,  in  order  to  make  sure  that  no 
one  shall  think  of  entering  on  his  service 
under  any  mi.<take  as  to  what  it  involves. 

28-30.  For— this  is  confirmatory  of  that 
implied  need  of  deliberation— which  of  you, 
wishing  to  build  a  tower,  etc.  The  two 
illustrations  here  given  show  what  common 
prudence  requires  of  a  man  in  commencing  a 
work  of   importance    and    diflSculty   in    the 


238 


:^\  Or  wliat  king,  going  to  make  war  against  another 
king,  sittelh  not  down  first,  and  consulletli  whetlier 
he  ue  able  witli  ten  thousand  to  meet  him  that  cometh 
agiiin»t  him  witli  twenty  thousand? 

o2  Or  else,  while  the  other  is  yet  a  great  way  off,  he 
Bendeth  an  amhassage,  and  desireth  conditions  of 
peace. 

3:i  So  likewise,  whosoever  he  he  of  you  that  forsaketh 
not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  he  my  disciple. 

34  "  Salt  (.V  good  ;  but  it  the  salt  have  lost  his  savour, 
wherewith  shall  it  be  seasoned/ 


LUKE.  [Ch.  XIV. 

31  build,  and  was  not  aide  to  finish.  Or  what  king,  as 
he  goeth  to  encounter  another  king  in  war,  will  Liut 
sit  down  first  and  lake  counsel  whether  he  is  able 
with  ten  thousand  to  meet  him  that  cometh  against 

32  him  with  twenty  thousand?  Or  else,  while  the 
other  is  yet  a  great  way  otf,  he  sendelh  an  anibas- 

33  sage,  and  asketh  conditions  ol  jieace.  .So  therelore 
whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  renouncelh  not  all  that 

34  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  di.sciple.  Salt  therefore  is 
good:   but  if  even   the 'salt   have   lost    its    savour, 


;  Mait.  5:  1:<;  Mark  9  :  60. 


affairs  of  this  world.  How  much  more  in  the 
courses  which  directly  determine  eternal  con- 
sequences! The  building  of  a  tower  may  be 
named  as  symbolical  of  providing  a  refuge 
for  oneself,  a  place  of  safety,  to  which  the 
assured  favor  of  God  may  be  likened,  or  the 
proved  character  of  gospel  righteousness,  on 
which  that  tavor  depends.  The  details  of  the 
tigure  are  drawn  true  to  life;  but  in  the  appli- 
cation, the  mockery  of  beholders  must  be 
referred  to  the  amazement  and  pity  which 
God  and  holy  beings  feel  at  the  view  of  a  pro- 
fession of  disciplesliip  dishonored,  and  ending 
in  ruin. 

31,  33.  The  war  of  one  king  with  another 
king  may  stand  for  the  warfare  which  the  disci- 
ple has  to  wage  with  Satan  and  all  the  forms 
and  powers  of  evil.  Christ  has  .stated,  and  the 
Scripture  has  shown,  that  a  great  conflict  is  to 
be  carried  on,  great  efforts  are  to  be  put  forth 
(ch.  13: 24),  great  sacrifices  to  be  incurred.  Hap- 
pily, he  who  proposes  to  follow  Jesus  is  not 
left  to  do  it  in  his  own  strength.  But  by  his 
own  faculties  he  must  intelligently  survey  the 
dutj',  and  resolve  to  avail  himself  of  that  aid 
which  shall  supplement  his  own  powers  in 
their  most  strenuous  exercise.  Going  to 
make  war  against.  Ooeth  to  encounter^  of 
the  Revision  ;  "is  pursuing  a  course  likely  to 
bring  him  into  conflict,"  is  preferable.  The 
supposition  is,  that  the  former  is  threatened 
with  an  attack, —Asketh  conditions  of 
peace,  desiring  to  avoid  actual  battle.  This 
is,  of  course,  not  a  counsel  to  shrink  from  con- 
test with  our  spiritual  adversary,  but  does 
impl}'  that  we  should  be  careful  to  have  more 
than  the  twenty  thousand  on  our  side.  And 
if  only  we  be  resolved  on  that  which  is  right, 
in  God's  strength,  the  sure  word  of  prophecy 
says,  "Fear  not:  for  they  that  be  with  us  are 
more  than  they  that  be  with  them."  (s  Kings  6:  le.) 

33.  So,  likewise  (better,  therefore),  who- 
soever he  be  of  you  that  forsaketh  (or, 
renounceth)  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot 
be  my  disciple.     This  is  the  conclusion  es- 


tablished by  both  the  preceding  examples. 
To  renounce  is  the  same  as  to  "bid  farewell 
to"  inch.  9:  61,  and  the  phrase  is  translated 
by  Davidson  "bid  good-bye  to."  Well  might 
the  Saviour  call  upon  them  to  count  the  cost 
of  being  his  disciples,  in  any  sense  worth  con- 
sidering at  all.  Well,  if  he  should  clieck  the 
fanatical  zeal  of  the  worldly  multitude. 

34.  Salt  (the  Greek  adds  tJierefore)  is 
good.  The  word  therefore  shows  that  the 
metaphor  salt  is  suggested  by  the  preceding 
account  of  true  discipleship.  Its  well-known 
and  indispensable  dietetic  utility,  as  well  as 
its  ceremonial  significance,  made  it  eminently 
suitable  to  shadow  forth  various  religious 
truths.  (Matt.  6:  13;  Mark  9:  50.)  Here  the 
Saviour  employs  it  to  signify  that  disposition 
that  moves  a  man  to  follow  him,  and  qualifies 
him  to  do  so  worthily.  That  is  an  excellent 
thing,  eminently  good,  understanding  it  to 
be  sincere,  deliberate,  permanent.  The  dis- 
ciple possessing  it  will  not  be  like  the  multi- 
tude that  Jesus  sees  hanging  upon  him  in  mere 
expectancy  of  temporal  honor  and  advantage, 
but  will  be  read^',  forsaking  all  else  for  him, 
to  endure  unto  the  end.  Such  a  disciple  has 
in  him  the  salt  which  is  the  preservative  and 
antiseptic  principle  of  his  own  life,  and  be- 
comes a  means  of  preservation  to  the  society  in 
which  he  lives. — But  if  (even)  the  salt  have 
lost  his  (its)  savor.  We  hardly  need  to 
bring  in  here  the  supposition  that  Christ  has 
in  mind  an  impure  salt,  mingled  with  gyp- 
sum, and  other  earthy  matters,  such  as  we  are 
told  was  sometimes  used  in  Palestine.  That 
would,  doubtless,  be  naturally  of  very  different 
degrees  of  saltness,  and  would,  on  exposure  to 
the  weather,  lose  what  it  might  have  had. 
But  the  figure  presupposes  a  good  quality  of 
salt;  and  so  we  more  justly  understand  him  to 
siiTiply  suppose  the  case  that  it  should  lose  its 
saltness.  But  does  this  assume  the  possibility 
that  a  true  disciple  may  lose  the  grace  which 
makes  him  such  ?  Such  a  possibility  it  does 
seem  to  assume,  but  no  more  asserts  the  reality 


Ch.  XV.] 


LUKE. 


239 


35  It  is  neither  fit  for  the  land,  nor  j'et  for  the  dung-  35  wherewith  shall  it  be  seasoned?  It  is  fit  neither  for 
hill;  6u/ men  cusl  it  out.  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  I  the  laud  nor  for  the  diiu^hill :  »ic»  cast  it  out.  He 
let  him  hear.  |       that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  biui  hear. 

CHAPTER    XV. 

THEN  "drew  near  unto  him  all  the  publicans  and 
sinners  tor  to  hear  him. 

2  And  the  I'liarisees  aud  scribes  murmured,  saying, 
This  man  receivfth  sinners,  ''and  eateth  with  them. 

3  And  he  spake  this  parable  unto  them,  saying. 


1  Now  all  the  publicans  and  sinners  were  drawing 

2  near  unto  him  for  to  hear  hiui.  And  both  the 
I'harisees  and  the  scribes  murmured,  saying.  This 
man  receiveth  sinners,  uudealelh  with  them. 

3  And   he  spake   unto   tliem   this  parable,  saying. 


a  Matt.  9:  10 6  Acts  II :  3;  Qui.  2:  Vi. 


of  such  a  case  than  it  asserts  that  salt  does  ever 
lose  its  peculiar  pungency  and  power  to  hinder 
corruption.  But  wliile  we  confidently  con- 
clude, from  various  passages  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, and  frotn  tlie  nature  of  the  case,  that 
no  true  .subject  of  regenerating  grace  ever  has 
or  will  become  utterly  void  of  the  new  life,  yet 
surely  nothing  prevents  it,  in  any  case,  but 
the  continued  operation  of  the  renewing 
Spirit.  And,  as  such  continued  operation 
supposes  the  continued  co-operation  of  the 
free  activities  of  the  soul  that  is  born  again, 
Holy  Scripture  is  plain,  pointed  and  importu- 
ntite  in  urging  the  necessity  of  care  and  dili- 
gence, that  such  soul  may  not  fail  of  the  eter- 
nal life.  (John  15:  6,  6;  Matt.  5:  13;  Mark 
'.) :  50;  Heb.  4:1;  comp.  3:1;  6:4-6;  2  Pet. 
1:  10,  11.)— Wherewith  shall  it  be  sea- 
soned, literally,  restored  to  its  proper  savor 
and  efficacy?  and,  in  the  application,  inside 
capable  of  doing  the  work,  exerting  the  iiiilu- 
ence  of  a  disciple. 

35.  It  is  neither  fit  for  the  land,  nor  yet 
for  the  dunghill.  Some  refuse  salt  might 
yet  be  useful  as  a  dressing  for  the  land ;  or, 
if  not  to  be  so  used  directly,  might  improve 
the  manure  heap.  But  the  deterioration  of 
which  Christ  thinks  is  total,  irremediable,  de- 
structive. Men  cast  it  out.  The  order  of 
the  words  in  the  Greek:  0?<<  they  cast  it ! 
marks  Christ's  sense  of  the  utter  worthless- 
ness  and  vanity  of  an  outward  religiousness 
which  is  a  mere  i)rofession,  totally  void  of  his 
own  Spirit.  That  this  topic  is  of  great  prac- 
tical importance,  is  intimated  in  the  solemn 
formula,  lie  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear.  So  let  every  one  that  reads  rouse 
his  faculties  of  mind  and  heart  to  due  consid- 
eration of  the  Great  Teacher's  words. 


Ch.  15:  1,2.  Christ's  Intercoursk 
WITH  Publicans  and  Sinners  Offends 
THE  Pharisees. 

1.  Then  (correctly,  and.)  drew  near  (bet- 
ter, were  drawing  near)  unto  him  all  the 
publicans  and  sinners  for  to  hear  him. 


Neither  the  time  nor  the  place  is  definitely 
indicated ;  but  only  the  fact  that  somewhere 
there  was  a  great  concourse  of  the  despised 
publicans  and  their  associates  to  him,  in  the 
course  of  which  the  incident  to  be  related 
took  place.  The  word  all  emphasizes  the 
freedom  with  which  he  allowed  any  one  of 
that  class  to  approach  liim  and  share  his 
teachings.  His  enemies  would  say  that  any 
publicans  were  good  enough  to  be  the  friends 
of  Jesus.  For  to  hear  him.  The  for  is,  of 
course,  quite  superfluous  at  the  present  day. 

2.  And  {both)  the  Pharisees  and  scribes 
murmured,  saying.  This  man  receiveth 
sinners,  and  eateth  with  them.  This  com- 
plaint is  one  with  which  we  are  already 
familiar  (5:30;  7:3*) ;  but  it  was  new  from  these 
hypocrites,  and  gave  occasion  to  a  series  of 
very  interesting  instructions.  That  he  should 
receive,  in  the  sense  of  welcoming  sinners,  was 
bad  enough  to  Pharisaic  bigotry  ;  but  eating 
with  them  was  shockingly  scandalous. 

3.  And  he  spake  unto  them  this  para- 
ble. The  word  parable  must  have  at  least 
a  two-fold  reference  to  that  of  the  lost  sheep, 
and  to  that  of  the  lost  drachma,  which  is 
connected  with  the  former  by  the  conjunc- 
tion "or."  The  two  are  but  phases  of  one 
illustration.  Perhajis  the  account  of  the 
prodigal  son  might  also  be  considered  a  branch 
of  the  same  discourse,  as  it  obviously  carries 
forward  the  explanation  of  his  position  toward 
publicans  and  sinners,  and  the  justification 
of  it  against  the  Pharisees.  To  it,  however, 
there  was  a  new  beginning.  And  he  spake, 
perhaps  after  noticing  the  effect  of  the  pre- 
ceding parables.  It  is  worthy  of  special  re- 
mark that  all  the  interesting  and  precious 
instruction  of  this  chapter,  and  almost  all 
that  follows  to  chapter  17:  10,  comes  to  us 
through  Luke's  Gospel  alone,  and  may  have 
all  hung  on  the  little  incident  of  the  murmur- 
ing of  hypocritical  worldlings,  because  Jesus, 
on  a  certain  occasion,  acted  like  himself. 
"We  might  fondly  wish,  had  God  not  pleased 
to  have  it  as  it  is,  that  still  other  evangelists 


240 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XV. 


4  «  What  man  of  you,  having  an  hundred  sheep^  if  he 
lose  one  oi  ihem,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety  aud  nine  in 
the  wilderness,  and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he 
find  it? 

o  And  when  he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his 
shoulders,  rejoicing. 

;  A.id  .Then  he  corueth  home,  he  calleth  together 
hix  friends  and  ."ighbours,  saying  unto  them.  Rejoice 
with  me:  for  I  have  found  my  sheep  *  which  was  lost. 

7  I  say  unto  you,  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in  heaven 
over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  ''more  than  over 
ninety  and  nine  just  persons,  which  need  no  repent- 
ance. 


4  What  man  of  you,  liaving  a  hundred  sheep,  and 
having  lost  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety 
and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  go  alter  that  which 

5  is  lost,  until  he  tind  it?    And  when  he  hath  lound 

6  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing.  And 
when  he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  together  his 
friends  and  his  neighbours,  saying  unto  them,  fte- 
joice  with  me,  for  1  have  found  wy  sheep  wliich  was 

7  lost.  1  say  unto  you  that  even  so  there  shall  be  joy 
in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than 
over  ninety  and  nine  righteous  persons,  that  need 
no  repentance. 


a  Matt.  18:  12 6  1  Pet.  2:  10,  23 c  ch.  5  :  32. 


had  preserved  for  us  still  more  of  the  gracious 
words  that  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth. 

4-7.  The  Lost  Shkep. 

Jesus  supposes  the  case  of  a  shepherd  hav- 
ing sheep  enough  to  make  the  temporary 
neglect  of  the  vast  majority  for  the  sake  of 
one  a  striking  fact,  yet  not  so  many  that  the 
one  should  fail  of  the  personal  care  of  the 
owner,  and  be  constantly  recognized  or 
missed.  In  the  wilderness— the  untilled, 
treeless,  hilly  region  in  various  parts  of  Pal- 
estine, whose  only  use  was  for  the  pasturage 
of  stock,  and  into  the  ravines  of  which,  and 
bushy  hollows  along  the  scantily  fed  water- 
courses, a  vagrant  animal  might  stray.  That 
he  should  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  to  go 
after  the  lost  one,  is  a  feature  of  the  figure  not 
applicable  to  the  work  of  Christ  as  the 
spiritual  shepherd.  This  is  here  to  signalize 
his  concern  about  the  lost.  Having  pursued 
the  search  till  successful,  he  layeth  it  on  his 
shoulders,  a  familiar  practice  with  shep- 
herds when  the  creature  is  sick,  fatigued,  or 
in  any  way  unable  to  travel  on  its  own 
feet.  Rejoicing  alike  in  the  retrieval  of  his 
own  loss,  and  in  the  rescue  of  his  sheep  from 
danger  and  distress.  And  when  he  cometh 
home,  evidently  bringing  the  sheep  thither, 
which  he  will  not  trust  again  readily  to  the 
risks  of  the  wilderness,  he  calleth  together 
his  friends  and  {his)  neighbors— probably 
to  some  rustic  entertainment — saying.  Re- 
joice with  me,  for,  etc.  The  Good  Shep- 
herd would  have  all  his  friends  share  with 
him  the  delight  of  saving  souls.  What  man 
would  not  act  thus?  Is  it  then  strange  that 
God  in  Christ  should  act  likewise? 

Considering  the  manifest  occasion  of  this 
parable,  we  cannot  doubt  that  the  "ninety 
and  nine"  represent,  primarily,  the  mass  of 
the  Jewish  people,  as  professedly  religious,  in 
Christ's  time.  The  lost  .sheep  is  the  careless, 
worldly,  and  ceremonially  irreligious  ele- 
ment of   the    population,    wretched    in    this 


world,  as  being  outcasts  from  more  worthy 
society,  and  depraved  morally,  through  ex- 
clusive companionship  with  such.  The  shep- 
herd's care  for  the  estray  shows  Christ's  pity 
for  the  erring  and  sinful,  especially  for  the 
neglected  and  despised  of  earth.  The  active 
pursuit  of  the  lost  one  until  it  is  found  illus- 
trates his  yearning  desire  that  they  should  be 
saved.  And  the  joy  of  the  owner,  with  his 
friends  and  neighbors,  over  the  recovered 
wanderer,  pictures  the  joy  in  heaven,  i.  e., 
of  God  and  the  angels,  over  one  repenting  sin- 
ner. Tims  the  defence  of  Christ's  sj^nipathy 
with  the  publicans  rests  on  God's  interest  in 
the  salvation  of  every  sinner  that  turns  to 
him.  The  just  (righteous)  persons  which 
— regarded  as  such  {oItivks) — need  no  repent- 
ance, are  the  more  respectable  part  of  the 
community,  and  ostensibly'  religious.  They 
think  themselves  righteous,  and  are  so,  in 
outward  respects,  compared  with  the  pub- 
licans. Christ  does  not  at  all  admit  that  they 
are  so  in  such  sense  as  to  remove  them  from 
the  need  of  repentance  (see  ch.  13 :  3,  5),  but 
according  to  tlieir  own  view  of  themselves. 
He  tells  them  that  their  life  cannot  afford  him 
the  delight  which  he  takes  in  the  moral  reno- 
vation of  a  conscious  and  acknowledged 
sinner.  However  many  there  may  be  who  are 
not  such,  they  cannot  occasion  such  rejoicing. 
So  the  joy  of  parents  over  the  recover^'  of 
a  child  from  an  apparently  mortal  disease 
is  greater  than  that  over  a  whole  family  that 
have  occasioned  no  concern  for  their  health. 
No  other  language  could  be  better  adapted  to 
raise  in  his  hearers  the  querj'  whether  thej', 
too,  did  not  really  need  repentance.  It  should 
not  be  overlooked  that  this  joy  is  in  heaven^ 
where  thej'  are  familiar  with  instances  in 
plenty  of  perfect  righteousness,  none  of  which, 
for  their  very  commonness,  can  excite  such  a 
thrill  of  delight  as  the  case  of  one  who  turns 
from  the  way  of  sin  and  ruin  to  holiness  and 
salvation.     The  joy   of  God  and  the  angels 


Ch.  XV.] 


LUKE. 


241 


8  Either  what  wniiian  having  ten  pieces  of  silver,  if 
she  lose  one  piece,  il<ith  uot  light  a  candle,  and  sweep 
the  huiise,  and  seek  diligently  till  she  tind  ilf 

y  And  when  she  hath  found  il,  she  calleth  her 
friends  and  her  neighbours  together,  saying.  Rejoice 
■with  me;  for  I  have  Ibund  the  piece  which  1  had  lost. 

ID  LikewLse,  I  say  unto  you,  there  is  joy  iu  the  pres- 
ence of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  re- 
penteth. 

11  And  he  said,  A  certain  man  had  two  sons: 


8  Or  what  woman  having  ten  '  pieces  of  silver,  if 
she  lose  one  i)ieee,  doth  not  light  a  lump,  and  sweep 
the   house,  and  seek  diligently   until   she   tint!   it? 

9  And  when  she  hath  found  it,  she  calleth  together 
her  friends  and  neighbours,  saying,  liejoice  with 
me,  for  1   have  found  the  piece  whicii  1   had  lost. 

10  Kveu  so,  I  say  unto  you,  there  is  joy  iu  the  presence 
of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repeuteth'. 

11  And    lie    said,    A    certain    man    bad    two    sous: 


1  Or.  drachma,  acnio  worth  about  eiglit  peace. 


over  the  results  of  Christ's  work  among  sin- 
ners was  a  reproof  to  the  Pharisees  for  their 
morose  indifference,  and  even  displeasure 
at  it. 

8-10.  Thk  Lost  Drachma. 

This  parable  has  the  same  general  design,  is 
indeed,  as  we  have  above  noticed,  only  an  al- 
ternative statement  of  the  preceding  thoughts, 
introduced  by  Either.  As  the  otiier  exhib- 
ited the  Saviour's  care  for  abandoned  sinners, 
on  account  of  their  pitiable  state,  this  con- 
templates them  as  property,  the  value  of 
which  to  himself  he  cannot  forego. — (Godet.) 
It  was  a  custom  with  Christ  thus  to  dupli- 
cate parables  illustrative  of  one  main  truth 
(5: 3639;  13:  19-21),  with  Only  incidental  differ- 
ences. Here  he  may  have  desired  to  bring 
home  to  the  hearts  of  women  the  intensity  of 
divine  love  toward  the  ruined  and  wretched, 
by  an  illustration  drawn  from  their  own 
sphere.  The  proportion  of  the  "lost"  to  the 
safe,  suggested  here,  is  tenfold  as  great  as  in 
the  preceding  parable — one  piece  of  money  out 
often,  one  sheep  out  of  a  hundred.  The  piece 
of  silver  was  the  Greek  drachma,  the  Roman 
denarius,  "penny"  of  our  version.  See  on 
ch.  7:  41.  This  amount  would  be  more,  pro- 
portionally, to  a  poor  woman,  than  the  one 
sheep  to  the  shepherd  before  supposed. — 
Light  a  candle  (better,  lamp),  and  sweep 
the  house.  These  are  actions  parallel  to  the 
hard  and  patient  exploration  of  the  shepherd 
through  the  wilderness,  and  are  equally  nat- 
ural to  our  thought,  considering  that  the 
house  would  be  dark,  without  glazed  windows, 
and  probabl}^  with  no  floor  but  the  trodden 
earth. — And  when  she  hnth  found  it.  She 
exhibits  her  joy  in  a  manner  perfectly  analo- 
gous to  that  of  the  successful  shepherd,  and 
strictly  appropriate  to  a  woman,  since  the 
friends  here  are  shown  by  the  Greek  word  to 
be  women.  As  this  parable  says  nothing  of 
"  leaving"  the  nine  coins,  or  of  a  comparison 
of  the  joy  with  any  other,  we  have  impressed 


11-32.  Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son. 
The  Saviour's  course  of  condescending,  labo- 
rious, saving  sympathy  for  the  socially  banr 
ished  and  morally  lost,  has  thus  been  doubly 
justified  by  a  comparison  with  familiar  and 
rational  human  proceedings.  He  has  suf- 
ficiently explained  the  divine  care  in  the 
matter,  but  has  said  nothing  of  the  inward 
experience  of  the  objects  of  this  care.  For 
this  purpose,  it  was  necessary  that  the  object 
of  search  and  rescue  should  be  of  the  human 
kind, — a  man,  not  an  animal  or  a  thing.  He 
now,  therefore,  adds  a  third  parable,  to  clarify 
and  complement  his  instruction  concerning 
the  rescue  of  a  sinner  through  the  gospel,  and 
so,  ukiinatelj',  though  indirectly,  to  finish 
his  apology  for  intercourse  with  publicans  and 
sinners.  The  bereft  shepherd  and  the  impov- 
erished woman  become  here  the  compassionate 
and  yearning  father;  the  strayed  sheep  and 
the  lost  coin,  a  wayward  son,  whose  absence 
makes  the  paternal  mansion  poor;  and  the 
finding  of  whom  involves  the  whole  series  of 
experiences  in  the  process  of  a  sinner's  re- 
pentance and  return  to  God.  It  has  well  been 
held  as  the  chief  of  the  parables,  most  ex- 
jjressive  of  God's  love,  most  fully  descriptive 
of  the  affections  of  the  soul,  in  its  wanderings 
and  its  conversion. 

11.  And  he  said,  A  certain  man  had  two 
sons.  The  man  denotes  God,  the  Father,  by 
creation,  of  all  men.  The  two  sons  represent 
two  tyi)es  of  character,  two  classes  of  men, 
everywhere  mot  with,  and,  in  Christ's  time^ 
visible  in  the  Pharisee  and  the  publican.  The 
younger  son  is  the  publican,  and  chiefly  en- 
gages the  attention  of  our  Lord,  as  was  to  be 
expected  in  this  connection;  the  other  being 
presented  rather  as  a  background  for  this 
picture.  It  is  natural  that,  as  the  volume  of 
instruction  widens,  starting  from  verse  2.  the 
particular  case  of  the  publican  and  the  Phar- 
isee should  be  less  sharply  kept  in  view.  It 
does  not,  therefore,  hinder  that  case  from  being 


on  us  simply  the  joy  of  angels,  and  of  all  like    still  the  real  text,  that  this  parable  puts  the 
them,  in  the  conversion  of  a  sinner.  I  acknowledged  sinner  in  contrast  with  the  self- 


i242 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XV. 


12  And  the  younger  of 'them  said  to  his  father, 
Father,  give  me  the  portion  of  goods  that  falleth  to  me. 
And  he  divided  unto  them  »his  living. 

i:i  And  not  many  days  after  the  younger  son  gath- 
ered all  together,  and  took  his  journey  into  a  far  coun- 
try, and  there  wasted  his  substance  with  riotous  living. 
■  U  And  when  he  had  spent  all,  there  arose  a  mighty 
famine  in  that  land;  and  he  began  to  be  in  want. 

16  And  he  went  and  joined  himself  to  a  citizen  of 
that  country;  and  he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed 
swine. 


12  and  the  younger  of  them  said  to  hi»./!«+her,  Father, 
give  me  the  portion  of  Ifiy  substance  that  falletb  to 

13  me.  And  he  divided  unto  them  his  living.  And 
not  many  days  after  the  younger  son  gathered  all 
together,  and  took  his  journey  into  a  far  country  ; 
and  there  he  wasted    his    substance  with    riotous 

14  living.  And  when  he  had  spent  all,  there  arose  a 
mighty  famine  in  that  country  ;  and  he  began  to  be 

15  in  want.  And  he  went  and  joined  himself  to  one  of 
the  citizens  of  that  country  ;  and  be  sent  him  into 


a  Mark  12  :  44. 1  Or.  the. 


'righteous  professor  in  so  general  a  way  as  to 
describe  any  wanderer  from  God  who  sins 
and  suffers  and  repents. 

13,  And  the  younger  ofthem  said,  Fa- 
ther, give  me  the  portion  of  goods— thy 
property— that  falleth  to  me,  i.  e.,  which  is 
to  fall  to  me  at  thy  death.  This  would  be, 
according  to  the  principles  of  Jewish  inher- 
itance, one-third  of  the  substance,  leaving 
twice  as  much  to  the  older  brother.  His  pro- 
posal illustrates  the  rise  of  apostasy  in  the 
soul.  Man  is  not  content  to  leave  the  control 
of  his  means  of  enjoyment  to  his  Creator,  and 
receive  such  allotments  as  he  deems  best;  but 
chooses  rather  to  have  all  in  his  own  hands, 
and  follow  his  own  pleasure.— And  he  divided 
unto  them  his  living — rather,  the  living — 
the  means  of  subsistence  for  the  family.  Liv- 
ing is  the  same  as  goods,  or,  property,  in  the 
previous  sentence,  only  thought  of  here  as  the 
basis  of  a  livelihood.  As  we  see  later  that  the 
father  is  still  at  the  head  of  the  place  (vor.22,31), 
we  understand  that  the  partition  to  the  elder 
brother  was  only  provisional ;  allowing  to  him 
the  income,  perhaps,  above  the  father's  sup- 
port, until  his  death.  God  does  not  constrain 
men  to  what  is  best  for  them,  at  the  sacrifice 
of  their  freedom. 

13.  And  not  many  days  after — so  impa- 
tient was  he  to  taste  the  sweets  of  uncontrolled 
self-will — he  gathered  all  together — turned 
his  propertj'  into  such  form  that  he  could  use  it 
abroad — and  took  his  journey  into  a  far 
country.  The  Saviour  may  have  imagined 
him  as  going  to  Alexandria,  Antioch,  or  Rome, 
places  which  promised  rich  opportunities  of 
pleasure  in  the  spending  of  his  means.  In  the 
interpretation,  it  pictures  a  growing  alienation 
from  God,  leading  to  forgetfulness  and  ina- 
bility to  perceive  him,  as  if  one  had  got  into 
a  country  where  God  was  not. — And  there 
wasted— scattered  right  and  left — his  sub- 
stance with  riotous  living.  Riotous  cov- 
ers the  idea  of  both  luxury  and  profligacy. 
He  squandered  his  money  on  the  gratification 


of  his  baser  appetites.  One  short  sentence 
tells  the  whole  history  of  his  fortune.  It  is 
gone.  A  bare  subsistence  by  hard  labor  is  all 
that  he  can  hope  for  in  that  country,  even 
with  a  continuance  of  general  prosperity  and 
abundance.  Such  is  the  state  of  the  worldling 
who,  forgetful  of  God,  has  tried  all  forms  of 
earthly  pursuit  and  indulgence  that  are  pos- 
sible for  him,  and,  without  more  at  any  time 
than  the  delusive  phantom  of  enjoyment,  now 
sees  that  his  way  has  been  foH^',  and  says  of 
his  remaining  days,  "There  is  no  pleasure  in 
them." 

14.  And  when  he  had  spent  all— just 
when  it  was  specially  necessary  for  him  that 
other  people  should  have  plenty — there  arose 
a  mighty  famine  in — throughout — that  land 
— country,  as  in  ver.  13 — and  he — he  himself — 
began  to  be  in  want.  No  art  or  talent  of 
his  could  insure  him  the  means  of  easy  subsist- 
ence, when  the  most  virtuous  and  industrious 
were  in  straits.  He  is  a  type  of  the  sinner 
who  begins  to  realize  that  there  is  no  true  sat- 
isfaction for  his  soul  in  the  ways  of  the  world, 
in  leaning  to  his  own  understanding,  following 
his  own  caprice.  But  he  will  still  try  some 
other  resource  before  turning  to  the  only  pos- 
sible stores  of  supply. 

15.  And  he  went  and  joined  himself  to  a 
citizen  (lit.,  one  of  the  citizens)  of  that  coun- 
try. The  verb  for  "join,"  signifies,  primarily, 
"to  glue"  one  thing  to  another,  and  implies 
that  he  bound  himself  closely  to  a  foreigner,  a 
Gentile.  He  who  has  forsalcen  the  gentle  con- 
trol of  a  father,  is  brought  at  length  to  subject 
himself  utterly  to  the  power  of  an  alien 
stranger.  Perhaps  it  was  in  expectation  of 
sympathy  and  consideration ;  but  what  he 
has  done  becomes  painfully  clear  to  him 
when  he  finds  to  what  a  base,  unhallowed 
occupation  he  is  assigned.— And  he  sent  him 
—out  of  the  town— into  his  fields,  to  feed 
swine.  The  dependence  of  a  sinner  upon 
fellow-sinners,  in  his  spiritual  emergency,  is 
a  delusive  trust. 


Ch.  XV.] 


LUKE. 


243 


16  And  he  would  fain  have  filled  his  belly  with  the 
husks  that  the  swine  did  eat:  and  uo  man  gave  unto 
hiiu. 

17  And  when  he  came  to  himself,  he  said,  How  many 
hired  servants  of  my  lather's  have  bread  enough  and 
to  spare,  and  I  perish  with  hunger! 

18  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  lather,  and  will  say  unto 
him,  father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  before 
thee, 


IG  his  fields  to  feed  swine.  And  he  would  lain  >  have 
filled  his  belly  with -the  husks  that  the  swine  did 

17  eat:  and  no  man  gave  unto  him.  hi.t  when  he 
came  to  himself  he  said.  How  many  hired  servants 
ol  my  father's  have  bread  enough  and  to  spare,  and 

18  I  perish  here  with  hunger!  i  will  arise  and  go  to 
my  father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father,  1  have 


1  MaDj  ancient  authnrtties  read,  kave  been/Uled....i  Qr.  tkepod*  of  the  curoh  tret. 


16.  And  he  would  fain  have  filled  his 
belly  with  the  husks— pocfs — that  the 
swine  did  eat.  Husks  gives  the  etleot  in- 
tended, but  does  not  translate  the  Greek  word  ; 
that  designates  the  fruit  of  a  tree  common 
about  the  eastern  end  of  the  Mediterranean, 
called  the  carob  tree,  and  St.  John's  bread, 
and  box-horn.  It  is  closely  related  to  the 
locust  {acacia)  with  us  (see  the  illustration  in 
Smith's  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  Art.  Husks), 
and  the  pods  of  one  species  of  our  locust  are 
very  similar  in  appearance  to  those  here 
spoken  of.  They  contain  a  slight  amount  of 
coarse  nutriment,  and,  in  lack  of  better 
provender,  are  sometimes  fed  to  cattle  and 
swine,  and  are  even  eaten,  in  extreme  need, 
by  the  poorest  people.  This  distressed  man, 
apparently,  did  not  regard  them  as  suited  to 
satisfy  the  appetite,  still  less  as  able  to  afford 
real  nourishment;  but  would  have  crammed 
his  belly  with  them  to  assuage  the  gnawings 
of  hunger.  And  no  man  gave  unto  him, 
even  a  portion  of  this  wretched  fodder.  Such 
is  the  depth  of  degradation  and  misery  to 
which,  by  so  ruinous  stages,  the  wayward  son 
has  sunk.  And  in  his  case  we  have  a  descrip- 
tion, true  to  the  life,  of  the  forlorn  condition, 
the  misery  and  helplessness,  of  the  soul, 
whether  in  poverty  or  wealth,  which  has 
given  itself  up  to  worldly  pursuits  and  plea- 
sures, and  has  forgotten  God  Such  a  one 
may  not  always  be  aware  of  his  own  wretch- 
edness ;  still  less  does  he  understand  his  guilt ; 
but  so  does  he  appear  to  the  angels,  to  God, 
to  Christ. 

17-24.  Picture  of  the  Return  of  that 
Soul  to  God. 

17.  And  (or  but)  when  he  came  to  himself. 
His  desolate  circumstances  led  him  at  last  to 
reflection  on  the  causes  of  his  sad  condition. 
This  exercise  of  thoughtfulness  is  called  a 
coming  to,  or  rather  into,  himself.  A  some- 
what similar  expresssion  is  used  of  Peter  in 
Acts  12  :  11,  where  the  thought  is  that  he  came 
into  a  distinct  and  clear  use  of  his  faculties. 
Here,   as  if   the  prodigal  had  been   "beside 


himself,"  and  a  worse  nature  had  had  the 
control  of  him,  he  comes  to  be  himself  once 
more,  so  far  as  to  exercise  some  natural,  un- 
perverted  deliberation  about  his  state.  Clear 
consideration  at  once  showed  him  the  reason 
of  all  his  unhappiness  and  penury,  iu  the  fact 
that  he  had  forsaken  his  father.  He  said. 
How  many  hired  servants  of  my  father's 
have  bread  enough  and  to  spare.  There 
is  a  profusion  of  all  things  necessary  to  health 
and  comfort  abounding  even  to  those  mo.st 
remotely  connected  with  my  father's  house. 
No  special  import  of  the  "hired  servants" 
has  been  satisfactorily  suggested,  as  having 
been  in  the  Saviour's  mind.  And  I — a  son, 
naturally  destined  to  a  much  happier  lot  than 
they — perish — am  perishing  {here)  with 
hunger.  A  most  pitiful  end,  and  shameful, 
surely,  if  it  can  be  avoided,  to  perish  here,  in 
this  estrangement  from  my  father;  in  rags, 
debasement,  and  the  contempt  of  unclean 
strangers.  Herein  is  a  vivid  portrayal  of  the 
first  steps  of  repentance  of  sin.  Any  man, 
even  the  most  fortunate  outwardly,  is  liable, 
in  his  worldliness,  to  have  it  flash  across  his 
thought  that  his  course  is  yielding  no  ret^l 
enjoyment  to  his  better  nature;  is,  rather, 
wrong  and  unworthy  of  him.  He  wonders 
if  there  is  not  something  better,  something  in 
which  all  the  capacities  of  his  being  can  re- 
joice. In  some  favored  hour  he  goes  further. 
He  seeks  earnestly  for  the  explanation  of  his 
dissatisfaction  and  unrest.  Why  has  utter 
failure  attended  all  his  plans  for  the  attain- 
ment of  true  welfare?  Candid,  deliberate 
inquiry  finally  discovers  the  reason  why,  in 
his  life-long  abandonment  of  God  as  his 
father,  and  refusal  to  accept  his  wise  and 
loving  control.  It  is  a  short  step  from  this  to 
see  that  the  remedy  lies  in  the  contrite  return 
of  the  heart  to  him. 

18.  Repentance  is  complete;  that  is  to  say, 
there  is  an  effectual  change  of  mind,  of  judg- 
ment, affection,  and  purpose,  when  the  man 
can  saj%  sincerely  and  truly,  I  Avill  arise 
and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say   unto 


244 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XV. 


19  And  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son : 
make  uie  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants. 

M  And  he  arose,  and  came  to  his  lather.  But  "  when 
fie  wa.s  yet  a  great  way  ott',  his  father  saw  him,  and  had 
compassion,  and  ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed 
him. 

:il  And  the  son  said  unto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned 
against  heaven, '  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son. 


19  sinned  against  heaven,  and  in  thy  sight :  I  am  no 
more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son  :  make  me  as  one 

20  of  thy  hired  servants.  And  he  arose,  and  came  to 
his  father.  But  while  he  was  yet  afar  otf,  his  lather 
saw  him,  and  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  ran, 

21  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  i  kissed  him.  And  the  son 
said  unto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven, 
and  in  thy  sight :  I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called 


I  Acts  2:  39;  Epiies.  2:  13, 17 bTs.  51:  4. 1  Gr.  kissed  him  much. 


him,  Father,  I  have  sinned,  etc.  Here  is 
to  the  full  the  sense  of  guilt  and  folly,  the 
readiness  to  confess  it,  the  longing  after  for- 
giveness, the  humility  which  is  willing  to 
take  the  lowest  place,  hoping  only  that  some 
undeserved  favor  may  yet  be  shown.  This  is 
the  rational  posture  of  a  soul  which  is  con- 
scious of  having  sinned  against  its  God.  With 
this  the  warfare  against  God  is  at  an  end. 
Faith  is  not  named,  but  faith  operates  in 
every  exercise  of  such  a  disposition;  belief 
in  God's  fatherly  compassion,  and  a  trust 
which  commits  itself  unreservedly  to  him. 

20.  And  he  arose  and  came  to  his 
father.  This  acting  out  of  the  better  mind 
that  he  had  adopted  is  the  counterpart  of 
what  we  theologically  distinguish  from  re- 
pentance, as  conversion.  The  Scripture 
constantly  calls  it  "turning,"  where  "to  be 
converted"  is  the  phrase  in  our  familiar  ver- 
sion. It  is  the  practical  reversal  of  the  course 
of  life,  conformably  to  the  new  purpose  of  the 
soul ;  conduct  tinctured  with  holiness,  ex- 
pressive of  the  purer  views,  emotions,  and 
tendencies  of  the  heart.  It  fulfills  the  direc- 
tion, "  Kepent  and  be  converted."  (Acts3:i9.) 
A  single  phrase  thus  describes  the  whole  pro- 
cess of  the  wanderer's  return,  not  accom- 
plished with  the  fticility  or  the  gayety  of  his 
departure  ;  attended  with  many  turns  of 
tboughtas  to  the  manner  in  which  he  would  be 
received,  but  cheered  with  the  assurance  that 
he  might,  at  least,  share  the  privilege  of  the 
"hired  servants."  But  when  {while)  he 
was  yet  a  great  way  off,  his  father  saw 
him,  etc.  As  if  he  had  never  ceased  ex- 
pecting that  the  son  would  become  wiser,  and 
return  to  the  father's  roof,  he  was  perpetually 
on  the  watch.  As  soon,  apparently,  as  he  had 
come  within  the  range  of  vision,  the  father 
recognized  the  child.  That  that  child  was 
making  his  weary  way  homeward  was  enough. 
— He  had  (or,  was  moved  vji.th)  compassion  ; 
that  indescribable  yearning  of  affection  which 
melts  the  man  arose  within  him,  and,  doubt- 
less, affected  both  looks  and  gait.     And  ran — 


notwithstanding  his  age  and  paternal  dignity — 
and  fell  on  his  neck  (com p.  Gen.  4-5:  14; 
46:  29),  and  kissed  him,  tenderly,  repeat- 
edly, as  at  ch.  7  :  38.  The  truth  to  nature  of 
this  description  reveals  a  profound  acquaint- 
ance with  the  human  heart,  and  with  the 
heart  of  God.  For  so  God  "waits  to  be 
gracious,"  yearns  over  his  distressed  children, 
in  their  folly,  and  joyfully  meets  the  first 
manifestation  of  a  desire  to  return. 

21.  And  the  sou  said  unto  him.  Father, 
I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  in 
thy  sight.  The  verb  have  sinned  is  pre- 
terite in  the  Greek,  and  so  in  ver.  18,  "  1 
sinned,'^  looking  back  to  the  primal,  all- 
comprehending  transgression,  in  breaking 
away  from  the  father's  control.  Against 
heaven  is  rendered  by  some  "  unto  heaven," 
as  though  the  magnitude  of  his  iniquity  was 
to  be  represented  as  towering  even  to  heaven, 
and  filling  all  the  intervening  space.  But, 
rather,  heaven,  as  the  abode  of  God  and 
angels  and  all  that  is  holy,  is  personified,  and 
sin  is  thought  of  as  violation  of  its  will  and 
spirit  and  example.  (Meyer. )— And  I  am  no 
more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son.  We.st- 
cott  and  Hort  add,  "make  me  as  one  of  thy 
hired  servants,"  whether  rightly  the  text- 
critics  must  decide.  The  sentence  is  found  in 
the  three  most  important  MSS.  of  this  pas- 
sage, B.,  D.,  and  x.,  with  other  uncials,  which 
are  supported  by  various  auxiliary  authori- 
ities.  Against  it  are  the  greater  number  of 
uncials,  including  A.  and  L.,  with  many 
subsidiary  authorities.  What  seems  to  have 
contributed  largely  to  its  exclusion  from  most 
critical  texts  is  the  fact  that  Augustine,  not 
finding  it  in  his  copies,  has,  in  his  comments 
on  the  verse,  shown  such  beautiful  reasons  for 
the  omission,  cojnpared  with  v.  19,  that  we 
feel  that  the  prodigal  ought  not  to  have  re- 
peated these  words  to  his  father.  It  is  easy  to 
see,  however,  what  propriety  the  Latin  Father 
might  have  discovered  in  them,  had  he  been 
familiar  with  one  of  the  early  texts  in  which 
they  were  found.     If  we  understand  that  sen- 


On.  XV.] 


LUKE. 


245 


22  But  tte  father  said  to  his  servants,  Bring  forth 
the  best  rube,  and  put  il  un  hiiu  ;  and  put  a  ring  on  his 
hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet: 

2;i  And  bring  hither  the  fatted  calf,  and  kill  U;  and 
let  us  eat,  and  be  luerrj' : 

24  o  For  tliLs  uiy  sou  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  he 
was  lost,  and  is  found.     And  they  began  to  be  merry. 

2.1  Now  his  elder  son  was  in  the  tield  :  and  as  he 
came  and  drew  oigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  uiiisic  and 
dancing. 

26  .'Vud  he  called  one  of  the  servants,  and  asked  what 
these  things  meant. 

27  And  Tie  .said  unto  him,  Thy  brother  is  come  ;  and 
thy  father  hath  killed  the  fatted  calf,  because  he  hath 
received  him  safe  and  sound. 


22  thy  son.i  But  the  father  said  to  his  -servants. 
Bring  forth  quickly  the  best  robe,  and  put  il  ou 
him  ;  and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  ou  his 

23  leet:  and  tiring  the  latted  calf,  and  kill  it,  and  let  us 

24  eat,  and  make  merry:  lor  this  my  son  uus  dead,  and 
is  alive  again  ;  he  was  lost,  and  is  lound.    And  they 

25  began  to  be  merry.  Now  his  elder  son  w;ls  in  the 
tield  :  and  as  he  came  and  drew  nigh  to  the  house, 

26  he  heard  music  and  dancing.  And  he  called  to  him 
one  of  the  ^  servants,  and  inquired  what  tlie.se  things 

27  might  l>e.  And  he  said  unto  him.  Thy  brother  is 
come  ;  and  thy  father  haih  killed  the  latted  calf,  be- 


a  ver.  it ;  Kplies.  t :  1 ;  5  :  I« ;  Rev.  3:1.- 


tence  not  to  have  been  spoken  here,  the  better 
explanation  of  the  omission  is  that  the  father 
was  too  eager,  in  his  joy,  to  hear  more  of  con- 
fession. 

22.  But  the  father  said  to  his  servants, 
Bring  forth  the  best  robe — the  one  best 
suited  to  denote  love  and  honor— and  put  it 
on  him.  This  and  the  following  acts,  putting 
a  signet  ring  on  his  hand  (see  Diet,  of  Bib., 
Art.  King),  and  shoes  on  his  feet,  are  all 
tokens  of  his  full  restoration  to  the  paternal 
favor,  and  a  prcpjiratitm  fur  the  further  festiv- 
ities in  celebration  of  his  return. 

23.  And  bring  (omit,  hither)  the  fatted 
calf.  The  Greek  word  is  used  also  for  a 
heifer,  or  young  bullock,  of  greater  age  than 
we  mean  by  "calf."  Tiie  article  points 
to  a  definite,  well-known  animal,  kept  for  a 
special  feast,  perhaps  iti  hope  of  tiiis  very  oc- 
casion. Kill  it,  and  let  us  eat,  and  be  (or, 
make)  merry.  This,  according  to  universal 
custom,  would  be  the  crowning  evidence  of 
the  joy  of  the  father  and  family  at  therestora- 
tion  of  his  son.  The  merriment  intended  is 
that  joy  which  manifests  itself  in  the  gayetj^ 
and  mirth  of  a  banquet.  (Comp.  Ruth  3:  7.) 
The  picture  is  drawn  frtun  the  country  cus- 
toms of  the  time.  The  verb  translated  kill  is 
specifically  approf»riate  to  the  idea  of  "sacri- 
fice." We  cannot  consistently  suppose  that  it 
was  used  fully  in  that  sense  here,  but  when  the 
father  saj's  "sacrifice  it,"  his  feeling  reaches 
after  something  more  interesting  and  solemn 
than  an  ordinary  meal. 

24.  For  this  my  son  was  dead,  and  is 
alive  again— came  to  life— he  was  lost,  and 
is  found.  An  excellent  reason  for  great 
gladness. — Was  dead.  Dead  to  me,  dead  to 
virtue,  dead  to  happiness.  \*as  lost ;  repeats 
the  thought,  and,  as  would  seem,  in  a  way  de- 
signed to  bring  this  recovery  into  the  manifest 
series  of  the  lost  sheep  and  the  lost  piece  of 


silver.  The  being  dead  typifies  the  state 
of  sin  and  exposure  to  eternal  punishment 
(Eom. 8:6);  and  the  coming  to  life  is  the 
entrance  upon  that  state  of  freedom  from  sin 
and  service  to  God,  the  end  of  which  is  "ever- 
lasting life."  (Rom.  G:  22,  23;  comp.  1  John 
3:  14.) — And  they  began  to  be  merry.  This 
is  for  the  present  parable  the  parallel  to  the 
rejoicing  of  the  shepherd  and  the  woman 
(ver.  8, 9),  and  has  also  its  counterpart  in  the 
joy  of  God  and  his  angels.  That  the  latter 
reasonably'  exceeds  the  joy  excited  b3-  the  case 
of  an3^  number  of  such  as  need  no  repentance, 
appears  from  the  account — 

25-32.    Of  thk  Elder  Son. 

This  is  teaching  additional  to  what  could 
find  place  in  one  of  the  preceding  parables 
concerning  the  ninety-nine  just  persons. 

25.  Now  his  elder  son  was  in  the  field: 
toiling  in  a  spirit  which  he  himself,  in  ver.  29, 
calls  "service,"  or,  literally,  "bond-service," 
to  his  father — and  as  he  came — at  the  close 
of  the  day — and  drew  nigh  to  the  house,  he 
heard  music  and  dancing.  This  was  a  part 
of  the  merry-making  of  the  household,  sig- 
nificant of  the  joy  of  pardon;  but  the  tired 
and  joyless  soul  of  the  Pharisee,  and  worker 
out  of  his  own  righteousness,  knows  nothing 
of  this.  Suspicious,  jealous,  and  destitute  of 
true  filial  confidence,  he  does  not  go  to  his 
father,  in  sympathy,  or  for  explanation. 

26.  He  called  one  of  the  servants,  and 
asked  (or,  inquired)  what  these  things 
meant  (lit.,  might  be).  Cheerftilness  and  re- 
joicing were  things  so  strange  in  that  abode 
of  slavish  propriety,  that  their  natural  mani- 
festations were  a  mystery. 

27.  And  he  said  unto  him.  Thy  brother 
is  come,  etc.  The  servant  told  him  all  he 
knew;  the  change  in  the  brother's  character 
would  not  come  within  his  range  of  notice. 


246 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XV. 


28  And  he  was  angry,  and  would  not  go  in:  therefore 
came  his  father  out,  and  entreated  him. 

"29  And  he  answering  said  to  his  father,  Lo,  these 
many  years  do  I  serve  thee,  neither  transgressed  I  at 
any  time  thy  commandment:  and  yet  thou  never 
gavest  me  a  kid,  that  I  might  make  merry  with  my 
friends: 

30  But  as  soon  as  this  thy  son  was  come,  which  hath 
devoured  thy  living  with  harlots,  thou  hast  killed  for 
him  the  fatted  calf. 

•  31  And  he  said  unto  him,  Son,  thou  art  ever  with 
me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  thine. 

32  It  was  meet  that  we  should  make  merry,  and  be 
glad;  "for  this  thy  brother  was  dead,  and  is  alive 
agaia  ;  and  was  lost,  and  is  found. 


28  cause  he  hath  received  him  safe  and  sound.  But  he 
was  angry,  and   would   not  go  in  :  and   his  lather 

29  came  out,  and  intreated  him.  But  he  answered  and 
said  to  his  lather,  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I  serve 
thee,  and  I  never  transgressed  a  commandment  of 
thine:  and  yet.  thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid,  that  I 

30  might  make  merry  with  my  friends:  but  when  this 
thy  son  came,  who  hath  devoured  thy  living  with 

31  harlots,  thou  killedst  for  him  the  fatted  calf.  And 
he  said  unto  him, '  Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and 

32  all  that  is  mine  is  thine.  But  it  was  meet  to  make 
merry  and  be  glad:  for  this  thy  brother  was  dead, 
and  is  alive  again;  and  was  lost,  and  is  found. 


a  ver.  24. 1  Gr.  Child. 


28.  The  impulse  of  a  natural  fraternal  affec- 
tion would  have  been  to  rush  in  and  sig- 
nify delight  at  the  wanderer's  safe  return. 
But  this  man's  conduct  was  like  that  of  the 
Pharisees  toward  the  publicans  whom  Christ 
Won  to  his  kingdom. — And  he  was  angry, 
and  would  not  go  in.  His  base  feeling  par- 
took of  vexation  that  favor  should  be  shown 
tb  an  unworthy  member  of  the  family,  a 
grudging  of  joy  to  others  in  which  he  could 
not  sympathize,  and  grumbling  for  the  con- 
sumption of  property  which  would  be  only  a 
loss  to  him.  He  would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  it  all. — Therefore  came  his  father 
out.  He  might  justly  have  left  him  sulking 
to  his  own  damage,  yet  he  symbolizes  God 
Iti  his  universal  kindness,  desiring  the  salva- 
tion of  Pharisee  as  well  as  publican. — And 
entreated  him.  We  may  imagine  the  argu- 
ments by  which  he  would  try  to  induce  the 
reluctant  spirit  to  join  the  festive  company 
within. 

29.  And  he  answering  said  to  his  fa- 
ther. Of  course,  we  are  to  have  a  surly  re- 
fusal ;  but  notice  the  ground  on  which  it  is 
rested  by  a  hard,  pains-taking,  self-satisfied 
tinloving,  unfmtornal,  censorious  Pharisee. 
tiO  —  a  thing  to  be  particularly  noticed;  he 
does  not,  like  his  repentant  brother  (ver.  21), 
employ  the  appellation,  Father — these  many 
year* — from  my  birth  to  the  present  hour — 
do  I  serve  thee;  —  render  bond-service — 
neither,  etc.  (better,  and  I  never  transgressed 
a  commandment  0/  thine)— 1  have  been  always 
and  absolutely  perfect  in  obedience.  But  ob- 
serve the  lack  of  love  in  all  he  says. —And  yet 
thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid— ^to  say  nothing 
of  a  calf,  or  heifer.  His  selfishness  and  jeal- 
ousy appear  in  his  emphasis  on  me:  to  me, 
thou  never  gavest. — That  I  might  make 
merry  with  my  friends — honest  and  virtuous 
people,  as  they  are. 


30.  But  as  soon  as  (or,  when)  this  thy 
son  Avas  come  (came),  which  hath  de- 
voured thy  living  with  harlots,  thou  hast 
killed  for  him  the  fatted  calf.  The  loss 
of  the  property  evidently  offends  him  as  much 
as  the  vice.  And  observe  that  it  is  a  brother's 
amiable  comment  which  alone  informs  us, 
specifically,  of  this  most  degraded  trait  of  the 
prodigal's  excess,  even  if  it  were  true,  and 
necessarily  involved  in  the  charge  of  "riotous 
living." 

31.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Son — the 
Greek  is,  child,  a  term  of  more  tender  affec- 
tion. The  father's  impartial  love  has  regard 
for  both. — Thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all 
that  I  have  is  thine.  This  is  an  answer  to 
the  objection  that  no  special  exhibitions  of 
favor  had  been  made  to  the  elder  son.  There 
had  been  no  occasion  for  them  ;  he  had  shal*ed 
in  the  daily  abundance  of  the  father's  house. 
There  had  been  no  room  for  them  ;  he  was  al- 
ways there,  and  the  celebration  of  a  return  could 
only  be  made  when  there  had  been  a  depart- 
ure. The  Saviour  does  not,  in  this  connec- 
tion, pass  judgment  on  the  question  whetlmr 
the  Pharisees,  represented  by  the  elder  son, 
were  as  righteous  as  they  claimed  to  be  (ver.w). 
Assuming  them  to  be  righteous,  legaJly,  they 
were  entitled  to  the  blessings  of  a  legal  cove- 
nant, and  were  enjoying  them  according  to 
their  legality.  But  his  kingdom  includes 
only  those  who  feel  and  distinctly  admit  their 
unrighteousness,  and  so  are  led  to  repenttince 
and  foith  in  God's  promise  of  mercy,  the  re- 
sult of  which  is  forgiveness  on  his  part,  and 
adoption.  The  enforcement  of  this  truth  was 
better  suited  than  anythingel.se  imaginable  to 
awaken  in  the  hearts  of  the  self-righteous, 
also,  the  inquiry  whether  this  would  not  be 
the  better  way  for  them. 

32.  (But)  it  was  meet — morally  iricum-' 
bent— that  we  should  {lit.,  ^o)  make  Iherry' 


Ch.  XVI.] 


LUKR 


247 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


AND  he  said  also  uuto  his  disciples,  There  was  a  et-r- 
laiu  rich  man,  which  had  a  steward  :  and  the  same 
was  aeuused  uuto  him  that  be  bad  wasted  bis  guods. 


1  Aud  he  said  also  unto  the  disciples,  There  was  a 
certain  rich  man,  who  had  a  steward;  aud  the  same 
was  accused  uutu  him  that  he  was  wasting  his  guods. 


and  be  glad.  This  emphasizes  the  duty  of 
joy  and  gladness,  as  opposed  to  the  sullen 
nioroscness  of  the  elder  son— to  make  merry 
and  be  glad  standing  first  in  the  Greek  sen- 
tence. Joy  and  mirth  are  appropriate  and 
pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God  on  tit  occasions; 
andihei)ringiiig  up  of  the  miserable,  the  out- 
cast, the  lost,  to  peace  and  virtue,  is  eminently 
a  fit  occasion.— For  this  thy  brother— his 
brother,  and  so  of  the  same  nature  and  worth 
as  himself;  although  he  would  not  call  him 
"brother,"  but,  'thy  son"  (ver. so).  Wasdead 
and  is  alive  (omit  again).  The  explanation 
of  the  verse  is  the  same  as  of  verses  23,  24. 
Rejoicing  on  such  an  occasion  was  as  proper 
for  the  ceremonially  just,  or  righteous,  men, 
as  for  any;  but  their  spirit  was  most  unjust. 
Some  have  interpreted  this  parable  as  indi- 
cating the  Jewish  nation  by  the  elder  .son, 
and  the  Gentiles  by  the  younger.  Doubtless, 
we  can  apply  it,  in  several  particulars,  to 
the  contrast  between  those  two  sections  of 
mankind;  but  its  primary  reference  was, 
clearly,  as  pointed  out  above.  And  on  the 
principle  that  every  Scripture  is  applicabk  to 
all  men,  in  proportion  as  they  are  such  as 
those  originally  addressed  by  it,  we  may  find 
it  true  t»f  every  sin-sick,  repenting,  believing 
s<ml,  over  against  the  worldly,  hard,  impen- 


the  folly  of  the  younger  son  in  "wasting" 
his  inheritance  (ch.  i5:  i3),  instead  of  turning  it 
to  some  profitable  use,  may  have  suggested  an 
application  to  Clirist's  lollowers,  of  tlie  instruc- 
tion given  by  another  instance  of  the  "  wast- 
ing" of  a  pecuniary  trust,  in  the  verse  before 
us.  To  impress  the  intended  lesson,  our 
Saviour  supposes  the  case  of  a  rich  landed 
proprietor,  the  management  of  whose  estate 
is  committed  to  a  steward,  completely  trusted, 
and  of  respectable  social  position.  This  man 
is  found  by  his  employer  to  be  in  the  habit  of 
wasting,  squandering,  his  property ;  i.  e.,  the 
income  of  the  businc-^s  carried  on.  When  he 
is  notified  that  he  is  discharged  from  the  (jffice, 
and  required  to  furnish  his  account  of  the 
state  of  the  property,  he  studies  what  means 
of  living  are  possible  for  him,  now  that  this 
is  to  be  taken  away.  Promptly  he  decides  to 
court  the  favor  of  his  master's  tenants,  by 
great  remission  of  claims  that  lay  against 
them,  in  return  for  wbich  they  would  grate- 
fully aflTord  him  a  living  when  he  shuuld  need 
it.  It  is  assumed  that  this  procedure,  the 
details  of  which  are  dramatically  described 
in  a  couple  of  cases,  proves  successful ;  and  as 
a  specimen  of  shrewd,  though  dishonest 
policy,  in  the  use  of  riches  to  promote  tem- 
poral  good,   Jesus   finds  in    it  a   pattern  of 


itent,   self-sufficient   neighbor,   who   feels    no  j  worthy  prudence  in  the  religious  employment 

need  of  repentance,  and  sees  no  sense  in  it.        |  of  money  to  promote   heavenly  blessedness. 

There  was  a  certain  rich  man  which  had 

Ch.  IG.  1-13.  Parablb  of  the  Dis-  a  steward.  The  rich  man  represents  God ; 
HONEST  Stkward.  not  Satan,  nor  Mammon.      The   steward  is 

1.  And  he  said  also  unto  his  (literally,  not  called  a  servant,  although  even  slaves 
the)  disciples.  There  is  no  intimation  of  often  filled  positions  of  exalted  trust  and  re- 
any  change  of  scene  or  time,  but  only  of  the  '  sponsibility.  His  office  wae  that  of  overseer 
persons  immediately  addressed.  Previously  and  manager  of  the  aflTairs  of  his  emjdoyer. 
it  had  been  the  Pharisees  (ch.is:  s) ;  now  it  is  If  we  think  of  the  latter  as  a  great  Roman  or 
the  disciples,  meaning  the  body  of  his  ad-  Oriental  proprietor,  whose  slaves  might  be 
herents,  not  merely  the  twelve.  The  particu-  numbered  by  the  thousand,  and  his  tenants, 
lar  design  of  the  parable  was  to  teach  all  his  some  of  them,  large  farmers,  we  see  that  the 
followers  the  right  use  of  earthly  riches  in  post  of  steward  would  be  one  of  no  mean 
reference  to  the  future  and  eternal  life.  Its  rank.  In  the  parable  he  stands  for  a  disciple 
logical  connection  with  the  preceding  parables,  of  Christ,  entrusted  with  earthly  possessions 
supposing  it  to  have  followed  them,  in  the  to  be  turned  to  account  for  promoting  the 
hearing  of  substantially  the  same  company  interests  of  his  proprietor,  God.  Although 
(ver.  14,  the  Pharisees  were  listening,  although  |  not  many  rich  men  were  attaching  themselves 
he  was  not  talking  to  them,)  has  been  diflfer-  I  to  Christ,  yet  some  of  the  many  publicans 
ently  understood.     It  is  barely  ppssible  that  I  who  flocked  to  him.  were  likely  to  be  men  oiu 


248 


LUKE 


[Ch.  XVI. 


2  And  he  called  him,  and  said  unto  him,  How  is  it 
that  1  hear  ihis  of  thee?  give  an  account  of  thy  stew- 
ardship; lor  thou  mayest  be  no  longer  steward. 

6  Then  the  steward  said  within  himself,  What  shall  I 
do?  for  my  lord  taketh  away  trom  me  the  stewardship; 
■1  cannot  aig;  to  heg  1  am  ashamed. 

4  1  am  resolved  what  to  do,  that,  when  I  am  put  out 
of  the  stewardship,  they  may  receive  me  into  their 
bouses. 

5  So  he  called  every  one  of  his  lord's  debtors  tinto 
him,  and  said  unto  the  first,  How  much  owest  thou  unto 
iny  lord? 

ti  And  he  said,  An  hundred  measures  of  oil.    And  he 


2  And  he  called  him,  and  said  unto  him.  What  is  this 
that  I  hear  of  thee?  render  the  account  of  thy  stew- 

a  ardship;  lor  thou  canst  be  no  longer  steward!  And 
the  steward  said  within  himself,  What  shall  I  do, 
"seeing  that  my  lord  taketh  away  the  stewardship 

4  from  me?  I  have  not  strength  to  dig;  t<i  beg  I  am 
ashamed.  I  am  resolved  what  to  do,  that,  when  1  am 
put  out  of  the  stewardship,  they  mav  receive  me  into 

5  their  houses.  And  calling  to  him'  each  one  of  his 
lord's  debtors,  he  said  to  the  first,  How  much  owest 

6  thou  unto  my  lord?  And  he  said,  A  hundred  >  meas- 


1  Gr.  baths,  Ihe  bath  being  a  Hebrew  measure.     See  Ezek.  45 :  10,  11,  14. 


wealth,  and  many  others  had  property  to 
make  them  comparatively  rich.  All  such 
should  think  themselves  God's  servants  in  the 
administration  of  whatever  they  had.  The 
accusation  of  the  steward,  in  the  parable,  was 
of  such  a  nature,  and  with  such  evidence,  as 
to  convince  the  proprietor  of  the  untrust- 
worthiness  of  his  agent.  Hence  he  sum- 
ipous  him,  not  to  institute  any  trial,  or  even 
examination,  but  aftera  complaint  of  wounded 
confidence — 

2.  HoAV  is  it,  etc. — better,  what  is  this  that 
I  hear  of  thee? — to  announce  his  dismissal, 
and  to  demand  a  statement  of  the  affairs  under 
his  charge.  Give  an  account  (lit.,  render' 
the  account)  of  thy  stewardship ;  for  thou 
mayest  be  no  longer  steward.  It  may 
seem  that,  in  the  wide  discretion  involved  in 
the  management  of  such  a  trust,  the  unfaith- 
fulness and  peculations  had  not  been  such  as 
would  constitute  a  ground  for  a  criminal  pros- 
ecution. The  master  appears  ready  to  let 
him  go  upon  his  presenting  the  account  of  the 
state  of  the  property,  which  was  necessary  to 
conduct  it  properly  thereafter.  The  minutiae 
of  the  illustration  can  hardly  be  applied  in 
the  practical  lesson.  They  prepare  the  way 
for  his  discharge  from  the  office,  which  dis- 
charge answers  to  the  disciple's  death. 

3.  The  steward's  reflections  on  his  case  sug- 
gest no  feeling  of  repentance  for  his  conduct, 
and  no  shade  of  unfairness  on  his  lord's  part. 
They  do  betray  imperturbable  composure, 
readiness  of  invention,  unscrupulous  willing- 
ness for  whatever  .seems  expedient. — What 
shall  I  do?  etc.  His  dependence  on  the 
cimtinuance  of  his  stewardship  for  a  living, 
shows  that  he  had  not  saved,  for  his  own  per- 
manent advantage,  any  part  of  what  he  had 
embezzled  from  his  master.  In  this,  he  was 
a  pattern  of  the  rogues  and  defrauders  of  our 
age,  the  most  egregious  of  whom,  while  cheat- 
ing the  confidence  of  others  out  of  enormous 
sums,  and  involving  many  in  utter  ruin,  are 


seldom  found  to  have  secured  any  fortune  to 
themselves  thereby. — I  cannot  (lit.,  hove  not 
strength  to)  dig;  yet  manual  labor  was  all 
that  honestly  lay  between  him  and  utter  des- 
titution.^—To  beg  I  am  ashamed.  The  Jew- 
ish sentiment  is  well  expressed  in  Eccles.  40: 
28:  "My  son,  lead  not  a  beggar's  life;  for 
better  it  is  to  die  than  to  beg." 

4.  I  am  resolved  what  to  do.  It  is  as  if, 
after  profound  study,  the  thought  had  fla.shed 
upon  him:  "I  have  it;  I  know  now  what  to 
do." — Farrar  on  the  passage.  That,  when  I 
am  put  out  of  the  stewardship,  they  may 
receive  me  into  their  houses.  His  cessa- 
tion from  the  office  is  decreed,  but  is  not  yet 
actually  effected.  This  fact  gives  the  basis  of 
his  scheme.  They  refers  to  the  persons  whom 
he  proposes  to  lay  under  such  obligations,  and 
so  to  involve,  apparently,  at  least,  in  his  ras- 
cality, tliatthey  will,  from  gratitude,  and  from 
fear  of  exposure,  repay  him  wlien  he  needs  it. 

5.  So  he  called  every  one  of  his  lord's 
debtors.  There  is  room  for  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  whether  he  called  them  jointly, 
or  in  succession.  His  business  was  transacted 
with  them  separately.  Many  understand  that 
these  debtors  were  middlemen,  shopkeepers, 
who  had  bought  large  quantities  of  the  crops 
of  the  estate,  for  which  they  were  yet  holden. 
But  what  follows  agrees  better  with  the  sup- 
position that  they  were  tenants,  each  culti- 
vating a  considerable  farm,  and  following, 
mainly,  a  distinct  line  of  production,  of  whose 
fruits  they  were  to  return  the  proprietor's 
.share  in  kind.  Two  cases  are  mentioned, 
merely  as  specimens  of  the  procedure  with  an 
indefinite  number.  That  they  are  to  have 
unequal  abatements  favors  the  view  that  they 
came  before  the  agent  one  at  a  time. — How 
much  owest  thou?  This  question  was  nat- 
ural, as  addressed  to  a  tenant,  whose  account 
would  be  the  basis  of  a  settlement. 

6.  And  he  said,  A  hundred  measures 
(/SoTos,  Heb.,  bath)  of  oil.    As  the  ratio  be- 


Ch.  XVI.] 


LUKE. 


249 


said  unto  him,  Take  thy  bill,  and  sit  down  quickly,  and 

."V  Then*' said  he  to  another,  And  how  much  o west 
thou  "And  he  said,  A  hundred  measures  ot  w  eat. 
And  he  said  unto  him,  Take  thy  bill,  and  wr.te  tour- 

'""s  And  the  lord  commended  the  unjust  f^^-^rd,  because 
he  had  done  wisely  :  for  the  children  of  th.s  «"rW  arc 
in  their  generation  wiser  than  -the  children  of  light. 


ures  of  oil.    And  he  said  unto  him.  Take  thy  '  Inrnd, 

7  andsitdownquickly  and  write  titty.  1  hen  said  he 
to  another.  And  how  much  owest  thou.'  .\na  ue 
said,  A  hundred  2  mea-sures  of  wheat.    He  saith  uuto 

8  him  Take  thv  '  bond,  and  write  fourscore.  And  Ins 
lord  commended  Uhe  unrighteous  steward  becuuBe 
he  had  done  wisely  :  for  the  suns  of  this  <  world  are 
for  their  own  generation  wiser  than  the  sons  ol  llie 


o     .  -u         t .  R         I  Or  writina: . .  .2  (Jr.  cor.,  tlie  cor  Leliig  a  Hebrew  measure. 

a  John  12 :  36 ;  Ephes.  5 :  8 ;  1  Thess.  5 :  ^—^^^li^l'^^'Xo/ unrighteousne,, . . .  .4  Or,  age.     


SeeEzek.  45:  14....3Gr 


tween  Hebrew  measures  and  our  own  is  hard 
to  make  out,  estimates  of  the  capacity  of  the 
bath  vary  from  four  and  a  half  to  nine 
gallons.  Joscphus,  our  most  important  aii- 
thority,  in  spite  of  much  inconsistency  in  his 
several  statements,  clearly  implies,  however, 
its  equivalence  to  the  Greek  firkin  (>i€tp„t^«), 
(John 2: 6),  which  WG  know  (Sniitli's  Class.  An- 
tiq.,  Art.  Metretes),  to  have  been  about  nine 
gallons.  (See  Diet,  of  Bib.,  pp.  350G  f.)  Oil, 
of  the  olive,  was  one  of  the  staples  of  life  in 
Palestine,  and  the  olive  tree  was  held  in  high 
esteem  by  the  people.  The  oil  stood  to  them 
in  place  of  butter,  lard,  oil,  etc.,  in  our 
culinary  uses.  Notice,  the  debtor  does  n()t 
say  he  is  holden /or  so  much  oil,  but  that  this 
quantity  of  that  article  is  what  he  owes. 
Take— rather, receive,  as  though  it  was  handed 
back  to  him— thy  bill— lit.,  writings,  account 
current,  or  book  account.  Sit  down  quickly,  j 
and  write  fifty.  Quickly,since  time  presses; 
my  settlement  must  be  made.  Write  fifty— 
either  making  out  a  new  account,  according 
to  which  you  are  to  pay  fifty  measures,  or 
simply  alter  the  letter  {qo}jh,  or  rho)  for  one 
hundred  into  that  {nun,  or  ntc)  for  fifty.  This 
man  would  thus  be  relieved  of  obligation  for 
fifty  firkins  of  oil. 

7.  The  next  man  would,  in  like  manner,  be 
favored  to  the  extent  of  twenty  out  of  one 
hundred  measures  of  wheat.  The  proportion 
was  altered  here,  for  aught  we  can  see,  at  the 
caprice  of  the  steward.  It  was  smaller  than 
in  the  preceding  case,  the  measures  being 
very  much  larger.  The  Hebrew  cor  (Greek, 
«opo«),  which  is  named  here,  was  a  dry 
measure,  containing  ten  times  the  bath,  or 
firkin,  mentioned  above  for  the  oil ;  hence, 
ten  bushels  and  upward.  There  would  be  a 
saving  to  the  debtor  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
bushels  of  wheat.  Suppose  such  reductions 
to  be  carried  through  a  long  list  of  tenants, 
.  and  it  is  manifest  that  the  steward  is  warranted 
in  expecting  a  large  compensation  from  them. 
We   may  suppose,  with  many,  that   he  was 


only  foregoing  the  premium  which  he  had 
ordinarily  taken  for  himself  on  what  he 
actually  paid  to  the  lord ;  but  such  details 
must  be  pure  imagination. 

8.  At  all  events,  the  rich  man,  on  learning 
the  trick  to  which  his  agent  had  resorted,  was 
pleased  with  it  as  a  specimen  of  true  Oriental 
shrewdness.— And  the  lord— namely,  of  this 
steward— commended  the  unjust  steward 
—the  Greek,  '' steward  of  injustice,"  strongly 
marks  this  trait  of  his  character— because  ne 
had  done  wisely  {prudently).     It  is  strange 
that,  with  the  better  example  of  Wiclif  hef.ire 
them,  Tyndale,  and  the  chief  translatorssince, 
including  the  authors  of  the  Revised  Version, 
should   have    rendered    the  Greek,   <))poWmu>s, 
prudently,  as  if  it  had  been  ao^!^<;,  wisely.    The 
latter  is  used  properly  in  a  worthier  sen.se  ;  the 
former  applies  properly  to  what  is  ingeniously 
adapted  to  the  accomplishment  of  any  practi- 
cal ends.      Both  this  adverb  and   the    strong 
assertion  of  the  injustice  of  the  steward  show 
that  his  master  did  not  praise  him  as  dishonest, 
but  as  quick-witted,  and  shrewd  in  the  choice 
of  measures  fit  to  help  him  out  of  diflSoulty. 
He  had  settled  with  the  tenants  in  such   way 
that  their  books  would  show  a  great  deal  less 
due  to  the  proprietor  than  they  had  expected  ; 
yet,  as  he  was  still  the  agent,  his  act  was  con- 
cKisrve.     His  course  could  be  presented  as  an 
example,  accordingly,  of  the  prudent,  well- 
considered,  use  of  pecuniary    means   for  the 
promotion  of  future  important  designs.     For 
the  children  {sons)  of  this  world  (or,  age)— 
meaning  the  period  which  precedes  the  e.stab- 
lishment    of   the   Messianic  kingdom— "  this 
present  evil  world  "—are  in  (/or)  their  (ovn) 
generation  wiser  (more prudent)  than  the 
children  (.son.s)  of  (Me)  light.  This  sentence 
gives    a    reason    (for)    why     the    worldling 
steward   should    have   acted   shrewdly.     It  is 
just  a  particular  case  under  a  genonil  rule. 
Children    (or.  sons)  of  this    world    are,  ac- 
cording to  a  Hebrew   way  of  speaking,  men 
who  share  in  the  spirit  of  the   time,  bear  a 
character    appropriate    to    it.     So    of    "the 


^50 


Luke. 


[Ch.  XVI. 


9  And  I  say  unto  you,"  Make  to  yourselves  friends  I    9  light.    And  I  say  unto   you.  Make    to  yourselves 
of  the  mamiuon  of  unrighteousness;  that,  when  ye  fail,  friends  '  by  means  of  the  uiammon  of  unrighteous- 

they  may  receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations.  |        ness ;  that,  when  it  shall  fail,  they  may  receive  you 


a  Dan.  4 :  27  ;  Matt.  6  :  1!) ;  19 :  21 ;  ch.  11  :  41 ;  1  Tim.  6:17,  18,  1». 1  Gr.  out  of. 


children  of  light"  (  Eph. 5:8;  i  Thess.  5:5).— Gen- 
eration— sort  of  people,  "  kith  and  kin."  The 
sense  of  the  sentence,  then,  is  that  the  people 
of  the  world  are  more  shrewd  and  successful 
in  turning  to  profitable  account  their  relations 
to  other  such  men,  than  the  true  children  of  the 
kingdom  (comp.  .Matt.  8:  12)  are  in  regard  to  their 
brethren  in  Christ.  The  tenor  of  the  parable 
restricts  this  judgment,  in  large  measure,  to 
the  emploj'ment  of  wealth,  worldly  goods. 
One  "son  of  this  world"  is  signalized,  who 
so  used  the  property  of  which  he  had  control, 
though  not  his  own,  as  to  gain  favor  from  his 
fellows,  of  much  value  to  the  rest  of  his  life. 
What  he  did  prudently,  but  not  honestly,  the 
disciples  should  do,  with  the  means  committed 
to  them  by  God,  both  prudently  and  honestly, 
by  aid  and  favor  to  their  brethren,  that  their 
heavenly  joys  might  be  eternally  the  richer. 
Kindness  and  beneficence  to  those  in  need 
would,  in  the  Christian  sphere,  be  the  course 
analogous,  in  point  of  prudence,  to  that  of  tlie 
unjust  steward  in  the  unscrupulous  courses  of 
this  world. 

^9.  And  1  say  unto  you— as  that  lord 
praised  his  agent — Make  to  yourselves 
friends  of  (rather,  by  means  of)  the  mam- 
mon of  unrighteousness.  Mammon  is 
the  Chaldee  name  for  riches,  sometimes  per- 
sonified, in  thought,  as  when  our  Saviour 
speaks  of  serving  Mammcm  (rer.  13).  Making 
friends  by  means  of  mammon,  or,  out  of 
mammon,  is  then,  so  using  wealth  as  to  gain 
friends,  and  secure  the  gratitude  and  good 
will  of  those  whom  we  have  helped.  Mam- 
mon is  said  to  be  the  mammon  of  unright- 
eousness, because  in  many  cases  its  acquisi- 
tion and  use  implied  so  much  of  iniquity  that 
one  who  saw  this  in  its  profoundest  depths 
and  boundless  breadth,  might  well  character- 
ize it  sweepingly  as,  in  itself,  "richesse  of 
wickednesse,"  Wiclif;  or,  "wicked  mam- 
mon," Tyndale.  Compare  his  declarations 
concerning  the  difficulty  of  salvation  to  a 
rich  man.  Among  the  first  manifestations 
of  the  distinctive  Christian  spirit,  in  the  in- 
fant church,  was  the  disposition  to  act  accord- 
ing to  this  precept,  (.uts  2:  44, 45;  4:  .34, 35).  It 
was  too  strongly  antagonistic  to  carnal  nature 
riot  to  declihe  with  "the  decline  of  devotion 


and  zeal, in  the  church.  But  wherever  we 
get  a  view  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  in 
subsequent  ages,  something  appears  of  a  con- 
sciousness of  duty  to  use  money  Christianly. 
Even  in  our  own  day,  with  its  immoderate 
eagerness  for  pecuniary  gain,  there  is,  perhaps; 
more  than'  ever  a  public  sense  of  the  claims 
of  society  on  wealth,  plainly  traceable  to 
Christ's  teaching,  which  promises  a  yet  closer 
compliance  with  his  example  and  spirit. 
That  when  ye  fail  (rather,  it  shall  fail),  or, 
"shall  have  failed,"  which  it  will  at  death, 
when  stewardship  must  cease  —  they  may 
receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations 
(literally,  the  eternal  tabej-nacles).  This  is  a 
more  picturesque  way  of  saying,  "that  you 
may  enjoy  the  fruit  of  your  beneficent  use' 
of  earthly  riches  through  eternal  ages."  This 
figure  for  the  residence  in  heaven  is  obviously' 
suggested  by  the  mention  of  "their  houses." 
(ver.  4).  Eternal  tabernacles,  or,  tents,  is  an 
oxymoron;  which,  in  applying  so  incongru- 
ous an  epithet  as  eternal,  emphasizes  the 
contrast  between  the  transient  habitations  of 
earth  and  the  everlasting  abodes  to  which  we 
go.  (John  14: 2;  2  Cor. 5:  1).  The  Word  they  points 
apparently  to  the  friends  who  shall  have  been 
made.  There  is  indeed  a  difficulty  in  making 
plain  how  the  beneficiaries  of  the  prudent 
rich  among  the  sons  of  light  are  to  receive 
them  into  the  places  of  celestial  joy.  But 
the  fiction  of  the  intercession  of  departed 
saints  is  not  even  faintly  suggested  by  the 
idea  that  those  who  have  gone  bef()re  re- 
ceive=welcome — not  lead,  nor  bring,  nor  in- 
troduce, into  the  heavenly  blessedness  those 
who  have  introduced  them  into  the  spiritual 
life,  or  greatly  enriched  it  for  them,  on  the 
earth.  And  when  we  see  the  glorified  Jesus 
himself  making  the  kindness  of  his  followers 
to  those  less  well  off  the  comprehensive  reason 
for  welcoming  them  to  his  Father's  kingdom 
(Matt.  25: 34  ff.),  there  seems  great  propriety  in 
those  poor  themselves  joyfully  greeting  the  ar- 
rival of  their  benefactors  among  the  blessed. 
The  only  serious  hindrance  to  the  reception  of 
this  view  as  being  intended  by  the  language,  is 
that  it  supposes  the  objects  of  loving  liberality 
to  have  departed  first  to  the  reward,  while  iti 
practice  that  would  be  the'  less  corhnV6h  easel. 


Ch.  XVI.] 


LUKE. 


251 


10  <■  He  that  is  faithful  in  that  which  is  least  is  faithful 
also  in  much:  andhethal  is  unjuslin  1  he  least  is  unjust 
a. so  in  luiich.  „  .  l,-  .  ■     lu 

11  If  therefore  ye  have  not  been  faithlul  in  tbe  un- 
righteous uiammou,who  will  commit  to  your  trust  the 

12  And  if  ve  have  not  been  faithful  in  that  which  is 
another  man's,  who  shall  give  you  that  which  is  your 

l:J  'No  servant  can  serve  two  masters:  for  either  he 
will  hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other;  or  else  he  wUl 
hold  to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye  cannot  serve 
Uod  and  mammon. 


10  into  the  eternal  tabernacles.  He  that  is  faithful  in 
a  very  little  is  faithlul  also  in  much  :  and  he  that  is 
unrighteous  in  a  very  little  is  unrighteous  also  in 

11  much.  If  therelbre  ye  have  not  been  taithful  in  the 
unrighteous  mammon,  who  will  commit  to  your  trust 

12  the  true  riches  f  And  if  ye  have  not  been  lailhlul  in 
that  which  is  another's,  who  will  give  you  that  which 

13  is  '  your  own  ?  No  -'servant  can  serve  two  masters: 
for  either  he  will  hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other; 
or  else  he  will  hold  to  one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye 
cannot  serve  Uod  and  mammon. 


a  Mati.  25  :  it ;  ch.  19  :  17. . .  •!>  Matt.  6  :  24. 1  Some  ancient  aulliorities  read,  our  otw». . .  .2  Gr.  koutehold-tervant. 


But  this  partial  incongruity  may  have  been 
inevitable  in  the  otherwise  very  expressive 
figure.  The  statement  of  the  verse  is  thus  an 
application  of  the  preceding  parable,  and  sets 
forth  the  Cliristian's  duty,  as  antithetically 
analogous  to  the  course  of  the  wicked  steward. 
The  other  possible  reference  of  the  word 
they  is,  to  those,  indefinitely  conceived  of, 
who  may  be  the  proper  agents  of  such  a  ser- 
vice, as  the  angels,  (ch.  i6: 22;  M.itt.2«:  31). 
10-13.  The  Right  Use  of  Riches. 

10.  He  that  is  faithful  in  that  which  is 
least  (or,  in  a  very  little— comp.  19:  17),  is 
faithful  also  in  much,  etc.  A  maxim  of 
experience  in  worldly  affairs,  which  imports 
that  the  right  use  of  worldly  goods  is  faithful- 
ness in  a  sniiiU  thing,  and  is  indispensable  to 
the  use  and  enjoyment  of  the  higher  riches  of 
salvation.  It  thus  enforces  the  precept  in 
verse  9.  The  benevolent  employment  of 
riches  is  faithfulness  to  that  trust. 

11.  If  therefore  ye  have  not  been  faith- 
ful—read, rather.  If  ye  did  not  evince  your- 
selves faithful ;  the  point  of  view  is  at  the  day 
of  judgment— in  the  unrighteous  mam- 
mon. The  sense  was  explained  in  the  preced- 
ing- paragraph.  Who  will  commit  to  your 
trust  the  true  riches?  The  true  riches 
are  the  heavenly  blessedness,  which  is  genuine 
wealth,  or  welfare,  satisfS'ing  and  inalienable, 
and  so,  real;  while  the  earthly  riches,  being 
neither  satisfying  nor  permanent,  are  a  sham 
and  mockery.  The  question  implies  that  no 
one  will  give  them,  and  seems  to  import  that 
heaven  itself  will  be  a  trust  committed  to  him 
that  receives  it,  to  be  used  for  furthering  the 
purposes  of  God.  What  a  rebuke  to  the  sel- 
fish and  luxurious  wealth  of  nominal  Chris- 
tendom !  How  many  candidates  for  the  heav- 
enly riches  may  be  arrested  at  the  door,  by 
the  question.  How  did  you  employ  the  un- 
righteous mammon  trusted  to  you  on  the 
earth? 


12.  That    which   is   another    man's— 

(strictly,  ariother's),  namely,  God's,  whose 
steward,  for  the  administration  of  God's  prop- 
erty, the  disciple  was,  during  his  earthly  life. 
—Who  shall  give  you  that  which  is  your 
own?  i.  e.,  an  eternal  interest  in  the  kingdom, 
that  good  part  which  shall  never  be  taken 
away  from  you.  The  heavenly  possession, 
once  obtained,  is  ours,  subject  to  no  revoca- 
tion, withdrawal,  loss,  or  impairment.  Tiiere 
is  evidence  so  strong  in  favor  of  tlie  reading 
"  our  own,"  instead  of  your  own,  that  West- 
cott  and  Hort  have  substituted  the  former  for 
the  latter.  It  is  not,  however,-  decisive,  on  ex- 
ternal grounds;  and  anything  less  than  that 
cannot  warrant  our  supposing  that  Jesus  reck- 
oned himself  among  the  disciples,  in  an  un- 
certainty like  this. 

13.  No  servant— "domestic,"  Davidson,  or 
house-servant  — can  serve  — obey  the  com- 
mands of— two  masters.  A  caution  to  the 
disciples  that  they  must  not  let  the  service 
of  God,  in  the  use  of  wealth,  slide  into  a  ser- 
vice of  mammon.  The  maxim  is  found  in  a 
perfectly  appropriate  connection  at  Matt.  6: 
24 ;  but  its  fitness  here,  also,  is  so  obvious  as  to 
warrant  the  conclusion  that  it  was  repeated 
by  Christ.  It  is  h>  re  more  precisely  stated. 
In  a  general  view,  it  would  bo  questionable 
whether  no  one  can  serve  two  masters.  It 
would  have  to  be  understood  of  a  simultaneous 
service  to  masters  whose  requirements  are  in- 
compatible with  each  other.  This  is  specific- 
ally indicated  in  our  passage.  No  house- 
servant  can  render  unqualified,  absolute  ser- 
vice (aovAeutiK)  to  different  masters.  —  For 
either  he  will  hate  the  one— A,  and  love 
the  other— B,  so  as  to  give  the  latter  the  real 
allegiance — or  he  will  hold  to  one— A,  so  as 
to  render  him  the  real  service  -and  despise 
the  other— B,  giving  no  willing  heed  to  bis 


252 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVL 


14  And  the  Pharisees  also,  ■■  who  were  covetous,  heard 
all  these  things;  and  they  derided  him. 

15  And  he  said  unto  then',  Ye  are  they  which  'justify 
yourselves  l>elore  uieu;  but  <^God  knoweth  your  hearts: 
lor  "^  that  which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men  is  abom- 
ination in  the  sight  of  God. 

1()  'The  law  and  the  prophets  ivere  until  John  :  since 
that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached,  and  every 
man  presseth  into  it. 


14  And  the  Pharisees,  who  were  lovers  of  money, 

15  heard  all  these  things;  and  they  scoiied  at  him.  And 
he  said  unto  them.  Ye  are  they  that  justify  your- 
selves in  the  sight  of  men;  but  God  kuowelh  your 
hearts:  for  that  which  is  exalted  among  men  is  an 

16  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.  The  Taw  and  the 
prophets  were  until  John  ;  from  that  time  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached,  and  every  man 


'.  Matt.  23:  U 6  ch.  10:  29 c  Ps.  7:9 d  1  Sam.  16:  7 e  Matt.  4:  17;  11  :  12,  13  ;  ch.  7:  29. 


commands. — Ye  cannot  serve  God  and 
mammon.  These  are,  eminently  two  mas- 
ters wlio  demand,  each,  the  full  devotion  of 
the  man.  The  service  of  God  must  be  the 
supreme  care;  and  all  care  for  mammon  must 
be  brought  under  subordination  to  this. 

14-18.  The  Pharisees  Condemned. 

14,  15.  These  verses  stand  in  an  equally 
close  relation  to  the  foregoing  and  to  the  para- 
ble below  (ver.  19-31). — And  the  Pharisees 
also  (also  doubtful) — the  same  to  whom  he 
had  spoken  (is:  32) — who  were  covetous  (or, 
lovers  of  money),  heard  all  these  things. 
Although  he  had  ceased  addressing  them, 
they  were  listening.  This  character  of  the 
class  agreed  with  many  representations  of  our 
Lord  concerning  them,  and  with  various  other 
evidence. — And  they  derided  (or,  scoffed  at) 
him.  The  verb  expresses  great  contempt,  as 
well  as  abusiveness=  "turned  up  their  noses 
at  him."  We  may  almost  hear  their  coarse 
jeers  at  his  teaching  about  wealth  :  "That  he 
should  talk  about  the  right  use  of  money!" 
"  Stewardship  !  "  "The  incompatiblity  of  the 
love  of  riches  with  salvation!"  "Sour 
grapes  !" — Ye  are  they  which  justify  your- 
selves before  men.  Pass  yourselves  off  for 
righteous,  with  those  who  see  only  the  out- 
ward appearance. — But  God  knoweth  your 
hearts,  and  knows  that  this  is  only  an  ap- 
pearance^ a  cloak  and  pretense.  He  finds  no 
righteousness  there,  where  it  should  all  be,  if 
there  were  any. — For  that  which  is  highly 
esteemed  (exalted)  among  men  is  (an) 
abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.  What 
a  condemnation  of  the  ambitions,  pursuits, 
honors,  judgments,  of  this  world! 

16-18.  These  verses  are  hard  to  bring  into 
a  manifest  train  with  the  discourse  before  and 
after.  Yet  they  here  constitute  a  train  of 
their  own,  though  reported  each,  in  other 
Gospels,  in  a  different  historical  connection. 
There  is  no  reason,  however,  to  conclude  with 
some  that  they  are  thrown  in  here  as  scattered 
statements,  not  supposed  to  have  any  original 
relation  to  each  other.     And,  on  careful  con- 


sideration, we  find  the  whole  to  exhibit  the 
joints  of  an  argument  (the  details  not  being 
preserved)  to  prove  the  culpability  of  the 
Pharisees  in  their  sham  righteousness,  from 
their  own  law,  when  apprehended  in  its  true 
spirit.  The  argument  is  that  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  the  Old  Testament  system,  which  was 
in  legitimate  force  until  John  the  Baptist,  is, 
although  since  replaced,  as  to  its  organized 
polity,  by  the  kingdom  of  God,  not  only  not 
abolished,  but  even  sharpened  and  made  more 
exacting,  on  the  disposition  of  its  subjects. 
This  prepares  the  way  for  the  sentence  (ver.  31) 
that  that  law  shows  the  need  of  repentance,  on 
the  part  of  the  Pharisees,  of  their  sin  of  covet- 
ousness,  and  the  misuse  of  wealth.  The  strict- 
ness of  the  requirement  of  the  law  upon  the 
spirit  is  then  exemplified  in  the  gospel  form 
of  the  law  concerning  divorce.  We  have  thus 
a  fresh  application  of  the  principles  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  as  laid  down  in  Matt.  5:  16, 
20,  31  f. 

16.  Were  until  John;  i.  e.,  were  in  force, 
or  (in  antithesis  to  "the  gospel  is  preached," 
below,  comp.  Acts  15:  21)  were  preached.  No 
verb  is  expressed  in  the  Greek.  Their  full 
and  formal  authority  continued  until  John 
the  Baptist  came,  announcing  the  proximity 
of  the  Messianic  reign,  and  even  until  the 
installation  by  him  of  Jesus  in  the  Messianic 
office.  John  was  the  boundary  line  between 
the  Old  and  the  New  Economy,  yet  not  so 
but  that  he  himself  stood  at  the  highest 
stage  and  culminating  point  of  the  former. 
(Ch.  7: 28.)— Since  (rather,  from)  that  time 
— (Matt.  11:  12;  "  from  the  days  of  John  "  )— the 
kingdom  of  God  is  preached— announced 
in  glad  tidings  (ei/ayyeAt^erai).  The  announce- 
ment is  effected  through  John,  but  especially 
by  Christ  himself  and  his  disciples.  On 
the  idea  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  see  on 
ch.  6:  20.— And  every  man — everybody; 
men  of  every  description,  even  the  publicans, 
in  large  numbers — presseth  into  it.  The 
same  Greek  verb  is  used  in  a  similar  connec- 
tion, in  Matt.  11 :  12,  as  a  passive,  in  the  sense 


Ch.  XVI.] 


LUKE. 


253 


17  «  Aud  it  is  easier  Tor  heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than 
one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fail. 

l.S  '  Whosoever  putteth  away  his  wife,  and  marrieth 
another,  coiuiiiitteth  adultery:  and  whosoever  uiarrieth 
her  that  is  put  away  from  her  husband  committeth 
adultery. 


17  entereth  violently  into  it.  But  it  is  easier  for  heaven 
and  earth   to  pass  away,  than  lor  one  little  of  the 

18  law  to  lall.  Kvery  one  that  putteth  away  his  wile, 
and  niarrieth  another,  coiuniilteih  adultery  :  aud  he 
that  niarrieth  one  that  is  put  away  Irom  a  husband 
coiuuiittetb  adultery. 


a  Ps.  10-.!:  26,  27;  laa.  40:  B;  51:6;  Matt,  5:  18;  1  Pet.  1:  25 6  Malt.  5 :  32  ;  19:9;  Mark  10:  11  ;  1  Cor.  7:  10,  11. 


of  "is  the  object  of  eager  attempts."  "suffer- 
eth  violence  ;  "   here  it  is  in  the  middle  voice, 
"  is  forcing  his  way  into,"  "eagerly  strives  to 
enter."     This  is  a  vehement  statement  of  the 
vehement  facts  then  patent  to  the  observation 
of  Christ's  hearers.     John's  mission  had  pro- 
duced   a    great    excitement    concerning   the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  and  Christ's  own  teaching 
and   works    had   latterly  strengthened   it,  so 
that  multitudes    were  eagerly   seeking  unto 
him,  and  were  striving,  more  or  less  intelli- 
gently,   to    secure    the     blessings    which    he 
offered.     This  popular  zeal  had  been  strongly 
manifested  since  the  feeding  of  the  five  thou- 
sand in  Galilee.     On  the  present  journey  to- 
ward Jerusalem  we  catch  frequent  glimpses 
of  excited,  enthusiastic  throngs,  in  spite  of  the 
enmity  of    many  leading  men,  culminating 
soon  afterward  in  the  multitudinous  procession 
of  the  so-called  Palm  Sunday  before  his  cru- 
cifixion.    Jesus  had,  doubtless,  sad  reason  to 
note  the  absence  from  this  following  of  most 
of  those  rulers  whose  conversion  would  have 
done  so  much  to  win  the  adherence  to  him  of 
the  nation.    He  was  also  distinctly  aware  that 
many  of  the  people  who  heard   him  gladly 
failed  to  appreciate  him  in  his  highest  char- 
acter, as  the  Saviour  of  sinners;  but  this  wide- 
spread  and   earhest   favor  toward    him  may 
easily  account  for  the  hyperbole,  every  man, 
etc.    The  more  obviously  so,  since  the  present 
tense  (in  Greek)  of  the  verb  presseth  into 
does   not   express  a  completed   deed,  but  an 
eflTort,  a  process,  an  inchoate  and  tentative  act. 
In  Matthew  the  same  meaning  is  differently 
conceived,  as  already  intimated  in  this  note. 

17.  And  (or,  hvt)it  is  easier  for  heaven 
and  earth  to  pass,  etc.  The  form  of  ex- 
pression implies  that  it  is  impo.ssible  for  the 
law,  in  its  spirit  as  divinely  intended,  not  to 
reach  complete  fulfillment.  This  is  affirmed 
to  prevent  the  mistake  that,  because  now 
the  kingdom  of  God  was  superseding  the 
Mosaic  Economy,  the  obligation  of  the  true 
law  was  in  the  least  degree  weakened.  One 
tittle  (krrnia),  is  one  of  the  minute  append- 
ages of  Hebrew  letters  (comparable  to  the 
dot  of  an  i  with  us).     The  slightest  particle 


I  of  the  meaning  of  no  word  or  letter  of  the 
law  should  relax  its  hold.  Its  true  fulfillment, 
the  gospel  alone,  as  Christ  teaches  (Matt. s:  i7--.>o), 
is  adapted  to  bring  about,  and  does,  accord- 
ing to  Paul  (Rom.  7:  1-6;  8:  2, 3),  actually  bring 
about. 

18.  In  what  manner,   and  to  what  extent 
Christ  fulfills  the  law,  even  while  he  sets  free 
from  the  law  its  outward  control,  this  verse  is 
intended    to  give  a   typical    example.     The 
marriage    relation,    which    the    ancient    law 
aimed   to  strengthen  and  subject    to  divine 
authority — although  leaving,  necessarily,  for 
the  time   (Matt.  i9:8)    much    room    for   human 
caprice,  was  now  made  absolutely  indissoluble. 
Neither  party  to  the  union   can   treat   it  as 
null,  so  as  to  contract  another  marriage,  with- 
out forfeiting  the  character  of  Christ's  disci- 
ples.    One  qualification  omitted  in  this  brief 
and  fragmentary  declaration,   we   are  bound 
to  supply  from  the  fuller  discu.ssion   in  Mat- 
thew— "saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication" 
(Matt.  3:  .-ia).     That  cause,  once   established,  has 
of  itself  put  asunder  those   whom   God  had 
joined  together.     No  law  of  the  kingdom  is 
more  plain  than  that  adultery  is  chargeable 
on  man  or  woman  who  marries  again  while  a 
former  wife  or  husband  lives,  not  having  been 
found  guilty  of  adultery.     This  principle  was 
peculiarly  suited  to  show  the  superior  purity 
and  unworldliness  of  Christ's  in.structions,  as 
comjiared   with  the   Jewish    law. — The  fore- 
going explanation  of  these  three  verses,  hs  an 
application  of  the  law  to  condemn  the  self- 
justification  of  the  Pharisees,  appears  to  be  at 
least  as  consistent  with  itself,  and  with  what 
went  before,  as  any  other  which  has  been  pro- 
posed.    It  is  at  least  an  unwarranted  dictum 
of  Immer ( Hermeneutics,  p.  207  Eng.  Trans.), 
that  "it  is  quite  idle  elaboration  to  strive  to 
bring  out  a  connection  between  these  three 
sentences."     They  are  in  his  view  "only  de- 
tached apothegms.  '      That  each    one  stands 
separatelj-  in  an  apparently  natural  historical 
connection  in  Matthew,  and  even  the  suppo- 
sition that  they  have  respectively  their  true 
connections  there,  does  not  at  all  hinder  their 
having  here  a  logical  relation  to  each  other 


;254 


LUKE. 


[CH;    XVI. 


19  There  was  a  certain  rich  man,  which  was  clothed 
in  purple  and  tine  lineu,  and  fared  sumptuously  every 
day : 

2U  And  there  was  a  certain  beggar  named  Lazarus, 
which  was  laid  at  his  gate,  lull  of  sores, 


19  Now  there  was  a  certain  rich  man,  and  he  was 
clothed  in  purple  and  fine  lineu,  '  taring  suuiptu- 

20  ously  every  day -and  a  certain  beggar  named  Lazarus 


1  Or,  living  in  mirth  and  tplendour  every  day* 


and  to- the  whole  train  of  discourse.  If  we 
agree  that  the  sentences  were  spoken  under 
the  circumstances  indicated  in  Matthew,  we 
may  inquire  whether  Luke  found  them  com- 
bined in  one  of  his  documents,  with  or  with- 
out an  evident  design,  or  whether  he  himself 
so  combined  them,  finding  them  scattered  in 
his  sources,  without  indication  of  the  manner 
of  their  origin. 

19-31.  Paraplk  of  thk  Rich  Man 
(DiVKs)  AND  Lazarus. 

If  we  give  up  connection  of  thought  be- 
tween verses  15-18  and  the  preceding,  this 
parable  stands  entirely  out  of  relation  to 
them,  and  to  everything  before  and  after. 
But  in  that  train  of  ideas  which  we  have  indi- 
cated, we  may  trace  the  joints  of  a  continuous 
and  reasoned  discourse,  very  much  abridged 
in  our  report.  The  instruction  concerning 
the  right  use  of  riches  had  led  to  the  insulting 
taunts  of  the  Pharisees,  whose  hypocritical 
self-righteousness  had  been  shown  condemned 
by  the  true  spirit  of  their  own  standard  of 
righteousness,  namely,  the  Old  Testament 
revelation.  Now  a  parable  is  added  to  ex- 
hibit in  concrete  form  the  estimation  in  which 
Grod  actually  holds  men  who  are  rich  toward 
themselves  (ver.  25),  and  have  failed  to  heed  the 
teaching  on  this  subject  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets.  Verses  19-26  contain  the  practical 
comment  on  verse  16;  verses  27-31,  that  on 
verses  16-18. 

19.  (Now)  there  was  a  certain  rich  man, 
which  (or,  and  he)  was  clothe^  in  purple 
and  fine  linen,  and  fared  (lit.,  faring) 
sumptuously  every  day.  Some  have  alleged 
that  the  Saviour,  charging  no  crime  on  Dives 
(the  Latin  word  used  in  the  Vulgate  for  a 
"rich  man"),  condemns  wealth  absolutely. 
But  when  we  see  the  connection,  as  we 
have  traced  it  above,  it  appears  at  once 
that  we  have  here  a  type  of  those  money- 
loving  Pharisees  (ver.  u)  who  made  sport  of 
Christ's  requirement,  that  money  should  be 
benevolently  used  to  the  advantage  of  fellow- 
men,  in  the  service  of  God.  His  dress  was 
after  the  most  luxurious,  even  royal,  style 
then  known.     "Living  in  mirth  and  splen- 


dor," as  in  the  margin  of  the  Revision,  is 
nearer  to  the  Greek  than  the  familiar  text. 
The  participle  is  of  the  verb  which  is  trans- 
lated "to  make  merry"  in  15:  23,  32,  and 
describes  a  life  given  wholly  to  self-indul- 
gence and  merry-making.  He  was  a  perfect 
example  of  the  prosperity  possible  for  a  man 
who  acts  not  as  a  faithful  steward  for  God. 
God's  judgment  on  such  could  best  be  shown 
by  following  him  into  the  eternal  state.  The 
Pharisees  held  strongly  to  the  doctrine  of  fu- 
ture retribution. 

20,  ff.  A  certain  beggar,  named  Laz- 
arus. A  "poor  man";  that  is,  reduced  to 
such  straits  of  penury,  by  affliction,  as  to  be 
dependent  oii  the  charity  of  others  for  sub- 
sistence. Christ  had  not  given  any  name  to 
his  imaginary  rich  man,  although  Christen- 
dom has  made  one  of  the  Latin  adjective 
"Dives,"  as  stated  above.  His  character  was 
apparent  from  his  mode  of  life.  But  to  indi- 
cate the  character  of  the  poor  man,  Christ 
sympathetically  applies  to  him  the  Greek 
equivalent  of  the  Hebrew  Eleazar,  Lazarus 
=  God's  help.  Poor,  neglected,  and  despise.l, 
he  still  has  God  on  his  side. — Was  laid^had 
been  laid,  or  thrown  down,  and  so  was  lying — 
at  his  gate,  full  of  sores.  He  had  been  laid 
down  near  the  entrance  to  the  rich  man's 
house,  in  the  expectation  of  his  friends  that, 
from  the  superfluity  of  the  latter,  he  would 
have,  at  least,  subsistence.  Thus  was  fur- 
nished to  the  rich  man,  without  trouble  of 
search,  an  opportunity  to  act  as  God's  stew- 
ard, and  to  make  one  friend  by  means  of  his 
mammon.  How  complete  the  contrast  be- 
tween God's  favorite  and  the  devotee  of  mam- 
mon I  He  was  poor,  even  to  perishing  of  need ; 
the  other,  overflowing  in  wealth;  diseased, 
while  the  other  was  in  sound  health  ;  desiring 
to  be  fed  with  the  mere  olfal  of  that  table  at 
which  the  other  surfeited  himself  in  revelry. 
That  he.  was  not  supplied  with  the  mere 
crumbs  that  he  desired,  is  implied  in  more- 
over, or,  yea,  even,  of  the  second  member  of 
verse  21.  He  did  not  receive  even  so  much 
attention,  yea,  even  the  dogs — those  horrid 
creatures,  the  dread  and  abomination  of  an 


Ch.XVL] 


LUKE. 


256 


21  And  duHiriiig  to  be  fed  with  the  criiiiibs  which  fell 
froni  tlie  riuli  uiuii  s  table:  uiureuver  the  dugs  cauiuuud 
licked  his  sures. 

22  And  it  cauiu  to  pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  aud  was 
carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosoui :  the  rich 
luan  also  died,  and  was  buried  ; 


'21  was  laid  at  his  gate,  full  of  sores,  and  desiring  to  be 
fed  with  the  crumbs  that  lell  Ironi  the  rich  man's 
table  ;  yea,  even  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores. 

22  Aud  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and  that 
he  was  carried  away  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's 
bosom:  aud  the  rich  mau  also  Uu-d,  and  was  buried. 


Eastern  community — came  and  licked  his 

sores — as  if  ready  to  devour  liim  altogether. 
The  man  was,  doubtless,  in  rags,  and  nearly 
naked,  over  against  tlie  "purple  and  fine 
linen"  in  whic-li  Dives  was  clad. 

22.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  beg- 
gar died,  etc.     Jesus  hastens  to  the  consum- 
mation of  the  two  lines  of  experience.     Wc 
are  not  offended  with  the  details  of  a  life  of 
sensuality  and    luxury  on  the  one  hand,   or 
distressed  with  the  lingering  account  of  tlie 
pains  of  Lazarus.      He    died,   famished,   as 
it  would  seem,  and   exhausted  by    maladies, 
aggravated,    not  remedied,   by   proximity   to 
overflowing  abundance.     His  end  was  a  gentle 
i-elease.      While   death    reigns    in   the  world 
through  sin,  and  is  always  a  dreadful  cloud 
over  our  earthly  relations,  yet  to  how  many 
under   the   gospel,  poor   and  sick    and    old, 
yea,  and  to  young  also,  lovers   of  God   and 
united  to  Christ,  does  his  api)roach  come  as 
the  greatest  of  blessings!     And  was  carried 
(away)   by    the    angels    into    Abraham's 
bosom.     The  experience   after  death  of  the 
two    subjects   is  related,   to  some   extent,  in 
terms  and  under  images  adopted  and  adapted 
from    the    Pharisaic    theology  of   that   da}-. 
(See  the  proofs  in   Wetstein  on  the  passage, 
and  sources  in  Smith,  Bib.  Diet.,  Art.,  Abra- 
ham's Bosom.)     The  being  carried  by  angels 
was  regarded  as  a  special  privilege  of  favored 
souls;  because  the  doctrine  was  that  only  the 
souls  of  the  just  could  enter  Paradise.    Meyer 
supposes   that,   from   the   entire  omission  of 
reference  to  the  pauper's  burial,  he  is  carried 
away  body  and  soul,  adducing  an  expression 
from  the  Kabbala    (Idra   Rabba),  in  which, 
speaking  of    certain    ones    deceased,    "holy 
angels  are  said  to  have  carried  them  within 
that  outspread  vail."     The  proof  is  slight  to 
support  so  unique  a  view.     Much  more  prob- 
ably no  funeral  is  spoken  of  in  this  case,  be- 
cause there   was    none    worthy  of   mention, 
Hs  compared  with  that  of  the  rich  man.     In 
Abraham's  bosom,  was  a  familiar  designa- 
tion of  the  happy  state  of  the  righteous  dead  , 
in  Paradise  (oh.  23:  43),  during  the  interval  be- 
tween death  and  the  resurrection  (compare  4 
Mac.  13:  16),  where  the  faithful  brothers  are 


sustained  in  death  by  the  prospect  of  being 
welcomed  by  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob. 
To  be  in  one's  bosom  was  then  to  enjoy  the 
highest  intimacy  with  him,  since,  wiiilu  re- 
clining at  table,  the  head  of  the  next  lower  on 
the  couch  rested  against  the  breast  of  the  one 
above  him.  Abraham,  as  father  of  the  na- 
tion, would  occupy  tiiu  place  of  honor;  and 
to  be  in  his  bosom  was  to  be  as  eminently  dis- 
tinguished as  possible.  Yet  after  this  expres- 
sion of  the  felicity  of  Paradise  had  become 
once  familiar,  we  need  not  suppose  that  it 
always  suggested  the  notion  of  a  banquet; 
but  rather  of  association  and  companionship. 
{And)  the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was 
buried.  Meyer  thinks  the  latter  item  is 
stated  in  contrast  with  Lazarus,  whom  hie 
makes  to  have  needed  no  burial,  being  trans- 
lated bodily.  It  is  rather  to  show  that  his 
earthly  history  was  consistently  terminated. 
His  burial  was  something  to  speak  of.  It 
continued  and  crowned  the  vain  and  extrava- 
gant pomp  of  his  life.  Lazarus'  bod}'  had 
been  as  little  cared  for  dead  as  living. 

23.  And  in  hell  (rather,  hades)  he  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  being  in  torment.  On 
hades,  see  note  on  ch.  10 :  15.  It  was  the  Greek 
designation  now  familiar  to  the  Hebrews, 
through  the  Greek  translation  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, of  the  abode  and  condition  of  the 
dead  prior  to  the  judgment.  Thither  went 
good  and  bad  alike,  but  each  (by  an 
advance  on  the  intimations  of  the  Hebrew 
sheol)  to  his  own  place,  the  righteous  to  Para- 
dise—Abraham's bosom— the  wicked  to  hell 
iyitvva.),  see  on  12:  o.  He  lifted  up  his 
eyes— taking  a  survey  of  his  altered  state. 
Comp.  Milton,  Par.  Lost,  I,  56  ff.  Being 
in  torment.  This  indicates  to  which  section 
of  hades  he  had  gone.  It  is  mentioned 
as  though  a  matter  of  course,  seeing  what  he 
was.  There  had  been  no  external  determina- 
tion of  his  case;  leaving  this  life,  he  simply 
went  to  his  own  place.  It  was  the  righteous 
antithesis  to  that  ungodly  and  inhuman 
merry-making  in  which  he  had  lived  splen- 
didly on  the  earth.  And  seeth  Abraham 
afar  off— being  himself  far  away  from  the 
father  of  the  nation,  and  centre  of  the  future 


256 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVI. 


23  And  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  heing  in  torments, 
and  t-eeth  Abraliaiu  alar  on',  and  Lazarus  iu  his  bosom. 

M  Ami  he  cried  and  said,  Fatlier  Abraliam,  have 
luercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the 
tip  oi  his  tiuger  iu  water,  and  "cool  my  tongue;  for  I 
*am  tormented  in  tliis  tiame. 

26  hut  Abraham  said,  Son, '  remember  that  thou  in 
thy  liletime  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  likewise 
Lazarus  evil  things:  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou 
an  tormented. 

a;  And  beside  all  this,  between  us  and  you  there  is  a 
great  gulf  nxed:  so  that  they  which  would  pass  from 
hence  to  you  cannot ;  neither  can  they  pass  to  us,  that 
would  come,  trom  theuce. 


23  And  in  Hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  tor- 
ments, and  seeth  Abraham  afar  ott',  and  Lazarus  irt 

24  his  bosom.  And  he  cried  and  said.  Father  Abraham, 
have  mercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may 
dip  the  tip  of   his  tiuger  in    water,  and  cool   my 

25  tongue ;  for  I  am  in  anguish  in  this  flame.  But  Abra- 
ham said,  i.Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  liletime 
receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  Lazarus  in  like 
manner  evil  things:  but  now  here  he  is  comforted, 

26  and  thou  art  in  anguish.  And  2 beside  all  this, 
between  us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed,  that 
they  who  would  pass  I'rom  hence  to  you  may  not  be 
able,  and  that  none  may  cross  over  from  thence  to 


1  ZeoU.  14:  12 6  Isa.  66:  24;  Mark  9:  44,  etc c  Job  21 :  13;  oh.  6:  24. 1  Gr.  Child 2  Or,  in  all  these  thinga. 


blessedness,  which  he  had  expected  naturally 
to   share.     And    Lazarus    in    his    bosom. 

How  precisely  their  conditions  are  reversed! 
Lazarus,  who  had  often  sent  a  longing  desire 
toward  the  overplus  of  his  feasts,  now  rejoices 
in  a  perpetual  ci»mmunion  with  holy  souls, 
while  the  rich  man  looks  on  at  a  distance, 
and  must  beg — in  vain — for  some  slight  alle- 
viation of  his  woe. 

24.  And  he  cried — called  aloud,  as  the 
distance  required— and  said,  Father  Abra- 
ham. The  appellation  implies  a  claim  for 
favor  on  the  ground  of  mere  physical  rela- 
tionship, to  which  John  the  Baptist  had 
warned  them  (ch. 3:8)  not  to  trust. —Have 
mercy  on  me.  Self-righteousness  vanishes 
in  the  light  of  eternity,  and  he  pleads  for  relief 
only  on  the  ground  of  pity.— And  send  Laz- 
arus, etc. ;  spoken  not  at  all  in  the  tone  of 
supercilious  mastership  over  the  beggar,  but, 
as  significant  of  his  own  profound  misery,  he 
prays  that  the  first  one  who  is  in  a  situation  to 
do  it,  should  be  allowed  to  grant  him  some 
little  relief;  even  so  much  as  to  let  one  drop 
of  water  fall  from  the  finger-tip  on  his  burn- 
ing tongue. — For  I  am  tormented  (better, 
in  anguish)  in  this  flame.  The  verb  is  not 
the  one  corresponding  to  torment,  in  verse  28, 
but  signifies  "to  be  sorely  distressed."  That 
fire  was  then  commonly  thought  to  be  a  cause 
of  pain  to  lost  souls,  seems  implied ;  but  we 
know  of  no  documentary  support  of  such  a 
view.  Fire  was,  at  all  events,  a  most  appro- 
priate symbol  of  the  remorse  and  apprehen- 
sion of  God's  displeasure  natural  to  the  self- 
condemned  soul  beyond  the  grave. 

25.  Abraham  denies  the  request  on  account 
of  the  moral  fitness  of  the  appointment  as  it 
now  is.— Son— (cAiW)— pitifully  recognizing 
the  relationship  which  Dives  had  claimed, 
only  the  more  poignantly  to  impress  a  sense 
of  sin  and  consequent  sorrow  without  end — 
remember — not  consider,  or  anticipate,  or  do 


anything  that  implies  hope;  but  remember, 
and  open  ever  afresh  the  sources  of  remorse  to 
the  soul  that  cannot  repent. — That  thou  in 
thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things — 

all  that  thou  didst  choose  as  thy  portion.  The 
Greek  verb  for  ''receivedst'^  properly  means, 
"didst  completely  receive,"  "receive  to  the 
full."  Hadst  thou  employed  that  wealth— 
which  it  was  thy  pleasure  to  squander — as 
God's  steward,  and  made  to  th^'self  friends  of 
the  unrighteous  mammon,  it  would  have 
yielded  thee  happiness  still,  and  forever.  But 
now  it  has  not  virtue  to  procure  for  thee  one 
drop  of  water. — And  likewise  {in  like  man- 
ner) Lazarus  evil  things :  not  his  evil 
things,  hut  such  as  in  God's  providence  were 
allotted  to  him.  The^'.  too,  are  fully  done 
with. — But  now  (here)  he  is  comforted,  and 
thou  art  tormented  (i.  e.,  iaanguish).  Here 
gives  pungenc3-  to  the  contrast,  in  memory,  of 
the  former  to  the  present  state  of  being. 

26.  And  besides  all  this — rather,  m= 
among  all  these  things — showing  that  thy  re- 
quest cannot  be  granted,  is  the  impossibility 
growing  out  of  the  local  relation  of  the  two 
classes  of  souls. — Between  us  and  you — you 
(plural),  the  class  to  which  yon  belong — there 
is  a  great  gulf— chasm — fixed.  This  is, 
doubtless,  a  part  of  the  poetically  figurative 
representation  of  the  unchangeable  separation 
between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  after 
death.— So  that— ui  order  that— they  whicYi 
would  pass  from  hence  to  you  cannot 
(lit.,  mr73/=should — not  be  able).  That  sepa- 
ration was  planned  in  the  verj'  constitution  of 
their  abode.  There  should  be  no  passage 
either  way,  to  seek  relief  or  render  aid. 

27-31.  At  the  point  now  reached  the  lesson 

called  for   by  the  mammon  worship   of  the 

Pharisees   (ver. u)   had    been   fully   given.     It 

was    graphically    shown     how     truly    "that 

I  which  is  exalted  among  men  is  an  abomina- 

i  tion  in  the  sight  of  God."    But  ^"^e  connection 


Ch.  XVI.] 


LUKE. 


257 


27  Then  he  said,  I  pray  thee  therefore,  father,  that 
thou  wouldcst  send  him  to  uiy  fatlier  s  house: 

2(4  For  I  have  live  bretlireii;  that  he  may  testify  unto 
th<;m,  le.st  they  also  come  into  this  plaee  of  torment. 

•JS)  Abraliam  sailh  unto  him,  "Tliey  have  Moses  and 
the  prophets;  let  theui  hear  them. 

:w  And  he  said.  Nay,  lather  Abraham :  butifonewent 
UDtu  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent. 


27  us.    And  he  said,  I  pray  thee  therefore,  father,  that 

28  thou  wouldest  send  him  to  my  father's  house;  for  I 
have  five  brethren;  that  he  may  testify  unto  them, 

29  lest  they  also  eome  into  this  place  of  torment,     but 
Abraham  saith,  'I'hey  have  Moses  and  the  prophets; 

30  let  them  hear  them.   And  he  said,  Nay,  lather  Abra- 
ham :  but  if  one  go  to  them  from  the  dead,  they  will 


al9a.8:20;  34:  IS:  JobD5:39,15i  Aeu  15:21;  17:  II. 


between  the  doom  of  the  rich  man  and  his 
religious  cliaraotcr  hud  not  been  plainly 
intiiiiiited.  What  follows  at  once  completes 
the  picture  of  his  posthumous  state,  and  shows 
it  to  be  the  result  of  a  lack  of  faith  and 
repentance,  such  its  a  due  regard  to  the  Old 
Testament  would  have  produced.  Want  of 
this  pious  dispo-sition  could  alone  have  led  to 
their  mockery  of  Christ's  exposition  of  duty 
concerning  the  use  of  riches  (ver.  15),  and  it 
proved  his  opposers  generally  liable  to  the 
rich  man's  condemnation. 

27.  I  pray  thee,  therefore — seeing  the 
hopelessness  of  my  case,  and  that  all  who  die 
impenitent  and  unprepared  must  come  hither 
to  anguish.  That  thou  wouldest  send  him 
to  my  father's  house.  The  idea  of  a  mes- 
senger from  sheol  to  the  habitations  of  men  is 
a  part  of  the  rhetorical  scheme,  to  emphasize 
the  wretchedness  of  an  impenitent  death. 

28.  For  I  have  live  brethren— Aro^/iers. 
It  is  a  case  where  parents  are  dead.  Kemem- 
branee  of  brothers  (and  other  relatives  and 
friends)  still  living  unprepiired,  is  a  part  of 
the  di-stress  of  a  lost  soul,  and  shows  that  per- 
dition docs  not  of  necessity  involve  the  de- 
struction of  such  natural  sentiments.  That 
he  may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also 
come  into  this  place  of  torment.  What 
testimony  he  would  have  Lazarus  bear  to  his 
brothers  was,  as  we  may  confidently  infer, 
that  the  self-indulgent  use  of  their  earthly 
possessions,  the  failure  to  regard  themselves 
as  God's  stewards,  would  inevitably  result  in 
cureless,  helpless  misery'  after  death.  Note, 
that  he  supj)oses  it  must  be  a  holy  soul  that 
can  possiblj'  deliver  such  a  message;  and 
that  the  thought  does  not  occur  to  him  of  an 
effectual  rcpc.'ntance  for  them,  or  for  himself, 
in  that  tibode  of  woe.  He  would  have  them 
instructed  in  time  to  avoid  the  amazing  folly, 
as  well  as  wickedness,  which  he  must  rue 
through  eternity. 

29.  {Rut)  Abraham  saith  unto  him. 
They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets — the 
same  source  of  wisdom  and  rule  of  life  which 


these  Pharisees  had  before  them  (»er.  le),  and 
which,  in  its  ideal  spirituality,  is  continued 
in  the  new  kingdom.— Let  them  hear  them. 
To  hear  is,  in  this  case,  to  heed,  to  believe, 
and  to  obey.  This  they  could  not  do,  accord- 
ing to  the  true  intent  of  that  revelation,  with- 
out welcoming  all  light  on  the  way  of  life,  as 
it  came  also  from  him.  But  even  apsirt  from 
this  thought,  thej'  had  knowledge  far  beyond 
what  was  vouchsafed  to  Abraham  in  the  Old 
Testament  record. 

30.  And  he  said.  Nay,  father  Abra- 
ham :  but  if  one  went  unto  (better,  go  to) 
them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent. 
The  view  expressed  is  that  on  which  the  nec- 
romancy of  all  ages  has  subsisted.  Testimony 
from  the  dead  returned  to  life  must,  it  is  sup- 
po.sed,  have  a  greater  influence  on  the  belief 
and  practice  of  men,  in  reference  to  the  reali- 
ties of  that  state,  than  all  the  testimony  of 
God  himself,  through  his  inspired  spokesmen. 
So  it  was  with  Saul,  King  of  Israel,  in  the 
attempted  evocation  of  Samuel;  and  so  in  a 
multitude  of  cases  of  modern  conjuration, 
called  spiritualism,  or,  more  properly,  spirit- 
ism. Yet  we  might  know  beforehand  that  real 
messengers  from  the  other  world  could  ])rac- 
tically  testify  only  to  our  need  of  moral  amend- 
ment— repentance  and  faith — and  a  life  of  ho- 
liness here,  in  order  to  happiness  there.  This 
we  know  perfectly  well  already.  It  is  the 
depraved  reluctance  of  men's  hearts  to  such  a 
change  and  course  of  life  which  makes  any- 
thing more  seem  necessary,  and  would  just  as 
surely  break  the  powerof  any  other  testimony 
as  it  does  that  of  the  revelation  God  has 
given.  We  read  of  no  wonderfully  good  ef- 
fect of  the  return  of  the  other  Lazarus  from 
the  dead;  and  we  know  that  when  the  apos- 
tles afterward  went  abroad,  testifying  and 
demonstrating  that  Jesus  himself  had  risen, 
and  made  them  his  witnesses  concerning  the 
secrets  of  eternity,  it  was  only  those  "who 
were  ordained  unto  eternal  life"  that  be- 
lieved; while  ever}' where,  "  when  they  heard 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead»  some  mocked." 


258 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


31  And  he  said  unto  him,  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  I  31  repent.    And  he  said  unto  him,  If  they  hear  not 
the  prophets,  "neither  will  they  be  persuaded,  though  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  per- 

one  rose  from  the  dead.  |       .suaded,  if  one  rite  from  the  dead. 

CHAPTEK    XVII. 


THEN  said  he  unto  the  disciples,  'It  is  impossible  but 
that  oH'eDces  will  come  :  but  woe  unto  /um,  through 
whom  they  come ! 

•I  It  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone  were  hanged 
about  his  neck,  and  he  cast  into  the  sea,  than  that  he 
should  oll'end  one  of  Ih.ese  little  ones. 
3  Take  need  to  yourselves:    "^If  thy  brother  trespass 


1  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  It  is  imposs'ble 
but  that  occasions  of  stumliling  should  come:   but 

2  woe  unto  him,  through  whom  they  come!  It  were 
well  for  him  if  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his 
neck,  and  he  were  thrown  into  the  sea,  rather  than 
that   he  should   cause  one   of    these   little  ones   to 

3  stumble.    Take  heed  to  yourselves:  if  thy  brother 


John  12:  10,  11.... 5  Matt.  18  :  6,  7  ;  Mark  9:  42;  1  Cor.  11:  19 c  Matt.  18:  15,  21. 


Observe  that  Dives  here  recognizes  his  failure 
to  repent  as  the  reason  of  his  being  in  the 
phice  of  torment. 

31.  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  etc.  The  utter  hopelessness  of  the 
case  of  the  Pharisaic  class,  is  thus  attested  by 
Abraham  himself.  Did  the  Saviour  mean  to 
intimate  the  future  incorrigibility  of  the  peo- 
ple, in  the  face  of  his  own  resurrection?  To 
"hear,"  in  this  verse,  issj'nonymous  with  "be 
persuaded,"  which  is  the  same  as  to  yield  be- 
lief to  testimony;  and  all  take  the  place  of 
"repent,"  in  the  preceding  verse.  [It  may 
be  proper  to  add  that,  while  Dives  speaks  of 
one  going  to  them  from  the  dead,  Abraham 
substitutes  for  that  expression,  a  rising  from 
the  dead.  This  seems  to  imply  the  necessity 
of  resurrection  in  the  case  of  the  dead,  if  they 
are  to  appear  among  men  ;  and  so  the  fact 
that  the  resurrection  does  not  ordinarily  take 
place  at  death. — A.  H.] 


Ch.  17.  1-4.  Woe  to  Him  Who  Causes 
THE  Disciples  to  Stumble.  How  Such 
Evil  is  to  be  Avoided. 

1.  There  is  some  doubt  whether  these  verses 
are  a  continuation  of  the  preceding  discourse, 
or  a  different  report  of  what  may  have  been 
said  on  another  occasion  (Matt,  is:  7,  6, 21  t.).  We 
may  say,  at  least,  that  they  seem  to  stand  in  a 
natural  and  reasoned  connection  here  also. 
The  murmuring  (ch.  15 :  2)  and  the  derisive  com- 
ments (ch.  16:  u)  of  the  most  influential  classes 
of  the  religious  community  on  Chri-st's  acts 
and  teachings,  were  well  suited  to  shake  the 
faith  and  devotion  to  him  of  his  weaker  dis- 
ciples; in  other  words,  to  cause  them  to  stum- 
ble. Then  ( better,^ wrf)  said  he  nnto  the 
{his)  disciples— no  longer  to  the  Pharisees— 
(ch.  16:15),  and  not  yet  to  the  apostles  (^er.  5), 
but  to  the  body  of  his  followers.  It  is  im- 
possible but  that  offences  will  (better, 
should)  come.  Offences  here  {(TKdvSaka) 
are  what   are  commonly  called   "stumbling- 


blocks,"  occasions  of  stumbling,  or  actual 
fall  in  the  course  of  discipleship  to  Christ. 
The  Greek  word  meant  the  trigger  of  a  trap, 
contact  with  which  would  cause  the  trap  to 
spring;  then,  in  the  Septuagint,  the  trap  or 
snare;  then  anything,  stone  or  what  not  (Heb. 
mikshol)  with  which  one  comes  in  contact,  sO 
as  to  stumble  or  be  thrown  down.  Hence, 
morally,  whatever  was  adapted  to  shock  the 
confidence  of  believers,  and  cause  waver- 
ing or  apostasy  in  the  life  of  faith.  It  may 
arise  among  Christians  themselves,  or  in  the 
bearings  of  the  world  upon  them,  and  is  named 
here,  probably,  with  reference  to  the  mali- 
cious words  and  deeds  of  the  Pharisees,  as 
calculated  to  turn  the  disciples  away  froni 
him.  The  impossibility  of  their  not  coming 
lies  in  the  moral  antagonism  of  the  world  to 
him  and  his  cause.  It  would  cease  should  the 
world  become  thoroughly  converted  to  his 
spirit.  But  woe  unto  him,  etc.  That  ne- 
cessity, lying  in  the  prevalence  of  imperfec- 
tion and  sin,  only  makes  more  conspicuous 
the  criminality  of  him  who  voluntarily  causes 
the  offence. 

2.  It  were  better  (literally,  well)  for 
him  if  a  millstone,  etc.  The  Saviour's 
earnestness  gives  an  extraordinary  character 
to  his  style.  He  conceives  of  the  fate  as 
having  already  befallen  ;  and  a  literal  transla- 
tion would  be,  nearly:  "It  is  profitable  for 
him — he  is  better  oflT— if  a  millstone  lies 
about  his  neck  and  he  has  been  cast  into  the 
sea."  In  plain  prose,  to  have  lost  his  natural 
life  is  a  lesser  damage  than  to  have  committed- 
such  a  sin,  viz.,  that  he  should  offend  one 
of  these  little  ones  (rather,  cause  one  of 
these  little  ones  to  stumhle).  These  are  the 
recent  converts,  immature  disciples,  believers 
who  need  encouragement,  rather,  and 
strengthening;  that  one  should  deliberately 
aim  to  turn  them  back,  and  lead  them  to  fall 
away,  is  a  truly  diabolical  wrong. 

3.  Take    heed    to     yourselves — lest   yo 


Ch.  XVII.] 


LUKE. 


259 


against  thee,  "rebuke  him;  and  if  he  repent,  forgive 
him. 

4  And  if  he  trespass  against  thee  seven  times  in  aday, 
and  seven  times  iu  a  day  turn  again  to  thee,  saying,  I 
repent;  thou  shall  lorgive  him. 

5  And  tlie  apostles  said  unto  the  Lord,  Increase  our 
faith. 

6  'And  the  Lord  .said.  If  ye  had  faith  a-s  a  grain  of 
mustard  seod,  ye  might  say  uuto  this  sycaniiue  tree,  Be 
thou  phickcd  up  by  the  root,  and  be  thou  planted  in  the 
sea;  and  it  should  obey  you. 


4  sin,  rebuke  him  ;  and  if  he  repent,  forgive  him.  And 
ii  he  sin  against  thee  seven  times  iu  the  day,  and 
seven  times  turn  again  to  thee,  saying,  I  repent; 
thou  shalt  forgive  him. 

5  And  the  apostles  said  unto  the  Lord,  Increase  our 

6  faith.  And  the  Lord  said,  If  ye  had  faith  as  a  grain 
of  mustard  seed,  ye  would  say  unto  this  sycamine 
tree,  Be  thou  rooted  up,  and  be  thou  planted  in  the 


a  Lev.  19:  17;  Prov.  17:  10  {  James  5  :  19 6  Matt.  17:  20;  21 :  21 ;  Mark  9:  23;  11:  23. 


also,  unawares,  and  through  inconsistency 
with  your  principles,  practice  the  same  evils 
as  the  Pharisees  have  now  practiced.  This 
seems  to  be  the  most  probable  connection, 
unles.s  we  give  up  the  attetnpt  to  trace  any 
at  all.  If  thy  brother  trespass  (sin) 
— against  thee,  is  pretty  plainly  in  the 
thought,  considering  what  follows,  although 
the  authorities  for  the  Greek  text  fully  war- 
rant the  Revision  in  leaving  the  words  simply 
to  be  understood.  In  case  of  a  personal 
wrong  suffered  by  a  disciple,  he  is  not  by 
wanton  severity  of  judgment  and  insistance 
on  punishment,  to  create  "scandals,"  or 
cause  offence  to  Christ's  little  ones.  Rebuke 
him — i.  e.,  point  out  to  him  the  evil  he  has 
done,  and  so  represent  its  iniquity  as  to  bring 
him  to  feel  it.  This  is  required  for  his  own 
amendment.  And  if  he  repent — sincerely 
recognize  and  confess  his  fault — forgive  him. 
To  forgive  is  to  remit  all  claim  for  punish- 
ment, and  positively  to  desire  the  offender's 
welfare.  One  is  thus  to  forgive  the  trespasses 
of  others  as  one  hopes  to  be  forgiven  by  God. 
In  both  cases  it  is  on  the  ground  of  manifested 
repentance. 

4.  And  if  he  sin  against  thee  seven 
times  in  a  day,  etc.  The  mention  of  seven 
times,  like  that  of  "seventy  times  seven" 
(Matt.  18:  s'i),  tcachcs  that,  no  matter  how  often, 
as  often  as  occasion  may  require,  the  spirit  of 
forgiveness  is  to  be  exercised.  It  is  as  con- 
stant a  trait  of  the  true  Christian  character  as 
is  faith,  or  dependence  on  God  for  mercy. 
And  seven  times  in  a  day  turn  again  to 
thee,  saying,  I  repent.  "Turning  again 
to"  implies  that  he  has  by  his  sin  turned 
away  from  ;  and  is  here,  toward  man,  what 
elsewhere  the  verb  signifies  toward  God — a 
"conversion."  It  is  the  outward  expression 
of  the  inward  change  signified  by  I  repent; 
repentance  and  conversion  toward  an  injured 
brother.  So  eminently  does  this  spirit  of  for- 
giveness belong   to    the    inmost   essence    of 


Christianity,  that  nothing  could  be  more  nat- 
ural than  for  the  Saviour  to  treat  the  lack  of 
it  as  a  dangerous  occasion  of  offence.  Who- 
ever fails  to  exhibit  it,  egregiously  misrepre- 
sents the  profession  of  discipleship. 

5,  f.  The  Apostles  Taught  the  Power 
OF  Faith. 

Even  the  apostles  are  made  sensible  of 
their  insufficiency  for  such  imitation  of  the 
Master.  This  appears  to  be  the  sense  of  their 
prayer,  Increase  our  faith  ;  literally,  ''add 
to  us  faith."  Faith  is  rightly  apprehended 
by  them  as  the  root  principle  of  all  holy  emo- 
tion and  acts,  love  among  the  rest,  in  which 
is  included  the  spirit  of  forgiveness..  ' 

6.  This  verse  should  be  rendered.  And  the 
Lord  said.  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain  of 
mustard  seed,  ye  would  say  unto  this 
sycamine  tree.  Be  thou,  etc.  The  syca- 
mine tree  was  a  species  of  mulberry,  proba- 
bly distinct  from  "the  sycamore"  (ch.i9:4). 
This  was  named  as  an  apparently  solid  and 
immovable  object  then  before  their  eyes.  The 
present  indicative  of  the  verb  following  if 
assumes  that  they  have  such  faith — "if  ye 
have  faith,  and  I  know  ye  have."  Thus  the 
sentence  implies,  by  the  very  irregularity  of 
its  form,  the  surprise  of  our  Lord  that  they  do 
not  act  out  the  faith  which  they  have.  "Ye 
have  so  much  faith, — and  exercising  it" — ye 
vjould  say,  not  ye  might  say.  Be  thou 
plucked  up,  (better,  rooted  up),  etc., ="  let 
any  work  of  divine  power  be  performed,"  in 
the  way  of  your  duty  as  members  and  min- 
isters of  my  kingdom.  He  could  hardly  have 
intended,  literally,  to  promise  the  power  of 
merely  physical  prodigies,  something  which 
neither  Christ  nor  his  apostles  ever  wrought. 
And  it  wottld  have  obeyed  you.  This  way  or 
speaking  supposes  the  ye  would  say  to  have 
been  actually  done,  and  the  effect  to  have  in- 
stantly followed.  So  certain  is  it  that  it  would 
follow,  if  they  should  so  say.  The  Saviour 
thus  teaches  that,  to  increase  faith,  we  simply 


260 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


7  But  which  of  you,  having  a  servant  plowing  or 
feeding  cattle,  will  say  unto  him  by  and  by,  when  he  is 
come  irom  the  field,  do  and  sit  down  to  meat? 

H  And  will  not  rather  say  unto  him.  Make  ready 
wherewith  I  may  sup,  and  gird  thyself,  "and  serve  me, 
till  1  have  eaten  and  driibken  ;  and  afterward  thou  shalt 
■eat  and  drink? 

9  Doth  he  thank  that  servant  because  he  did  the 
things  that  were  commanded  him?     1  trow  not. 

li»  ISO  likewise  ye,  when  ye  shall  have  done  "all  those 
things  which  are  commanded  you,  say,  We  are  'unprof- 
itable servants:  we  have  done  that  which  was  our  duty 
to  do. 

11  And  it  eame  to  pass,  i^as  he  went  to  Jerusalem, 
that  he  passed  through  the  midst  of  Samaria  and 
Galilee. 


7  sea ;  and  it  would  obey  you.  But  who  is  there  of 
you,  having  a  i  servant  plowing  or  keeping  sheep, 
that  will  say  unto  him,  when  he  is  come  in  from  the 

8  field.  Come  straightway  and  sit  down  to  meat;  and 
will  not  rather  say  unto  him,  Make  ready  wherewith 
I  may  sup, and  gird  thyself,  and  serve  me,  till  I  have 
eaten  and  drunken  ;  and  afterward  thou  shalt  eat 

9  and  drink?    Doth  he  thank  the  '  servant  because  he 

10  did  the  things  that  were  commanded?  Even  so  ye 
also,  when  ye  shall  have  done  all  the  things  that  are 
commanded  you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  -servants; 
we  have  done  that  which  it  was  our  duty  to  do. 

11  And  it  came  to  pass,  *as  they  were  on  the  way  to 
Jerusalem,  that  he  was  passing  ■*  along  the  border* 


need  to  exercise  what  we  have,  however  little, 
even  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed. 

7-10.  The  Ab.sence  of  Merit  in  the 
Works  of  the  Disciples. 

The  continuity  of  discourse  which  we  have 
been  able  to  trace,  with  a  degree  of  proba- 
bility hitherto,  through  this  chapter,  can 
hardly  be  carried  further.  Meyer  finds  a  link 
in  the  implied  liability  of  the  disciples  to  ar- 
rogance, on  account  of  the  works  of  faith,  of 
which  they  were  capable.  It  seems  more 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  Luke  found  this 
piece  of  instruction  well  suited  to  close  up  the 
series  of  counsels  which  the  Lord  had  been 
addressing  to  them.  For  this  purpose  what 
could  be  more  fit  than  a  lesson  of  humility? 
This  lesson  is  delivered  in  a  sort  of  hypothet- 
ical parable.  Suppose  a  master  should  require 
his  slave,  when  returning  from  the  day's  work 
out  of  doors,  to  prepare  and  serve  for  him  the 
supper,  before  taking  his  own  meal.  The 
slave,  in  obeying,  would  have  done  no  more 
than  his  recognized  task,  and  no  one  would 
think  it  worthy  of  special  commendation  or 
reward. 

10.  So  likewise  ye»  when  ye  shall  have 
done  all,  etc. — if  that  time  should  ever  come 
— it  will  still  be  incumbent  on  you  to  be 
humble;  say  to  yourselves,  We  are  un- 
profitable servants.  This  does  not  mean 
"  we  have  been  of  no  use,"  but  "  we  have  no 
surplusof  merit  beyond  any  faithful  servant;" 
or,  as  the  Saviour  himself  explains,  "we  have 
simply  done  that  without  doing  which  we 
should  have  been  culpably  unfaithful"  — 
that  which  it  was  our  duty  to  do.  The 
things  commanded  were  all  comprehended  in 
love  (Jnh'i  15:  10, 12),  in  its  various  manifestations. 
If  humility  became  those  who  should  have 
fulfilled  this  commandment,  how  much  more 
those  who  are  perpetually  conscious  of  coming 


short  in  this  duty.  In  perfect  consistency 
with  this,  Christ  teaches  plainly,  elsewhere, 
that  there  are,  and  are  to  be,  ample  rewards 
for  fidelity  in  his  service,  only  as  a  pure  gift 
of  grace,  and  most  ample  where  there  is  least 
thought  of  merit,  or  claim  for  any  benefit  as 
earned. 

11-19.  The  Cleansing  of  Ten  Lepers. 

The  evangelist  now  turns  from  the  series 
of  discourses  beginning  with  chapter  14,  and 
continued  to  this  point  without  evident  change 
of  place.  From  the  statement  in  verse  11,  it 
appears  that  the  following  incident  occurred 
nearthe  border  between  Galilee  and  Samaria. 
It  belongs  to  the  final  journey  toward  Jeru- 
salem, announced  ch.  9:  51,  and  again  men- 
tioned ch.  13  :  22.  But  whether  it  comes  in 
chronological  order,  so  that  all  reported  in  ch. 
9:  51 — 17:  10  has  taken  place  in  the  south  of 
Galilee,  or  whether  a  part  of  the  foregoing 
events  have  occurred  in  Perea,  so  that  we  now 
have  an  earlier  transaction,  out  of  its  real  order, 
cannot  be  positively  decided.  We  think  it 
more  likely  that  portions  of  the  preceding 
narrative  belong  to  a  more  advanced  stage  of 
the  journey,  and  that  what  is  reported  in 
this  paragraph  had  taken  place  considerably 
earlier. 

11.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  went 
(rather,  as  they  were  on  the  way)  to  Jerusa- 
lem— a  general  designation  of  the  time — that 
he  passed — was  passing— through  the  midst 
of  Samaria  and  Galilee.  This  designation 
of  locality  might,  with  equal  warrant  of  the 
Greek,  be  translated  between  Samaria  and 
Galilee.  This  suits  better  with  the  mention 
of  Samaria  first,  instead  of  Galilee,  and  with 
the  statements  in  Matt.  19:  1;  Mark  10:  1, 
that  this  journey  lay  through  Perea,  and 
with  the  fact  that  the  next  place  definitely 
named   is  Jericho   (oh.  i9:i).     We   may    thus 


Ch.  XVIL] 


LUKE. 


261 


12  And  a«  he  entered  into  a  certain  village,  there  met 
him  ten  men  that  were  lepers,  "which  stood  alar  ott': 

la  And  the}'  lilted  up  their  voices,  and  said,  Jesus, 
Master,  have  uicrcy  on  us. 

14  And  whcu  he  saw  litem,  he  said  unto  them,  *Go 
shew  yourselves  uuto  the  priests.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
that,  a-s  they  went,  they  were  cleansed. 

15  And  oue  ol'  them,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  healed, 
turned  hack,  and  with  a  loud  voice  gloritied  God, 

IG  And  tell  down  on  hU  face  at  his  feet,  giving  him 
thanks :  and  he  was  a  tjamaritau. 


12  of  Samaria  and  Galilee.    And  as  he  entered  into  a 
certain  village,  there  ujet  him  ten  men  tliat  \ver« 

13  lepers,  who  stood  alar  ott':  and  they  lilted  up  their 
voices,   saying,  Jesus,   Master,   have   mercy   on    lis. 

14  And  when  he  saw  them,  he  .said  unto  tlieiu,  (io  and 
shew  yourselves  unto  the  priests.     And  it  came  to 

15  pass,  as  they  went,  they  were  cleansed.     And  one  of 
them,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  healed,  turned  hack, 

16  with  a  loud  voice  glorifying  God  ;  and  he  lell  upou 
his  face  at  his  feet,  giving  him  thau^s:  aud  he  was 


•tLev.  13:46....6Lev.  13:2;  11:2;  MalL8:4;  eh.  5:11. 


see  the  Saviour  now  turned  ea.stward  to- 
ward the  Jordan,  with  Samaria  on  the 
right  and  Galilee  on  the  left  hand.  The 
proportion  of  Galileans  among  the  lepers 
would  lead  to  the  inference  that  he  was 
on  Galilean  ground,  perhaps  soon  after 
the  event  of  ch.  9:  52-55.  That  this  eastward 
movement  was  understood  by  Luke  to  have 
crossed  tlte  Jordan  is  uncertain,  as  he  neither 
mentions  such  a  fact,  nor  says  anything  in- 
consistent witli  the  supposition  of  it. 

12.  As  he  entered  into  a  certain  vil- 
lage,  there  met  him  ten  men  that  were 
lepers.  On  the  case  of  Lepers,  see  on  ch.  5:  12. 
Of  the  ten,  it  appears  that  nine  were  Jews, 
one  a  Samaritan;  iningling  without  scruple, 
in  their  misery.  That  so  many  were  together 
makes  it  probable  that  they  had  assembled  in 
anticipation  of  Christ's  arrival.  Which 
stood  afar  off,  under  a  sense  of  their  re- 
puted uiicleaiiness,  especially  in  the  presence 
of  a  great  teacher,  like  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
Little  did  they  realize  his  superiority  to  those 
ceremonial  scruples  when  good  was  to  be 
done  to  needy  men.  Wetstein,  on  the  passage, 
gives  quotations  from  the  Rabbinic  literature 
to  show  their  aversion  to  lepers.  Two  Rabbis 
disputing  the  question  maintained:  one,  that 
it  was  not  fit  to  come  within  a  hundred  cubits 
of  a  leper;  the  other,  within  four  cubits,  when 
he  stood  between  them  and  the  wind.  An- 
other would  not  eat  an  egg  if  laid  in  a  court- 
yard where  a  leper  was.  One,  when  he  saw  a 
leper,  a.ssailed  him  with  stones,  saying:  "Off 
to  thy  own  place,  lest  thou  defile  others,"  etc. 

13.  And  they — of  themselves,  without 
waiting  to  be  spoken  to,  as  the  Greek  shows — 
lifted  up  their  voices,  so  as  to  be  heard  a 
long  way,  saying,  Jesus,  Master,  using, 
appropriately  here,  the  term  peculiar  to 
Luke,  which  signifies  rulership,  authority 
(ea-urroTi)?!.  Have  mercy  on  us.  In  what 
manner,  needed  no  explanation.  The  plea 
was  obviously  equivalent  to  "Heal  us  of  our 
dreadful  malady." 


14.  And  when  he  saw  them — being  roused 
by  their  cry— he  said  unto  them — without 
waiting  for  plea  or  explanation, callingaloud — 
Go  and  shew  yourselves  unto  the  priests. 

From  the  mention  of  priests,  more  than 
one,  it  has  been  supposed  that  Chri.st  had  in 
mind  one  for  the  Jews  and  one  for  the  Sa- 
maritans, as  he  would  have  each  go  to  his  own 
priest.  This,  if  so,  would  be  a  curious  and 
peculiar  case;  and  it  is  more  probiible  that  our 
Lord  first  had  his  attention  called  to  the  Sa- 
maritan, as  sucli,  when  he  came  afterward  to 
thank  him.  Our  Lord  had  probably  in  mind 
the  class  of  priests.  He  gave  no  explicit 
answer  to  their  prayer,  but  his  direction  to 
them  to  fulfill  the  commandment  of  the  law, 
touching  those  who  were  healed  of  leprosy 
(Lev.  u:2),  must  have  given  them  confidence 
that  healing  was  to  come  to  them.  And  it 
came.  They  started  promptly  for  Jerusalem ; 
for  the  purificatory  rites  must  be  performed 
at  the  seat  of  sacrifice  (Lev.  u:  13.23).  And  .  .  . 
as  they  went — apparently  without  anj^  sud- 
den or  .striking  change — they  were  cleansed 
of  their  defilement  and  most  cruel  plague. 
Such  an  experience  might  well  suspend  the 
ceremonial  duty,  until  they  had  discharged 
the  moral  duty  of  gratitude  and  praise  to  the 
author  of  their  cure.  They  had  not  gone  so 
far  awaj'  that  they  did  not  know  Jesus  was 
still  where  they  had  left  him. 

15.  And  one  of  them  .  .  .  turned  back, 
and  with  a  loud  voice  glorified  Cwod 
(literally,  with  a  loud  voice  glorifying  God.) 
In  him  the  appropriate  sentiment  was 
awakened,  and  the  right  conduct  followed. 
He  recognized  God  as  the  source  of  the  great 
blessing  to  him,  and  made  the  air  resound, 
as  he  retraced  his  steps,  with  songs  and  .shouts 
of  praise  to  God.  He  would  have  everybody 
know  of  the  divine  mercy  illustrated  in  his 
case. 

16.  Jesus  also,  as  the  medium  through  whom 
the  mercy  had  come  to  him,  seemed  to  him 
almost  as  the  real  author  of  it,  which  indeed 


262 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


17  And  Jesus  answering  said,  Were  there  not  ten 
cleansed?  but  where  (/re  the  nine? 

18  There  are  not  Ibiind  that  returned  to  give  glory  to 
God,  save  tliis  stranger. 

I'.i  "And  he  said  unto  him.  Arise,  go  thy  way:  thy 
faith  hath  made  tliee  whoh;. 

20  And  wlien  he  was  demanded  of  the  Pharisees, 
.wlien  llie  kingdom  otiiod  sliould  come,  he  answered 
them  and  said,  The  kingdom  of  (iod  Cometh  not  with 
ohservation  : 

21  '•  Neither  shall  they  say,  Lo  here  I  or,  lo  there!  for, 
behold,  'the  kingdom  o(  (jod  is  within  you. 


17  a  Samaritan.  And  .Icsus  answering  .said.  Were  not 
1«  the  ten  clean.sed  ?  hut  where  are  tlie  nine?     '  Were 

there  none  found  tliat  returned  to  give  glory  lo  dod, 
11)  .save  this  '■'stranger?     And  he  said  unto  him.  Arise, 

and  go  thy  way:    thy  faith   hath  ^  made  llice  whole. 

20  And  heing  asked  by  the  I'hari.secs,  when  tlu^  king- 
dom of  (loil  Cometh,  tie  answered  them  and  said, 
'I'he  kingdom  of  (iod  conielh  not  with   observation: 

21  neither  shall  they  say,  Lo,  here!  or,Thure!  for  lo, 
the  kingdom  of  (jod  is  ■*  within  you. 


a  UaU.  9:  Ti;  UBi'k&:34;  10:  M;  oh.  T:  SO;  B:  48;  18:  42....6  ver.  2.'<....eRniii.  14:  IT. 1  Or,  there  were  none  found  . 

itranger . . . .  i  Or,  alien..,.  ^  Or,  eaved  thee....  4  Or,  in  the  mldtt  of  you. 


lie  •was.  And  fell  down  on  his  face  at  his 
feet,  giving  him  thanks — worship  iind 
gratitude.  And  he  was  a  Samaritan — iiri- 
piyiiig  tliat  tlie  otlicrs  wcro  Jews,  and  ])r()b- 
ably  that  tlie  fact  of  this  oik;  beiiif?  a  Samari- 
tan now  first  broke  on  the  attention  of  .lesu.s. 
It  s(!enis  to  have  d(!eply  saddened  his  heart. 
It  afl'orded,  indeed,  an  omen  of  the  aeces.sion 
of  worshijters  to  liis  kingdom  from  among  the 
strangers,  but  of  the  tlianklessne.ss  of  his  own 
nation. 

17.  And  Jesus  answering  said.  Were 
there  not  ten  (literally,  Wt:rc  not  the  ten) 
cleansed?  But  where  are  the  nine?  The 
point  of  his  question  is  that  the  nine  were 
morally  bound,  as  well  as  the  one,  to  express 
their  gratitude  to  him.  It  was  a  case  where 
"  mercy,"  the  spiritual  service  of  God,  might 
properly  interrupt,  for  a  sufficient  season,  the 
•'sacrifice,"  or  coniinonial  service,  which,  ac- 
cordingto  the  law,  Christ  had  enjoined.  Their 
case  seems  to  show,  again,  that  (jffectual  faith 
in  th(!  healing  power  of  .Jesus  was  consistent 
with  great  dullness  of  the;  moral  regard  that 
he  prized  so  much  more  highly. 

18.  There  are  (rather,  vyr.re)  not  found 
that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God  except 
this  stranger— ^alien,  man  of  another  race. 
The  interrogative  form  (s(!0  Revision)  is 
preferred  by  some,  and  is  consistent  with 
the  (Jreek;  but  not  more  so  than  our  familiar 
rendering.  The  logical  force  of  the  .statement 
has  been  already  indicated. 

10.  And  he  said.  Arise,  go  thy  way,  thy 
faith  hath  made  thee  whole  (literally, 
saved  thee,  as  in  7:  50);  thou  mayest  proceed 
to  the  priest  witli  the  assurance  that  thou  art 
thoroughly  cured;  and  it  is  thy  faith  in  me, 
as  the  dispenser  of  supernatural  bbjssing.s,  on 
account  of  which  thou  art  resetted  from  .so  sad 
a  case.  "What  could  more  powerfully  tnove 
him  to  consider  and  accept  all  which  .lesus 
had  to  oft'er  to  the  faith  of  men?    Might  not 


he,  who  had  thus  made  this  life  a  new  thing  to 
him,  disp(!ns(!  th(!  higher  boon  of  eli^rnal  life? 

20,21.  conckunino  tllk  comino  of  tiik 
Kingdom. 

The  appearance  of  the  Pharisees  again  lead.s 
to  the  sujiposition  of  a  distinct  occasion,  whoso 
date  and  locality  an;  hift  undoleriniiied. 

20.  And  when  he  was  demanded  of  (hot- 
ter, Andhc.uu)  a.'i/ctul  /jy)  the  Pharisees  when 
the  kingdom  of  (^od  sli(nild  come  (literally, 
Cometh).  They  were  looking  lor  a  reign  of 
the  Messiah,  under  which  all  the  glorious  j)re- 
dictions  ol'the  proi)h(!ts  would  b(!  literally  ful- 
filled, with  many  circumstances  added  by 
th(;ir  latter  thciology.  (See  on  0:  20.)  Tlxry  had 
their  views  as  to  wlmt  tht;  manner  of  the  Mes- 
siah would  b(!,  and  whitt  events  would  pr(!ct;(le 
and  attend  his  coming,  but  hardly  assumed  to 
fix  a  precise  date  for  the  event.  Tlit^y  could 
not,  being  Pharisees,  htive  inquired  of  Jesus, 
as  being  himstdf  the  M(;ssi!ih,  around  whoso 
throne  the  kingdom  w(juld  crystallize  ;  but,  as 
a  religious  t(mchcr  of  high  repute,  they  might 
be  curious  to  have  his  views  on  the  question. 
A  loss  charitable,  but,  perhaps,  at  this  time,  a 
more  probable,  explanation,  would  be,  that 
they  hoped,  by  some  unrtiasonablo,  or  unor- 
thodox, expression  of  his»,  to  disparage  liis 
wisdom,  or  his  piety,  and  perhaps  bring  him 
into  collision  with  the  authorities.  What- 
ever the  motive,  our  Saviour  wa.s,  as  ovtsr, 
prepared.  He  answers  thtMr  query  by  sh()W- 
ing  the  impossibility  of  answering  it  in  their 
.u(;nKe.  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not 
with  ohservation  ;  i.  e.,  attended  by  such 
outward  phenomena  that,  by  observing  them, 
one  mtty  say,  H(!re  it  is;   it  has  comel 

21.  Neither^when  it  isninUy  come — shall 
they  say,  IjO,  here  I  or,  lo,  there  I  it  is— su 
that  if  you  g<>to  sucVi  or  .such  a  plac<!,  you  will 
see  it.  The  coming  <»f  the  kingdom,  being  a 
spiritual  thing,  is  nuirked  by  no  apf)earanc<i», 
or  limitations,  of  which   men   can  say    thu( 


Ch.  XVll.] 


LUKE. 


263 


22  Aud  ho  said  unto  the  disciples, ' The  days  will  l  Ti  And  ho  said  unto  tho  diaciplo.s,  Tho  dtiy.-i  will 
conio,  when  yo  ahull  du.siru  to  see  one  of  the  days  of  the  cuiue,  whou  ye  shtiii  detiire  to  sve  uue  ut' the  duya  oC 
Son  ul'  man,  iind  ye  .shall  not  see  il.  \ 

a  Sm  Matt.  9 :  16 ;  J6hn  II :  12. 


they  arc  here  or  there.  Ilonce,  noithor  run 
tho  iiistimt  of  its  I'liiiTgoiKH!  on  tlio  lii'hi  t)f  liis- 
tory  bo  oxiu-tly  known  by  signs  piitont  to 
huMiiin  obsorviition.  —  For,  behuld,  the 
kingdom  of  diod  is  within  you.  Thu 
GrtM'k  proposition  for  within  («»'T6t),  is  found 
ol.scwlu'rii  in  the  Now  Testiiniont  only  at  Matt. 
23:  2(1,  "tlio  insido."  Other  (Jroi-k  usage  will, 
doubtless,  warrant  sueli  a  rendering  as  that  of 
our  version.  Nor  would  tlie  sense  thus  given 
concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  iis  being  u 
Spiritual  experience,  be  in  the  least  unaerip- 
tural.  It  would  also  bo  a  suitable  answer  to 
the  Pharisees,  that  tho  kingdom  was  not  to  bo 
discovered  by  exteriuil  scrutiny.  Such  rea- 
sons might  suffice  to  prevent  a  change  of  tlio 
text  in  the  Revision;  but  wo  thi?ik,  neverthe- 
less, that  their  marginal  alternative  reading  is 
to  be  preferred,  in  the  midat  of  you,  among 
you  ^within  youreircle,  not  outside  of  if.  F«)r 
this  tho  lexical  authority  is  at  leastecpial.  (See 
tho  use  illustrated  in  Meyer  on  the  jiassage, 
and  more  fully  in  the  later  editions  of  Liddell 
ilnd  Scott's  Lexicon,  or  in  Host  und  Palm's 
th-ifch.  Wdrti-rhuch).  The  same  .sources  will 
supi)ly  instances  of  the  other  use.  But  it  is 
less  i)robable  tliat  one  who  wished  to  say 
"within  you,"  in  the  s(^nso  of  "in  your 
minds,"  should  avoid  the  very  familiar  phrast! 
(iv  vixlv),  and  employ  one  nowhere  else  found 
in  tho  New  Testament.  Again,  that  Christ 
sliould  speak  of  the  kingd(un  of  (Jod  as  being 
an  affair  of  the  soul  merely,  a  "  p.sycliological 
kingdom,"  "an  ethical  condition,"  may  not 
bo,  as  Meyer  suggests,  a  modern  idcMi,  yet  it 
does  seem  strange  to  tiie  teaching  of  the  Synop- 
tical (lospels.  Once  rtion?;  siniu;  this  language 
is  addressed  expressly  to  the  Pharisees,  it  is 
hard  to  perceive  how  tiie  Kingdom  could  bo  in 
their  spirits,  at  all  events.  But  it  miglit  with 
truth  and  great  i)ropriety  bo  said  to  be  "among 
them,"  "in  their  sphere,  circle,  neighborhood, 
society,"  when  ho  the  King  was  there,  with 
oven  one  faithful  believer  and  subject.  See 
onO:  20.  This  fact  was  equally  a  confirma- 
tion of  the  statement  that  the  kingdom  conu^th 
not  with  observation,  ami,  as  plainly  as  was 
likely  to  be  useful,  intimated  their  duty  to 
rouognizo  Ills  Messiahship. 


'I'l-'AT.    (^)^•("KRNINO  THK    FlITirKK  (ll.OIlY 
OK  TUK    KlNUDOM. 

'Z'Z.  And    he    said    nnto    tho    disciples. 

They  had  listen<'d  to  his  declaration  of  the 
presence  and  invisibility  to  sense  of  the  king- 
dom, from  which  they  might  assume  (tithur 
that  thoy  aln^ady  knew  all  there  was  of  it, 
and  so  think  it  of  little  account,  or  concludu 
that  the  fuller  measure  of  its  privileges  was  to 
be  immediately  enjoyed,  and  so  be  deluded 
into  premature  exultation.  To  forestall  either 
form  of  mistake,  the  following  tiiscourso  was 
admirably  adapted.  It  shows  that  a  con- 
siderablo  period  of  waiting  was  to  elapse, 
bringing  some  exjieriences  to  tho  disciples; 
that  meanwhile,  he  himsidf  must  sutVer  and 
bo  oast  off;  that  tho  world  would  then  fall 
into  great  forgetfulncss  of  him,  and  live  as 
though  he  was  never  to  return;  that  this 
would  involve  peril  and  ttMuptation  to  his  fol- 
lowers, in  the  midst  of  which  the  Son  of  man 
would  bo  reveah'd.  A  comparison  o(  this 
passage  with  tho  corresponding  portions  of 
Matt.  24,  viz.,  verses  2(i,  28,  37-41,  raises  the 
(luestion,  as  in  one  or  two  cas(>s  before,  whether 
wo  have  twi>  reports  of  the  same  discourse, 
referred  to  dilfcrent  occasions,  and  if  .so,  which 
is  to  bo  regarded  as  the  true  dale,  or  whether 
our  Lord  so  nearly  rep(>ated  tht>  same  words 
at  different  times.  Now,  il  is  pretty  obvious 
that  our  discourse  has  ri>ference  almost  en- 
tirely to  tho  final  advent  of  the  Lord,  at 
tho  end  of  tho  world;  while  Matthew's  em- 
braces many  features  of  tho  coming  at  tho 
destruction  of  .lerusalem  and  of  the  Jewish 
State.  The  Note  of  Dr.  Fred.  (Jnnliner  on 
the  question,  at  p.  ir>r)  of  his  (Inek  Harmony 
offhf  (fospels,  is  discriminating  and  helpful: 
"Another  instance  in  which  St.  Matthew, 
having  omitted  the  narrative  of  this  period, 
preserves  some  imjiortantpartsof  its  discourses, 
by  connecting  them  with  a  similar  discourse 
uttered  somewhat  later.  By  tra?isposing  Iheso 
passages  to  this  pbu'o  (into  j)arallelism  with 
the  corresponding  verses  of  the  passage  before 
us],  the  twenly-fourlh  chapter  of  St.  Matthew 
may  becom(t  clearer  to  the  student.  A  single 
verso  of  St.  Luko  (3i),  on  the  other  hand, 
reciuires  to  be  transposed  to  that  discourse  by 


264 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


23  "  And  they  shall  say  to  you,  See  here ;  or,  see  there : 
go  not  alter  t/irm,  nor  lollow  Ihem. 

24  'i'or  as  the  lightning,  that  lighteneth  out  of  the 
one  part  under  heaven,  sliiueth  unto  the  other  part 
under  heaven  ;  so  shall  also  the  Son  of  man  be  in  his 
day. 

■^5  "But  first  must  he  suffer  many  things,  and  be 
rejected  of  this  generation. 

2G  ''And  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noe,  so  shall  it  be 
also  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man. 

27  They  did  eat,  they  drank,  they  married  wives,  they 
were  given  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noe  entered 
into  the  ark,  and  the  flood  came,  and  destroyed  them  all. 


23  the  Son  of  man,  and  ye  shall  not  see  it.  And  they 
shall  say  to  you,  Lo,  there  ;   Lo,  herel   go  not  a»ay, 

24  nor  follow  alter  the  in :  for  as  the  ligiitunig,  when  it 
lighteneth  out  of  the  one  part  under  the  heaven, 
shineth  unto  the  other  part  under  heaven;  so  shall 

25  the  Son  of  man  be  '  in  his  day.  But  tiri-t  must  he 
sutfer  many  things  and  be  rejected  of  this  genera- 

23  lion.  And  as  it  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Noah, 
even  so  shall  it  be  also  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man. 

27  They  ate,  they  drank,  they  married,  they  weregi\en 
in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  entered  inio 
the  ark,  and  the  liood  came,  and  destroyed  them  all. 


oMatt.  M:23;  Mark  13  : 'it ;  ch.  21:8....6  Matt.  24:  27.... c  Mark  8:  31:  9:31;  10:33;  oh.  9:22.... d  Ueu.  7;    Matt.  24:  37.- 

ancient  authorities  omit,  in  hU  day. 


the  arrangement  of  both  St.  Matthew  and  St. 
Mark."— The  days  will  come— rather,  days 
wilt  come.  The  Greek  has  no  article.  The 
Saviour  would  not  indicate  definite  days,  but 
more  affectingly,  days  of  a  certain  quality, 
days  of  difficulty,  hardship,  distress,  as  shown 
by  what  follows.  See  on  5:  35.— When  ye 
shall— mW— desire  to  see  one  of  the  days 
of  the  Son  of  man.  Their  troubles  and  trials 
would  be  such,  at  various  times  before  his 
return,  that  they  would  long  for  the  rest  and 
refreshment  of  even  one  of  those  days  which 
he  had  taught  them  to  anticipate,  in  the  glory 
and  blessedness  of  the  finished  kingdom  in 
heaven.  The  following  context  shows  this  to 
be  the  meaning,  rather  than  to  make  the  sen- 
tence refer  backward  to  the  days  they  were 
then  spending  in  his  earthly  society.— And  ye 
shall— i/>i/^— not  see  it;  i.e.,  not  till  many 
repetitions  of  such  desire.  They  would  still 
have  to  wait  and  toil  and  suflfer. 

23.  And  they  shall— ?/;i(!;— say  to  you— 
in  your  fatigue  and  faint-heartedness — See 
here,  or  see  there:  (correctly,  Lo  there! 
or,  Lo  here !) — is  the  Messiah  manifested.  The 
rest  of  the  verse  should  be  translated — Go 
not  {away)  from  the  place  in  which  Provi- 
dence has  placed  you— nor  follow  after 
them.  In  your  forlorn ness  you  will  be  es- 
pecially liable  to  delusion;  but  no  one  shall 
know  of  my  coming  sooner  than  you. 

24.  For  as  the  lightning  that  (or,  better, 
when  it)  lighteneth,  etc.  The  point  of  com- 
parison is  the  instantaneousness  and  universal 
visibility  of  the  lightning  flash,  throughout 
the  whole  circle  of  the  horizon.  So  shall 
also  the  Son  of  man  be  in  his  day. 
"The  brightness  of  bis  coming"  also  will 
shine  equally,  in  the  same  moment,  over  the 
whole  world,  and  prove,  not  only  that  he  has 
come,  but  that  he  is  as  near  to  one  as  to 
another.  Without  attempting  at  all  to  fore- 
tell the  date  of  that  glorious  appearing,  our 


Lord  mentions  some  things  which  must  pre- 
cede it,  the  occurrence  of  which  would  mark 
the  lapse  of  the  intervening  time,  and  tlie 
prediction  of  which  was  well  calculated  to 
check  elation  on  their  ]jart,  and  to  quicken 
them  in  diligence  to  "be  found  of  him  in 
peace."  The  first  thing  was  the  sad  and 
shameful  fate  soon  to  overtake  their  blessed 
Master  himself. 

25.  First  must  he  suffer  many  things — 
all,  indeed,  that  were  involved  in  the  un- 
speakable humiliation,  dishonor,  and  violence 
that  should  precede  the  crucifixion,  and  in 
the  agonies  of  that  death  itself.  And  be  re- 
jected of  this  generation.  This  rejection 
may  be  mentioned  as  one  item  of  that  suffer- 
ing, or,  more  probably,  as  an  additional  dis- 
tress, from  the  refusal  of  his  generation,  even 
after  his  death  and  resurrect  on,  to  receive 
him  as  their  Messiah. 

26.  The  state  of  things  to  follow  these 
events,  the  general  forgetfulness  of  him,  and 
indiflference  to  all  the  interests  of  eternity, 
are  compared  to  the  unbelief  and  utter  world- 
liness  of  men  in  Noah's  times.  This  will  be 
the  case  especially  in  the  period  within  which 
will  fall  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man— the 
time  when  he  shall  come  again  for  judgment 
and  for  redemption. 

27.  They  did  eat,  they  drank,  etc.  A 
graphic  picture  of  the  absorption  of  men  in 
merely  worldly  aifairs,  made  more  vivid  by 
the  omission  of  the  conjunction.  The  use  of 
the  imperfect  ten.se  in  the  original,  "they 
were  eating,"  etc.,  helps  to  conceive  the  un- 
expectedness of  the  great  catastrophe  when  it 
came.  They  married,  is  said  of  the  men  ; 
they  were  given  in  marriage,  of  the  wo- 
men. And  the  flood  came  and  destroyed 
them  all.  Carelesness  and  unbelief  of  God's 
word  did  not  arrest  his  threatened  judgment. 
Compare  Gen.  7:  11-23. 


Ch.  XVII.] 


LUKE. 


265 


2S  o  Likewise  also  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Lot ;  they 
did  eat,  they  drank,  they  bought,  they  sold,  they  planted, 
they  builded  ; 

2\)  Hut  'the  same  day  that  Lot  went  out  of  Sodoiu  it 
rained  tire  and  brimstone  from  heaven,  and  destroyed 
lU.iii  all. 

:MI  ICven  thus  shall  it  be  in  the  day  when  the  Son  of 
man  ' is  revealed. 

31  In  that  day,  he  •'which  shall  be  upon  the  housetop, 
and  his  stuff  in  the  house,  let  him  not  comedown  to 
take  it  away:  and  he  that  is  in  the  field,  let  him  like- 
wise not  return  back. 

;i2  «llememt)er  Lot's  wife. 

3^i  /Whosoever  shall  seek  to  save  his  life  shall  lo.se  it ; 
and  whosoever  shall  lose  liis  life  shall  preserve  it. 

;U  a  I  tell  you,  in  that  nifjlit  there  shall  be  two  men  in 
one  bed;  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  shall  be 
left. 


28  Likewise  even  as  it  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Lot ; 
they  ate,  they  drank,  they  bouj^bt,  they  sold,  they 

29  planted,  they  builded;  but  in  the  day  that  Lot  went 
out  from  .Sixlom  it  rained  tire  and  brimstone  from 

30  heaven,  and  destroyed  them  all:  after  the  same 
manner  shall  it  be  iu  the  day  that  the  Son  of  man  is 

31  revealeti.  In  that  day,  he  who  shall  be  on  the  house- 
top, and  his  yocnls  in  the  house,  let  him  not  go  down 
to  take  them  away:  and  let  him  that  is  in  the  field 

32  likewise   not    return    back.     Kemembcr   Lot's   wile. 

33  Whosoever  shall  seek  to  gain  his  life  shall  lose  it  :  but 

34  whosoever  shall  lose  his  lij'f.  shall  'preserve  if.  I 
say  unto  you.  In  that  night  there  shall  be  two  men 
on  one  bed;  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other 


aOeD.  19.... i  Ocii.  19:  16,  2t....c  2  Thi-.ss.  1  :  7.... (i  Malt.  'H:  17;  Murk  IS:  15.... e  Gen.  19:  26.  .../Matt.  10:  39;  16:25:  Mark  3:  35;  oh. 
9 :  24  :  Joliu  12  :  26 g  Malt.  '.'4 :  40,  41  ;   1  Thcas.  4 :  17. 1  Gr.  »ave  it  alive. 


28,  29.  The  Samk  Lesson  is  Repeated 
FROM  Another  Most  Imi'ressive  Por- 
tion OK  THE  Sacred  History.  (See  Gen. 
19:  15-25.) 

30.  ThLs  verse  make.s  the  application  of 
both  the  parallel  cases  preceding  to  the  case 
of  the  world  at  the  second  advent. 

31.  It  was  remarked  abovethat  this  verse  ap- 
pears, by  a  reference  to  the  corresponding  pas- 
.sages  of  Matthew  and  Mark,  to  belong  to  a 
prophecy  of  the  destruction  of  .Jeru.salem,  as 
typical  of  the  end  of  the  world.  It  may  have 
been  uttered  as  a  part  of  another  discourse,  and 
gathered  out  of  the  general  store  of  Christ's 
recorded  sayings  by  different  apostolic  men  in 
different  combinations.  On  this  hypothesis, 
the  whole  remainder  of  the  address  now  before 
us  naturally  points  to  the  final  appearance  of 
our  Lord  ;  but  in  that  day,  of  this  verse,  will 
point  to  the  visitiitioii  upon  Jerusalem,  before 
the  end  of  that  generation.  Then,  when  the 
Roman  forces  should  be  at  hand  (seech. 21 :  20 r), 
there  would  be  no  security  for  Christ's  disciples 
but  in  immediateflight.— He  which  shall  be 
upon  the  housetop,  etc.  A  graphic  enforce- 
ment of  the  necessity  of  haste.  An^'  one  in  the 
(Mty,  at  the  moment  on  the  flat  roof  of  his  house, 
whither  they  went  for  fresh  air,  or  retirement 
and  meditation,  must,  as  soon  as  he  is  in- 
formed of  the  impending  danger,  give  all 
heed  to  escape  from  the  city.  To  save  property 
in  the  house  below  must  not  detain  him.  To 
descend,  if  that  could  be  done  without  deten- 
tion, or  to  rescue  dependent  lives,  is  not  in 
these  terms  forbidden;  but  the  losing  of  time 
to  save  goods.  One  must,  of  course,  leave  the 
roof  somehow  ;  but  it  is  probable  that,  in  many 
cases,  time  might  be  gained  by  passing  from 
one  roof  to  another  before  coming  down.  The 
same  direction  would  apply,  with  the  requisite 


modification,  to  all  who  should  be  in  any  city. 
—And  he  that  is  in  the  field,  let  him  like' 
wise  not  return  back,  viz.  :  to  his  house,  to 
rescue  property,  or  promote  any  temporal  in- 
terest. Godet  would  apply  these  two  verses 
also  to  the  duties  pertaining  to  the  final  ad- 
vent; but  this  is,  in  our  judgment,  rather  to 
extort  a  sense  than  to  develop  the  true  sense. 

3i.  It  is  a  case  like  that  of  the  destruction 
of  Sodom,  where  infinite  consequencesdepend 
on  expedition  and  even  haste. — Remember 
Lot's  wife.  She  stands  as  a  perpetual  me- 
mento to  subsequent  generations  of  the  danger 
of  delay  in  the  crisis  of  salvation.  It  is  always 
a  crisis  of  salvation  to  one  who  has  not  solidly 
established  peace  between  himself  and  God. 

33.  Whosoever  shall  seek  to  save  (liter- 
ally, ^a/n  =  acquire)  his  life  shall  lose  it. 
This,  with  what  follows,  connects  itself  not 
inappropriately  with  verse  31,  regarded  as 
referring  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  as  is 
perfectly  natural  from  the  typical  character 
of  the  latter  event.  But  with  the  most  perfect 
propriety  it  continues  the  train  of  discourse 
supposed  to  be  interrupted  at  ver.  30,  as  re- 
lating to  the  last  judgment.  In  reference  to 
that,  all  efforts  to  secure  the  natural  life,  at 
the  sacrifice  of  fidelity  to  the  Lord,  will  be 
thrown  away,  and  result  in  a  lo.ss  of  the  life 
eternal.  On  the  contrary,  whosoever  shall 
lose  his  life — faithfully  persevere  in  obedi- 
ence to  Christ ,  even  unto  death,  if  necessary 
— shall  preserve  it,  by  carrying  it  forward, 
perfected  and  blessed,  in  the  heavenly  state. 

34-36.  The  world,  alas!  will  not  have 
been  all  converted  to  Christ,  and  sad  discrim- 
inations of  destiny  will  be  made,  involving 
eternal  breach  of  the  nearest  natural  associa- 
tions.— In  that  night  there  shall  be  two 
men  in  one   bed,  etc.     The  word  night,  so 


266 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVIII. 


35  Two  women  shall  be  grinding  together;   the  one  !  35  shall  be  left.    There  shall  be  two  women  grinding 


shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  leti, 

31)  Two  men  shall  be  in  the  field  ;  the  one  shall  be 
taken,  and  the  other  left. 

37  And  they  answered  and  said  nnto  him,  "Where, 
Lord?  And  he  said  unto  them.  Wheresoever  the  body 
is,  thither  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together. 


together;  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  shall 
37  be  left. '     And  they  answering  say  unto  him,  W.here, 
Lord?    And  he  said  unto  them.  Where  the  body  is, 
thither  will  the  2  eagles  also  be  gathered  together. 


AND  ho  spake  a  parable  unto  them  to  this  end,  that 
men  ought  ''always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint; 
'2  Saying,  There  was  in  a  city  a  judge,  which  feared 
not  God,  neither  regarded  man  : 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

1  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them  to  the  end  that 

2  they  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  taint ;  saying, 


c  Job  39:  30;  Matt.  24  :  ^8 6  cli.  tl  :  5;  '.Jl  ;  36 ;  Rom.  t'2  :  12;  Ephes.  6:  18;  Cot.  4:2:1  Tlie*8.  5;  17. 1  Some  aucient  authorities  add 

ver.  36,  There  shall  be  two  men  in  the  field ;  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  shall  be  left 2  Or,  vultures. 


used,  no  more  obliges  us  to  believe  the 
Parousia  will  occur  in  the  night  time  than 
the  mention,  afterward,  of  grinding  at  the 
mill  proves  that  it  will  take  place  in  the  dtiy- 
light.  Indeed,  we  know  that  it  must  take 
place  to  some  in  the  daj'-time,  while  it  is 
night  to  others.  So  one  example  is  taken 
here  from   the  night  and  one  from  the  day. 

—  The  one  —  who  is  read3'  for  Christ's 
coming  —  shall  be  taken  —  to  the  eternal 
felicity  of  the  glorified  kingdom  ;  the  other 

—  when  unprepared  —  shall  be  left — apart 
from  all  that  joy,  in  his  own  appropriate 
iexperience. 

35.  Women,  among  their  other  drudgery, 
had  each  morning  to  grind  the  quantity  of 
meal  for  the  family  uses  during  the  day. 
This  was  done  with  a  hand-mill,  at  which  the 
strength  of  two  women  was  required.  Thus 
is  indicated  the  interest  of  women  also  in  the 
solemn  lesson. 

Ver.  36  of  the  Received  Greek  Testament 
and  of  the  Common  Version  is,  beyond  rea- 
sonable question,  an  interpolation  here  in 
Luke,  from  Matt.  24:  40. 

37.  And  they  —  the  disciples  (ver.  22) — an- 
swered and  said  (or,  literally,  answering 
sny)  unto  him.  Where,  Lord?  Where  will 
these  wonderful  events  take  pltice?  Bewil- 
dered, perhaps,  certainly  not  intent  simply  on 
the  practical  use  of  what  the  Master  had  com- 
municated, the  disciples,  as  the  Pharisetis  had 
asked  after  the  precise  time  of  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  kingdom,  seek  to  know  \ts  place. 
But  our  Lord  knew  how  to  turn  their  minds 
from  outside  matters  of  curiosity  to  deeper 
truths,  requiring  and  exercising  spiritual  pen- 
etration.— Where  the  body  is.  Body  = 
carcass  (Matt.  24:  .s);  thati.s,  of  a  dead  animal,  is 
a  symbol  of  the  spiritually  dead  mass  of 
men  whom  the  Advent  will  overtake. — 
Thither  will  the  eagles  be  gathered 
together.     Perhaps  the   more  correct  word 


for  eagles  would  have  been  "vultures"  ;  but 
it  matters  little,  as  the  vultures  were  eagle- 
like, and  both  sorts  familiar  in  Palestine, 
were  carrion  eaters.  They  represent  the  min- 
isters of  God's  justice  (comp.  Matt.  13:  41-42), 
and  will  be  present  wherever  the  guilty  are 
found.  In  this  view  the  accomplishment  of 
the  kingdom  is  considered  in  its  bearing  on 
the  impenitent  and  incorrigible;  and  we  are 
taught  that  it  can  as  little  be  located  in  a  par- 
ticular place  as  referred  to  a  definite  time. 


Ch.  18. — 1-8.  Duty  of  Unremitting 
Prayer.    Parable  of  the  Unjust  Judge. 

1.  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them — 

— the  disciples — ta  this  end,  that  men  (bet- 
ter, they)  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to 

faint.  Not  content  with  foretelling  and  de- 
scribing that  perilous  period  (ch.  17:22  er.),  he 
spake  a  parable,  to  illustrate  their  duty  in 
the  long  waiting  for  his  advent. — Always  to 
pray— to  be  always  praying.  His  object  was 
not  so  much  to  teach  this  duty  as,  assuming  it, 
to  show  something  of  the  manner  and  effect  of 
it.  They  would  be  in  great  danger  of  losing 
heart  (ch- 17:  22)  and  forsaking  their  faith,  the 
remedy  for  which  would  be  unceasing  prayer; 
and  in  reference  to  this  duty  {nphs  to  Seiv,  k.  t.  a.), 
he  spake  the  parable. 

2.  Saying,  There  was  in  a  city  a  judge, 
which  (v>ho)  feared  not  God,  neither  re- 
garded man.  The  Greek  gives  a  fictitious 
character  to  the  narrative  by  saying  a  certain 
city,  a  certain  judge.  That  our  Saviour 
should  represent  his  Father  by  so  unworthy  a 
judge  is  perplexing,  till  one  notices  that  it  is 
by  way  of  contrast  that  he  so  represents  him. 
It  is,  in  this  respect,  like  the  parable  of  the  un- 
neighborly  friend  (ch. it:  sir.),  and  analogous  to 
that  of  the  unju.st  steward  (oh.  ib:  1  tr.).  To  give 
the  intended  lesson  of  perseverance  in  prayer 
under  discouragement,  .Jesus  could  not  so  for- 
cibly have  used  the  image  of  an  earthly  judge, 


Oil.  XVIII.] 


LUKE. 


267 


3  And  there  was  a  widow  in  that  city  ;  and  she  came 
unto  him,  saying,  Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary. 

4  And  lie  would  not  tor  a  while:  but  alterward  he 
said  within  himsell,  Though  I  fear  not  Uod,  nor  regard 
man  ; 

r>  o  Yet  because  this  widow  troubleth  mc,  I  will 
avenge  her,  lest  by  her  continual  coming  she  weary  me. 

6  And  the  Lord  said,  Hear  what  llie  unjust  judge 
saitb. 

7  And  *shall  not  (iod  avenge  his  own  elect,  which 
cry  day  and  night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with 
them  ? 


3  There  was  in  a  city  a  judge,  who  feared  not  (jod, 
and  regarded  not  man:  and  there  was  u  widow  iu 
that    city ;    and    she    came   oft    unto    him,    .saying, 

4  'Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary.  .\nd  be  woula  not 
lora  while:  but  alterward   he  said  within   lumsell, 

5  Though  1  fear  not  (iod,uor  regard  man;  yet  Ucausc 
this  widow  troubleth  me,  I  will  avenge  her,  2  lest  she 

6  wear  me  out  by  her  continual  coming.     And   the 

7  Lord  said,  Hear  what  ^  the  unrighteous  judge  sailh. 


a  ch.  11:8 b  Rev.  8 :  10. 1  Or,  Do  mejuatice  of:  and  ao  in  ver.  5.  7,  8 'I  Gr.  1>ru\»t ;  or,  Ie«l  at  latt  by  her  coming  *ke  wear  m« 

out 3  Or.  the  judge  o/  unrighleotuneti. 


upright,  and  promptly  considerate  of  the 
equity  of  a  cau.se.  But  when  he  shows  that 
such  perseverance  might  overcome  the  slug- 
gishness of  one  most  utterly  void  of  piety, 
justice,  and  philanthropy — fearing  not  God, 
nor  caring  for  the  rights  or  wrongs  and  sufler- 
ings  of  men — he  had  already  proved  what 
power  it  would  have  with  our  just  and  com- 
passionate God. 

3.  And  there  was  a  widow  in  that  city. 
She  represents  Christ's  disciples,  his  church. 
No  image  could  be  better  suited  to  express 
their  helplessness  and  pitiable  state  in  an  un- 
friendly world,  and  their  absolute  dependence 
on  the  equity  of  the  Supreme. Judge. — And  she 
came  (oft)  unto  him,  or,  kept  coming  to  him, 
showing  that  her  case  was  urgent,  and  received 
little  attention,  saying.  Avenge  me  of  mine 
adversary — do  me  ju.stice  against  him,  so 
that  I  may  be  free  from  injuries  and  annoy- 
ance at  his  hands.  The  special  nature  of  her 
wrongs,  whether  of  dues  withheld,  or  unjust 
claims  alleged,  is  left  entirely  to  imagination. 
4.  And  he  would  not  for  a  while — 
and  evidently  never  would,  from  any  dispo- 
sition to  do  justice  in  the  case.  But  after- 
ward he  said  within  himself.  Though, 
etc.  He  owns  himself  insensible  to  any  un- 
selfish and  proper  motive,  from  heaven  or 
earth. 

5.  Yet  because  this  widow  troubleth 
me — as  I  have  some  regard  for  self,  for  my 
own  ease  and  quiet.  I  will  avenge  her — 
cause  justice  to  be  done  her,  and  defeat  her  ad- 
versary. Lest  by  her  continual  coming— 
"her  coming  forever." — Dr.  S.  Davidson — 
she  weary  me.  The  preferable  rendering 
is,  lest  she  come  at  last  and  beat  me.  Greek, 
"lest  at  last  coming  she  beat  me."  For 
the  last  clause  the  Revision  substitutes 
"wear  me  out,"  but  places  "bruise"  in 
the  margin  as  the  sense  of  the  Greek.  The 
(Jreek   word    is  hard  to   translate   faithfully  ' 


without  an  appearance  of  unbecoming  levity. 
But  our  Lord  pictures  the  un|)rincipled  judge 
to  the  life.  In  the  spirit  of  mingled  impatience 
and  jest,  he  uses  a  verb  which  signifies  "  togive 
one  a  black  eye";  much  like  our  "to  beat 
one  black  and  blue."  In  his  bantering  so- 
liloquy the  man  supposes  she  may  do  him 
bodily  harm;  lest  she  pound  me.  (Vulg. 
siKjillet  me.)  See,  particularly,  Farrar  on 
the  passage. 

6.  Hear  what  the  unjust  judge — Greek, 
judge  of  injustice — saith.  Behold  how  such 
a  wretch  is  constrained  bj'  inces.sant  petitions 
against  his  inclination  to  help  a  woman  in 
distress. 

7.  And  shall  not  God  avenge— cause  the 
vindication  of— his  own  elect  (omit  own), 
which  cry  day  and  night  unto  him  ?  The 
argument  is  what  logic  calls  from  the  less  to 
the  greater.  If  such  a  man,  from  mere  selfish 
annoyance  at  importunity,  will  do  what  i.'* 
requested,  how  much  more  will  a  holy  and 
righteous  God  hear  the  prayers  of  his  chosen 
people,  ascending  by  day  and  by  night,  for 
deliverance  from  affliction?  Though  he 
bear  long,  etc.  ;  rather.  And  he  is  long-suf- 
fering over  them.  This  reading  is  better 
supported  than  that  of  the  Common  Version. 
The  construction  and  meaning  is  not  clearly 
obviou.s,  which  may  have  occasioned  a  change 
of  the  text:  We  might  tran.slate  interroga- 
tively, "Will  he  not  avenge  ....  and  will 
he  be  long-suffering  over  them  ?  "  that  is  so  as 
to  spare  their  adversaries?  The  answer  to 
the  last  question  would  then  be  "No."  Or, 
we  may  regard  this  sentence  as  having  slipped 
colloquially  from  the  relative  into  the  direct 
affirmative  form;  "which  cr^' unto  him  and 
he  is  long-suflfering  over  them,"  instead  of 
"which  cry,  and  over  whom  he  is  long-.suflrer- 
ing,"  i.  e.,  bears  long  with  their  adversaries. 
The  latter  we  prefer.  It  supposes  that  there 
is  to  be  some  delay  in  God's  vindication  of 


268 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVIII. 


8  I  tell  you  "that  he  will  avenge  them  speedily. 
Nevertheless  when  the  Bon  of  man  comelh,  shall  he 
tind  faith  on  the  earth  ? 

y  And  he  spake  tliis  parable  unto  certain  'which 
trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and 
despised  others : 

10  Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray;  the 
one  a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  a  publican. 


8  And  shall  not  (Jod  avenge  his  elect,  who  cry  to  him 
day  and  night,  i  and  yet  he  is  lougsuilcnng  over 
them'.'  1  say  unto  you,  that  he  will  avenge  them 
speedily.  Howbeit  when  the  Sou  of  man  comelh, 
shall  he  find  2  faith  on  the  earth  ? 

9  And  he  spake  also  this  parable  unto  certain  who 
trusled  in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and 

10  set  ^all  others  at  nought:  Two  men  went  up  into  the 
temple  to  pray  ;  the  one  a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  a 


a  Heb.  10:  37;  2  Pe(.  3  :  8,  St 6  ch.  10:  29;  16:  15. 1  Or,  and  is  he  alow  to  punish  on  ttieir  behalf  f 2  Or,  the  faith 3  Or.  thereet. 


his  church,  even  while  she  calls  on  hira, 
whether  for  her  own  increase  of  sanctlfication, 
or  that  tlie  time  of  her  enemies  may  be  ful- 
filled; but  the  answer  will  come. 

8.  I  tell  you  (better,  siy  uiito  you)  that 
he  will  avenge  them  speedily.  The  ques- 
tion proposed  answers  itself  in  tiie asking;  but 
this  "I  say  unto  you''  betrays  the  depth  of 
the  Saviour's  earnestness.  Speedily  cannot, 
in  consistency  with  the  design  of  the  parable 
(ver.  1),  mean  "very  soon,"  measured  from  the 
moment  of  its  utterance  ;  but  measured  from 
the  point  where  the  vindication  begins,  after 
long  waiting,  it  will  soon  be  accomplished. — 
Nevertheless,  when  the  Son  of  man  com- 
eth,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth?  He 
bad  already  foretold  (cn.  n :  26, 27)  that,  at  his  ad- 
vent, the  disciples  would  find  themselves  in  a 
world  given  up  to  business  and  pleasure,  ut- 
terly forgetful  of  him.  At  another  time, 
looking  forward  into  the  same  general  state 
of  things,  he  said  (Matt. 24: 12),  "and  because  in- 
iquity shall  abound,  the  love  of  many  shall 
wax  cold."  And  now  the  prospectof  the  trials 
and  temptations  to  which  his  followers  are 
to  be  subjected  before  his  return,  is  so  clearly 
present  to  him,  so  much  had  he  seen  already 
of  the  possibility  of  defection,  that  our  Lord 
appears  sadly  to  question  whether  he  should,  at 
his  coming,  find  faith,  manifested  in  perse- 
vering prayer,  like  that  of  the  widow,  still 
existing  on  the  earth.  Shall  not  his  very 
earnest  concern  in  this  matter  itself  so  affect 
many  hearts  of  his  followers,  that  they  will 
not  be  found  asleep,  or  intoxicated  with  the 
spirit  of  the  world? 

9-14.  Parable  of  thk  Pharisee  and 
Publican. 

It  is  not  so  clear  that  what  is  now  to  be  re- 
lated followed  immediately  upon  the  preceding 
events.  It  may  have  done  so,  and  Luke  prob- 
ably received  the  account  of  it  as  belonging 
to  this  journey  and  time. 

9.  And  he  spake  {also)  this  parable  unto 
certain  which  trusted,  etc.  To  what  class, 
sect,  or  party,  they  belonged,  or  whether  to 


any  one  class,  is  not  told  us.     It  is,  consider- 
ing the    commonness    of    unreasonable    self- 
esteem,  well  left  applicable  equally  to  disciples 
and  unbelievers,  Pharisees  and  publicans,  to 
all  who  trusted  in  themselves — had  confi- 
dence resting  on  themselves — that  they  were 
righteous.     The  word  righteous  is  used  in 
its  ordinary,  Old  Testament  sense,  meaning, 
"conformed  to  the  will  of  God,"  and  so  enti- 
tled to  his  favor.     Whoever  thinks  he  already 
stands  well  enough  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
needs   no   repentance   and  spiritual  renewal, 
belongs  to  the  kind  of  people  here  intended. 
An  exact  translation  gives  the  sentence  a  per- 
fectly general   reference:   "Certain  who  trust 
in  themselves  that  they  are  righteous,  and  set 
others  at  naught." — So  Dr.  S.  Davidson.    Our 
curiosity  is  naturally  excited  as  to  the  partic- 
ular marks  by  which  Jesus  at  this  time  recog- 
nized  such.     They  seem  to  have  been  very 
clearly  differentiated  to  him. — And  despised 
others  (lit.,  set  all  others  at  naught).     The 
next  step  to  the  opinion  that  one  is  as  good  as 
is  necessary,  is  spiritual  pride.     Pride  is  essen- 
tially the  disparagement  of  others  in  compar- 
ison with  oneself.     So  this  clause  is  only  the 
other  face  of  the  same  medal.     God's  right- 
eousness in  a  man  will  lead  him,  first,  to  look 
on  whatever  he  can  possibly  approve  in  him 
self  as  the   fruit  of  divine   grace;  and,  sec- 
ondly, to  recognize  good  in  every  fellow-man  ; 
at  least,  not  to  think  all  others  of  no  account. 
10,  11.  Two  men  went  up  into  the  tem- 
ple, etc.     In  prayer,  if  anywhere,    we   may 
expect  to  discern  the  true  character  of  men. 
It  was  consistent  with  the  whole  formal  and 
ritualistic    character   of   the   Old    Testament 
religion    that    the    temple    should    give    a 
special  sacredness  and  value  to  its  exercises. 
Hence,  we  tind  that  all  who  lived  at  Jerusalem 
thought  it  important  to  offer  their  prayers,  at 
the  hours  consecrated  to  that,  in  the  temple 
courts.     Thus,  all  classes  and  qualities  of  men 
would  come  into  proximity  and  comparison 
there.     The  Saviour  signalizes  two,  standing 
at  the  opposite  poles  of  reputed  righteousness, 


Ch.  XVIIL] 


LUKE. 


269 


11  The  Pharisee  "stowl  and  prayed  thus  with  hin:- 
self,  »(i<)d,  I  tliank  thee,  that  lam  not  as  other  luuii  are, 
extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publi- 
can. 

12  I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I 
possess. 

1,J  .Vud  the  publican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift 
up  so  much  as  luii  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote  upon  his 
breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner. 


11  publican.  The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with 
himself,  God,  1  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  ax  the  rest 
of  men,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even   as 

12  this  publican.    1  last  twice  in  the  week  ;  1  give  tithes 

13  of  all  that  I  get.  But  the  publican,  standing  afar  oil", 
would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  tinlo  lieaven, 
but  smote  his  breast,  saying,  God,  i  be  merciful  to  me 


a  Ps.  1S5 :  2 b  Isa.  1 :  15 ;  58 :  2 ;  Bev.  2 :  17. 1  Or,  6e  propitiattd. 


a  Pharisee  and  a  publican,  in  regard  to 
whom,  he  is  partiouhir  to  intimate,  that  they 
had  one  thing  in  common:  they  were  both 
men.  See  the  general  account  of  the  two 
classes,  on  ch.  3:  12;  5:  17.— The  Pharisee 
stood.  It  is  not  intended  to  reprehend  the 
standing  posture,  for  that  was  then  common, 
and  the  publican  also  assumed  it.  But  the 
Greek  word  implies  a  certain  ostentation  and 
formality  in  his  act,  like  our  "taking  his 
stand"  (Hebrew,  yatsabh,  Hithp.). — And 
prayed  thus  with  himself.  Tlie  authorities 
leave  it  not  quite  certain  whether  we  should 
connect  the  words  "stood  by  himself,  and 
prayed  thus,"  or,  as  just  given.  The  latter  is 
much  more  probable.  With  himself— includ- 
ing the  idea  of  "by  himself,"  "apart,"  but, 
specifically,  "to  himself" — in  his  unexpressed 
thought. — "  God,  I  thank  thee."  The  omis- 
sion of  the  interjection  O,  is  warranted  by 
the  Greek,  which  uses  only  the  vocative  (or 
nominative)  case;  but  as  that  is  true  of  a 
thousand  instances  in  the  New  (likewise  in  the 
Old)  Testament,  where  the  feeling  of  tran.s- 
lators  has  led  them  to  prefix  the  interjection, 
we  cannot  understand  this  as  designed  to  in- 
dicate lack  of  reverence  in  the  Pharisee.  The 
publican  again  followed  the  same  wa^'.  We 
may  judge  him,  not  bj'  the  form,  but  by  the 
substance,  the  contents,  of  his  prayer. — That 
I  am  not  as  other  men  are  (lit.,  as  the  rest 
of  men),  etc.  Here  we  see  nothing  properly 
called  prayer,  as  there  is  not  a  word  of  sup- 
plication, or  even  request,  in  it.  There  is  no 
confession,  no  consciousness  of  sin  or  moral 
deficiency,  no  want  of  anything.  There  is  an 
air  of  thanksgiving  to  God,  but  without  evi- 
dence of  reason  for  it,  to  assure  us  of  sincerity ; 
as  he  ascribes  nothing  of  his  vaunted  excel- 
lences to  God's  help  or  influence,  but  enumer- 
ates all  as  if  they  were  a  natural  growth  out 
of  his  unaided  nature.  It  is  a  most  graphic 
self-delineation  of  one  who  trusts  in  himself 
that  he  is  righteous.  The  meritorious  grounds 
of  his  proud  thankfulness  are,  negatively, 
that  I  am  not  as  the  rest  of  men.     He,  in 


terms,  makes  of  himself  one  class,  possibly  in- 
tending to  embrace  other  members  of  his  own 
sect,  over  against  which  he  looks  down  on  the 
other  class,  embracing  all  the  human  race  be- 
sides. The  latter  are  conceived  of  as  guilty 
of  the  sins  which  pertain  not  to  him — extor- 
tioners, unjust, — or,  unrighteous — adul- 
terers. A  truly  sublime  display  of  the  set- 
ting at  naught  of  other  men.  We  may  com- 
pare the  divine  judgment  of  his  class,  at  least, 
in  ch.  11  :  42  fl'.,  with  the  parallel  passages 
in  Matthew  and  Mark,  and  John  8:  7-9. — 
Or  even  as  this  publican.  How,  then, 
does  the  publican  stand  towards  the  rest  of 
mankind?  He  must  be  one  of  them,  and  the 
even  presupposes  that  he  is  not  necessarily  so 
bad  as  the  criminals  who  have  been  named. 
It  is  hard  to  think  that  a  Pharisee  would 
acknowledge  anything  good  in  a  publican  ; 
but,  perhaps,  the  fact  that  the  latter  is  found 
in  the  house  of  prayer,  at  the  proper  hour,  is 
allowed  some  weight  in  his  favor.  That  is  the 
more  charitable  view  of  the  Pharisee's  mean- 
ing. Itmtiybe  understood,  I  thank  thee  that 
I  am  not  as  bad  as  even  this  publican,  not  to 
say  extortioners,  etc.  The  deficiency  of  other 
men  goes  even  to  that  length. 

12.  The  positive  virtues  of  this  paragon  are, 
I  fast  twice  in  the  week ;  I  give  tithes  of 
all  that  I  possess  (or,  get,  or,  acquire).  Both 
were  extra-legal  merits,  as  no  weekly  fasting 
was  required  by  the  law,  and  tithes  were  due 
not  from  ail  gains,  but  only  from  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  fields.  These  are  doubtless 
mentioned  as  tj-pical  of  the  whole  .sy.stem  of 
traditional  performances,  which,  totheabomi- 
nation  of  Jesus,  had  superseded  the  weightier 
matters  of  the  law— judgment,  and  the  love  of 
God.  Thus  ends  the  Pharisee's  pretence  of  a 
prayer. 

13.  But  the  publican,  stan«ling  afar 
ofT- as  if  feeling  himself  unworthy  to  mingle 
with  other  worshipers,  or  to  come  near  the 
sanctuary — would  not  lift  up  so  much  as 
his  eyes  unto  heaven — so  far  was  he  from 
"taking  his  stand"  like  the   Pharisee — but 


270 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVIII. 


14  I  tell  you,  this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justi- 
fied rattier  than  the  other:  "for  every  one  that  exalteth 
hiujselt'  shall  be  abased;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself 
shall  be  exalted. 

1")  'And  they  brought  unto  him  also  infants,  that  he 
would  touch  them:  but  when  Aj«  disciples  saw  t/,  they 
rebuked  them. 

li)  But  .lesus  called  them  unlo  him,  and  said,  Suffer 
little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not: 
for  »  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  (iod. 


14  'a  sinner.  I  say  unto  you,  This  man  went  down  to 
his  house  justitied  rather  than  the  other:  lor  every 
one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled;  but  he 
that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exiilted. 

15  And  they  were  bringing  unto  him  also  their  babes, 
that  he  should  touch  them:  but  when  the  disciples 

16  saw  it,  they  rebuked  them.  But  .lesus  called  them 
unto  him,  saying,  Sutler  the  little  children  to  come 
unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not ;  for  -'  to  such  belongeth 


JohTi:  29;  Matt.  23;  12;  oh.  14  ;  II ;  Jaoies  4 :  6;  I  Pet,  5^5,  6.... i  Malt.  19:  13;  Mark  10:  13.... c  I  Cor.  14:  20;  1  Pet.  2:2.- 

tAe  ainncr* . .  .2  Or,  o/  such  is. 


smote — kept    smiting — upon    his    breast — 

"the  seat  of  conscience"  (Beng. ),  in  token 
of  grief  mid  shame  for  his  sin.  Saying, 
God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner ;  properly, 
</te  sinner.  The  American  Bible  Union  Ver- 
sion and  Dr.  S.  Davidson  give  the  article 
conformably  to  the  Greek,  and  .  the  Re- 
vision allows  it  as  the  alternative.  The 
verb  rendered  be  merciful,  found  else- 
where in  the  New  Testament  only  once,  signi- 
fies "be  thou  propitiated,"  and  implies  the 
need  of  expiation,  in  order  to  reconciliation 
with  God.  We  cannot  say  that  the  Saviour 
meant  to  make  the  publican  distinctly  con- 
scious of  this  meaning,  but  a  word  is  ascribed 
to  him  which  carries  the  feeling  of  it.  He  cer- 
tainly might  have  thought  of  the  sacrificial 
significance  of  the  offerings  connected  with 
the  hour  of  evening  prayer  (oh.  i:  9-io).  And 
that  was  all  the  publican's  prayer.  Unlike 
the  efTusion  of  the  Pharisee,  it  was  all  prayer. 
And  what  element  of  a  true  prayer,  in  the 
light  of  his  time,  did  it  lack?  It  was  a  most 
earnest  and  humble  petition,  from  the  heart, 
giving  utterance  to  profound  repentance,  an 
all  absorbing  desire  for  the  favor  of  God, 
through  mercy  alone,  as  the  fruit  of  atone- 
ment. 

14.  The  Saviour's  vigorous  I  say  unto  you 
— repeated  (see  on  ver.  8) — assures  us  that  it 
had  the  effect  of  true  prayer. — This  man 
went  down  to  his  house — which  would  nat- 
urally be  lower  than  the  temple— justified 
rather  than  the  other.  The  Greek  verb 
"justified"  is  cognate  with  the  adjective  for 
"righteous"  (ver. 9).  Thus  the  outcome  of 
the  parable  is  that  those  who  feel  and  own 
their  sins  in  prayer  to  God  are  recognized  by 
him  as  righteous  (justified),  while  those  who 
trust  in  themselves  that  they  are  so  remain 
condemned. — For  every  one  that  exalteth 
himself— cherishes  a  high  sense  of  his  own 
goodness — shall  be  abased — rated  low  in 
God's  esteem;  but  he  that  humbleth  him- 
self—takes a  low  view  of  himself,  in  relation 


to  God  and  his  fellow-men — shall  be  exalted 

— in  the  favor  of  God.  God's  thoughts  of  a 
man  are  inversely  as  his  own  of  himself,  when 
he  is  considering  his  standing  before  God. 

15-17.  Christ's  Treatment  of  Little 
Children. 

Here  our  narrative  comes  into  parallel  again 
with  the  other  Synoptical  Gospels.  (Matt.  19 ;  13  ir.; 
Mark  10:  13  fr.).  From  this  point  forward  Luke 
proceeds,  for  the  most  ptirt,  side  hy  side  with 
one  or  both  the  others.  Either  he  has  reached 
the  end  of  his  special  account  of  this  journey, 
or  has  taken  from  it  all  that  answered  to  his 
design.  By  comparing  the  order  in  Mark's 
Gospel,  we  see  that  this  incident  occurred 
after  an  instructive  discourse  concerning 
divorce. 

15.  And  they  brought  unto  him — were  at 
the  time  bringing  unto  him — also  infants 
(their  babes),  that  he  should  touch  them. 
Mothers  in  the  companj'^  that  now  followed 
him,  impressed  with  his  holiness  and  be- 
nignity, and  finding  their  own  souls  helped  by 
his  teaching  and  consolation,  desired  his  bless- 
ing on  theirchildren.  To  this  end  they  wished 
him  to  touch  them  ;  put  his  hands  on  them, 
as  the  gesture  of  blessing,  and  pray.  (Matt.  i9:  is.) 
There  is  no  evidence  that  they  expected  any 
material  effect  from  thelayingonof  his  hands, 
but  they  may  have  supposed  that  this  act 
would  constitute  a  physical  channel  for  the 
spiritual  benefit  from  the  holy  prophet  to  the 
child. — But  when  his  disciples  saw  it — 
that  they  were  actually  bringing  their  infants 
into  contact  with  the  Master— they  rebuked 
them — spoke  chidingly,  to  prevent  them  from 
carrying  out  their  purpose.  The  disciples 
probably  thought  it  wrong  that  the  time  of 
their  Lord  should  be  taken  up  about  women 
and  little  children.  It  was  beneath  his  dig- 
nity, and  likely  to  diminish  the  honor  in 
which  they  would  wish  him  to  be  held. 

16.  But  Jesus  called  them  unto  him — 
either  addressing  the  little  ones  directly,  in 
tones    of   gentle    invitation,   or  bidding  the 


Ch.  XVIII.] 


LUKE. 


271 


17  «  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  not  re- 
ceive the  kingdoui  of  Ciud  as  a  little  child  shall  in  no 
wise  enter  therein. 

18  'And  a  certain  ruler  aske<l  hiiu, '  saying,  Good 
Master,  what  shall  1  do  to  inherit  eternal  lite? 


17  the  kingdoui  of  ( iod.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whoso- 
ever sliall  not  receive  the  kingdoui  of  (iod  as  a  little 
child,  he  shall  iu  no  wise  enter  therein. 

18  And  a  certain  ruler  asked  hiui,  saying.  Good  >  Mas- 


a  Murk  10  :  15 b  Matt.  19 :  16  ;  Mark  10  :  17. 1  Or,  Teacher. 


parents  to  bring  them,  and  said — to  the  dis 
ciples— unci    thus    severely   rebuking   them— 
suffer  [the)  little  children  to  come  unto 
me,  and   forbid — hinder — them  not.     Our 

Lord  thus  expressed  the  deep  interest  which 
he  ever  felt  in  little  children,  and  may  well, 
at  the  same  time,  have  desired  to  administer 
salutary  correction  to  the  arrogant  mind  of 
his  disciples.  Indeed,  it  seems  extremely 
probable  that,  if  the  disciples  had  not  inter- 
fered, Jesus  would  have  simply  granted  the 
request  of  the  mothers,  and  we  should  have 
heard  little  of  it.  The  following  account  is 
rather  a  lesson  to  the  disciples,  than  a  judg- 
ment concerning  the  state  of  children.  The 
use  of  a  word  appropriate  to  babes,  and  of 
another  denoting  little  children,  to  the  same 
persons,  shows  that  they  were  of  various 
tiges,  from  earliest  infancy  up.  For  of  such 
is  the  kingdom  of  God.  Such — in  re- 
spect to  docility,  submissiveness,  absence  of 
worldly  ambition,  and  filial  love,  are  the 
members  of  my  kingdom.  Of  course  it  is 
not  meant  that  all  the  traits  of  all  children 
are  desired  by  Christ  in  his  followers;  but 
those  which  all  recognize  as  appropriate  to 
early  childhood,  and  notice  with  pleasure  in 
them. 

17.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Whosoever 
shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as 
a  little  child,  etc.  This  generalizes  the 
preceding  statement,  and  shows,  not  that 
mere  child-likeness  guarantees  membership  in 
Christ's  kingdom ;  but  that,  without  that 
teachableness,  humility,  trust,  and  obedience, 
no  one  can  have  part  or  lot  therein.  Thus  it 
explains  how  multitudes  of  excellent  people, 
as  the  world  judges,  naturally  remain  aloof 
from  connection  with  Christ.  Yet  who  can 
deny  or  doubt  that  this  childlike  attitude 
toward  God  and  his  gracious  offers  in  the 
gospel,  is  as  much  more  reasonable  for  a  man 
than  the  opposite  character,  as  it  is  in  the 
case  of  a  child  toward  its  earthly  parent? 
The  attempt  to  draw  any  direct  authority  for 
infant  baptism  from  this  passage,  has  long 
been  given  up  by  scholars.  The  absolute 
lack  of  all  proper  ground  for  that  practice  is 


I  indicated,  however,  in  the  way  even  so  excel- 
lent a  commentator  as  Van  Oosterzee  still 
strives  to  draw  some  warrant  from  these 
verses.  "The  desire  of  the  mothers  to  see 
their  children  blessed  by  Jesus  sprang  from  a 
similar  feeling  of  need  [to  that]  from  which 
afterward  the  baptism  of  children  proceeded," 
But  the  baptism  of  children  is  a  sacrament,  in 
the  view  of  all  Pedobaptist  theologians;  and 
does  a  sacrament  proceed  from  the  wish  of 
mothers?  Kather,  as  they  (Protestants,  at 
least)  tell  us,  from  express  divine  appointment, 
recorded  in  the  Scripture.  Van  Oo.^terzee 
proceeds:  "The  Saviour,  who  approved  the 
first  named  wish,  would,  if  asked  about  it, 
undoubtedly  not  stand  in  the  way  of  the 
latter."  This  "undoubtedly"  is  surely  too 
.strong.  If  it  were  certain  that  the  Saviour 
was  favorable  to  infant  baptism,  why  did  he 
not  say  it,  or  have  it  said  ?  If  the  idea  be  that 
he  would  now  consent  to  it,  if  asked,  it  i.s 
amazing  that  one  aware  of  the  innumerable 
and  inexpressible  evils  which  have  obviously 
cursed  his  cause  in  consequence  of  it,  should 
dream  of  such  a  thing. 

18-23.  A  Ruler  Instruotkd  as  to  thk 
Attainment  of  Eternal  Life. 

18.  And  a  certain  ruler  asked  him,  say> 
ing.  Good  Master— f^ffcAp;— what  shall  I 
do  to  inherit  eternal  life?  As  ruler,  he 
was  a  magistrate  of  some  degree,  probably  as 
a  head  man  of  the  synagogue.  Matthew  19: 
20,  tells  us  that  he  was  "a  young  man,"  and 
Mark  10:  17,  that  he  was  very  earnest  in  his 
manner,  running  to  meet  Jesus,  as  he  was 
coming  out  of  some  house,  and  "kneeling 
before  him."  Everything  promised  a  willing 
and  obedient  learner.  There  is  no  appearance 
of  a  desire  to  "tempt"  Jesus,  as  in  a  .some- 
what similar  case  (oh.  lo:  25),  but  a  sincere  wi.sh 
to  know  the  truth  touching  a  most  important 
question.  His  address  to  Jesus  shows  that  he 
regarded  him  simply  as  a  Teacher=Rabbi ; 
and  the  epithet  "good"  would  have  as  much 
the  air  of  patronage  as  of  reverence.  The 
question.  What  shall  I  do  ?  etc.,  proves  him 
to  stand  on  the  platform  of  outward  legality, 


272 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVIII. 


19  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Why  callest  thou  me 
good '!  none  is  good,  save  one,  that  is,  (iod. 

20  Thou  knowest  the  commandments,  "  Do  not  com- 
mit adultery.  Do  not  kill,  Do  not  steal.  Do  not  bear  lalse 
witness,  '  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother. 

21  And  he  said,  All  these  have  I  kept  from  my  youth 
up. 

22  Now  when  Jesus  heard  these  things,  he  said  unto 
him.  Yet  lackest  thou  one  thing:  <^sell  all  that  thou 
hast,  and  distribute  unto  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have 
treasure  in  heaven  :  and  come,  follow  me. 


19  ter,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?  And 
Jesus  said   unto  him.   Why  callest  thou   me  good? 

20  none  is  good,  save  one,  cccn  Liod.  Thou  knowest 
the  commandments.  Do  not  commit  adultery.  Do  not 
kill.  Do  not  steal,  Do  not  bear  false  witness.  Honour 

21  thy   father  and  mother.      And  he   said,   AH   these 

22  things  have  I  observed  from  my  youth  up.  And 
when  Jesus  heard  it,  he  said  unto  him,  One  thing 
thou  lackest  yet:  sell  all  that  thou  hast,  and  distri- 
bute unto  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in 


oEx.  20:  12,  16;  Deut.  5:  16-20;  Eoni.  13  :  9 6  Ephes.  6:2;  Col.  3  :  20 c  Matt.  6:  19,  20;  19:  21;  1  Tim.  6:  19. 


Hssuming  that  salvation  was  to  be  acquired  by 
particular  acts,  and  not  otherwise. 

19.  Jesus  finds  in  the  word  "good,"  which 
he  had  used,  a  text  for  a  sermon  on  that 
goodness  which  was  necessary  to  eternal  life. 
— Why  callest  thou  me  good?  As  teacher, 
in  which  character  alone  thou  dost  recognize 
me,  that  term  does  not  apply  to  me,  in  the 
eminent  sense  which  thou  shouldst  compre- 
hend.— None  is  good,  save  one,  that  is, 
God.  By  that  standard,  the  man  might 
judge  what  character  was  needed,  on  his  part, 
to  dwell  happily  with  God  in  life  eternal. 

20.  Thou  knowest  the  commandments, 
etc.  The  statement  implied  a  direction  to 
keep  them  in  the  spirit  of  that  goodness,  as  an 
answer  to  his  question.  Notice,  that  Jesus  refers 
him  only  to  commandments  "of  the  second 
table,"  enjoining  duties  to  fellow-men.  Some 
judge  this  to  have  been  because  he  thought 
reflection  on  these  would  suffice  to  convict 
him  of  sin.  How  much,  then,  would  he  be 
humbled  in  view  of  deficiencies  of  obedience 
and  love  toward  God?  But  as  it  is  a  common 
fact  that  Jesus  and  his  apostles,  in  sum- 
marizing the  law,  confine  themselves  to  the 
commandments  of  this  class,  we  may  sup- 
pose that  it  was  because  men  could  more 
easily  test  themselves  by  these  than  by  the 
profounder,  more  spiritual  requirements  of 
Godlike  love. 

31.  And  he  said.  All  these  have  I  kept — 
(did  I  keep)— from  my  youth  up.  He  ap- 
pears surprised  that  Jesus  should  think  it 
necessary  to  remind  him  of  these  command- 
ments. He  was  a  virtuous  and  pious  man. 
Possessed  with  the  Pharisaic  idea  of  keeping 
the  law  as  being  the  performance  or  avoidance 
of  such  and  such  acts,  and  supposing  there 
was  some  great  thing  more,  probably,  among 
the  added  requirements  of  the  Rabbis,  on 
which  salvation  must  clearly  hang,  he  could 
not  see  any  value  in  Chnst's  instruction.  Was 
there  nothing  more? 

23.  Now  (rather,  And)  when  Jesus  heard 


these  things,  he  said  unto  him,  Yet  lack- 
est thou  one  thing.  One  thing  ;  but  in  that, 
everything.  The  external  observance  of  the 
law,  Christ  does  not  dispute  with  him.  He 
seems  even  to  have  been  sincerely  interested 
in  the  young  man,  as  Mark's  account  ex- 
pressly shows.  The  one  thing  lacking,  was 
that  spirit  of  self-denying  love,  which  is  the 
first  commandment  of  all,  and  the  soul  (if 
each  commandment.  It  can  exist  towards 
men  in  Christ's  sense,  only  as  it  is  the  redund- 
ancy, the  overflow,  of  supreme  love  to  God. 
To  bring  this  home  to  his  inquirer,  Jesus  pre- 
scribes conduct,  by  his  course  concerning  which 
the  presence  or  absence  of  such  a  spirit  will  at 
once  appear. — Sell  all  that  thou  hast  and 
distribute  unto  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt 
have  treasure  in  heaven ;  and  come, 
follow  me.  A  unique  requirement,  ex- 
pressly given  to  this  man  alone,  of  all  with 
whom  Christ  discoursed  about  salvation,  can- 
not convey  the  absolute  and  general  condition 
of  salvation.  It  was  given  to  him  as  suited  to 
make  plain  what  he  lacked  in  order  to  moral 
perfection  (Matt., ch.  19:21)  and  eternal  life.  It 
required  him  to  sacrifice  earthly  wealth  for 
the  good  of  needy  fellow-men,  because  that 
would  be  the  most  eflTectual  test  of  his  love  to 
his  neighbor;  and,  quite  probably,  because 
Christ  desired  him  to  give  himself  to  the  min- 
istry of  the  gospel,  as  Peter  and  Andrew, 
James  and  John  had  done — leaving  all.  We 
can  easily  imagine  that  he  would,  thus  proved, 
have  made  a  useful  laborer  in  God"s  harve.st. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  this  consecration  of  his 
worldly  goods  to  charity  was  not  itself  to  bo  a 
saving  act.  It  was  only  preparatory  to  that 
course  of  discipleship  to  Christ  which  would 
lead  to  eternal  life.— And  come,  follow  me. 
Thus,  the  loss  of  his  property  would  prove  an 
eternal  gain ;  it  would  simply  have  been  con- 
verted into  a  fund  of  divine  favor,  which 
would  yield  him  unfailing  revenues  of  bliss, 
as  treasure  in  heaven.  Thus  had  the  man 
been  answered  on  the  ground  of  the  law,  sous 


Ch.  XVIIL] 


LUKE. 


273 


23  And  when  he  heard  this,  he  was  very  sorrowful: 
for  lie  was  very  rich. 

21  And  when  Jesus  saw  that  he  was  very  sorrowful, 
he  said,  "  How  hardly  sliall  they  tliat  have  riches  cuter 
iuto  the  kiii>;iloui  of  (iud  ! 

'2.')  For  it  is  easier  for  acatuel  to  ^o  through  a  needle's 
eye,  than  lor  a  rich  ujau  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

2(5  And  they  that  lieard  it  said,  Who  then  can  be 
saved  ? 


23  heaven :  and  come,  follow  me.    But  when  he  beard 
these  things,  he  became  exceeding  sorrowful;  lor  he 

24  was  very    rich.     And  Jesus  .seeing   him   said,   ilow 
hardly   shall   they    that  have  riches  enter   into  the 

25  kingdom  of  (jlod !   For  it  is  easier  lor  a  camel  to  enter 
in  through  a  needle's  eye,  than  for  a  rich  man   to 

2G  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.     And  they   that 


a  ProT.  1 1 :  28  ;  Matt.  19  :  2.1 ;  Mark  10  :  23. 


to  bring  him  to  salvation  in  the  gospel,  if  there 
was  in  his  heart  any  drawing  of  the  Father 
toward  Christ. 

23.  And  when  he  heard  this,  he  was — 
became — very  sorrowful  :  for  he  Avas  very 
rich.  That  lie  was  sorrowful  shows  that  he 
could  not  dispute  the  teaching.  These  were 
different  things,  liowever,  from  what  he  was 
used  to  hear  concerning  the  way  of  life.  To 
do  any  number  of  the  most  difficult  works 
would  be  a  trifle  to  the  renunciation  of  his 
darling  treasure.*.  "His  countenance  fell  at 
the  saying."  (Mark.  ch.  lO:  22,  Revi-ion.)  The  conse- 
cration of  his  deepest  heart  to  God,  to  make 
his  whole  earthly  life  subservient  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  thus  to  find  his  own  happiness  in 
promoting  that  of  otliers,  was  too  great  a  price 
for  him  to  pay.  We  can  imagine  the  Saviour 
disappointed  and  grieved.  The  test  which  he 
luid  proposed — essentially  the  same,  though 
different  in  phrase — that  he  had  required  of 
several  of  his  followers,  instead  f)f  develo])ing 
a  germinant  ftiith,  had  ajiparently  driven  him 
away  from  salvation.  True,  as  Farrar  says 
on  the  passage,  "  nothing  forbids  us  to  hope 
that  the  words  of  Jesus,  who  loved  him,  sank 
into  his  soul,  and  brought  him  to  a  humbler 
and  holier  friime  of  mind.  .  .  .  The  day  came 
when  Saul  of  Tarsus  was,  like  this  j'outh, 
'touching  the  righteousness  which  is  in  the 
law,  blameless;'  but  he  had  grace  to  count 
all  things  but  loss  for  Christ."  The  ruler, 
certainly,  never  found  eternal  life  on  any 
easier  conditions,  i)robably  never  at  all. 

24>30.  SuooKSTED  Lesson  Concekninq 
"Wealth. 

24.  And  when  Jesus  saw,  etc.  Accord- 
ing to  the  best  text  the  verse  reads :  And 
Jesus  (sceitiff  him]  said.  How  hardly  shall 
(or,  do)  they  that  have  riches  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  (^od!  The  man's  despond- 
ency and  perturbation  reminded  Jesus  of  a 
fact  which  he  must  have  often  noticed.  His 
converts  had  been  mostly  from  the  poor.  The 
rich  also  heard  him,  in  numbers;    but  their 


greater  contentment  with  their  earthly  lot; 
their  engrossment  in  the  business,  the  cares, 
and  the  pleasures  of  life;  pride  of  intellect; 
and  the  fetters  of  fashionable  society, — all 
operated  to  restrain  them  from  embracing  the 
humiliating,  though  pure  and  blessed,  tenets 
of  the  Teacher  of  Galilee.  The  ))resent  tense 
of  the  verb,  which  is  to  be  preferred,  supposes 
that  some  actually  become  true  disciples; 
which  fact  it  is,  in  all  the  circumstances,  that 
seems  remarkable  to  our  Lord.  What  diffi- 
culties wealth  throws  in  their  wa^' ! 

25.  For  it  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go 
(or,  enter  in)  through  a  needle's  eye,  etc. 
Perhaps  some  signs  of  surpri.se  and  incredulity 
in  the  hearers  led  the  Saviour  thus  to  confirm 
and  intensify  his  statement.  For  a  camel  to 
pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle  was  a  nat- 
ural impossibility;  and  for  a  rich  man  to  be 
saved  he  declares  is  still  harder.  All  attempts 
to  soften  this  statement,  either  by  supposing 
the  needle's  eye  to  be  a  figure  for  a  narrow 
door  in  a  city  gate — of  which  use  of  the  term 
there  is  no  proof  at  all — or,  that  the  Greek 
word  for  camel  was  changed  from  one  mean- 
ing "cable,"  or  "rope"  — for  which  there  is 
no  text  authority,  and  which  ahso  would  be 
literally  impossible,  all  such  attempts  are  vain 
and  unnocessar3'.  Christ,  as  often,  to  more 
deeply  impress  a  truth,  speaks  the  language 
of  hyperbole,  for  which  his  hearers  would, 
and  all  sensible  readers  do,  nuike  proper  al- 
lowance. 

26.  And  they  that  heard  it— including 
.someof  the  disciples  (Matt.,  cii.  i9: 25) — said,  Who 
then  can  be  saved  ?  They  would  perhaps 
have  been  less  surprised,  if  he  had  said, 
"How  hardly  do  the  poor  enter  in  !  "  And 
the  bearing  of  their  question  was,  "If  the 
rich,  with  all  their  mesins  forgiving  alms,  and 
time  for  the  perfttrmance  of  religious  works, 
have  so  great  difficulty,  what  is  to  become  of 
us?"  Or,  is  it  possible  that,  in  the  crudeness 
of  their  conceptions  concerning  the  Messiah's 
kingdom,  they  had  included  riches  as  an  es- 


274 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XVIII. 


27  And  he  said,  "■  The  things  which  are  impossible 
with  men  are  possible  with  Goi'. 

28  'Then  Peter  said,  Lo,  we  have  left  all,  and  fol- 
lowed thee. 

29  And  he  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
«  There  is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or  parents,  or 
brethren,  or  wife,  or  children,  for  the  kingdom  of  (jod's 
sake, 

30  ''Who  shall  not  receive  manifold  more  in  this 
present  time,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life  everlasting. 

31  «Then  he  took  unto  him  the  twelve,  and  said 
unto  them.  Heboid,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  all 
things  /that  are  written  by  the  prophets  concerning 
the  Soa  of  man  shall  be  accomplished. 


27  heard  it  said.  Then  who  can  be  saved?  But  he  said, 
The  things  which  are  impossible  with  men  are  pos- 

28  sible  with  God.     And  Peter  said,  Lo,  we  have   left 

29  1  our  own,  and  followed  thee.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  There  is  no  man  that 
hath  left  house,  or  wife,  or  brethren,  or  parents,  or 

30  children,  for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake,  who  shall 
not  receive  manifold  more  in  this  time,  and  in  the 
2  world  to  come  eternal  lUe. 

31  And  he  took  unto  him  the  twelve,  and  said  unto 
them.  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  all  the 
things  that  are  written  through  the  prophets  shall 


«Jer.  32:  17  ;  Zech.  8:6;  Matt.  19:  26;  cli.  1 :  :i7 I  Malt.  19  :  27 c  Deut.33:  9 d  Jnb  42  :  10 e  Matt.  16  :  21 ;  17:  22;  20:  i;  ;  Mark 

10:  32..../  Pi.  22;  Isa.  53. 1  Or,  our  own  liomes 2  Or,  age. 


sential  endowment  of  all  its  members,  and 
could  not  imagine  salvation  without  it? 

27.  And  (rather,  But)  he  said,  The  things 
which  are  impossible  with  men — to  their 

view,  and  by  their  power — are  possible  with 

God.  This  is  the  true  explanation  of  the 
foregoing  paradox.  The  conversion  of  a  rich 
man,  without  special  divine  interposition,  was 
literally  impossible.  That  of  any  man  was  a 
work  of  God's  grace;  that  of  a  rich  man, 
from  the  incident  which  they  had  just  wit- 
nessed, seemed  most  strikingly  so.  But  God 
could  accomplish  even  that. 

28.  And  Peter  said,  Lo,  we  have  left 
(we  left  when  thou  didst  call  us) — all  (rather, 
our  oion) — property,  or,  homes — and  fol- 
lowed thee.  Coleridge,  somewhere,  sharply 
reproaches  Peter's  question  (Matt.  i9;  27)  as  indi- 
cating a  groveling  and  mercenary  spirit.  But 
surely  it  requires  no  great  charity  to  the  chief 
apostle  to  presume  that  he  was  naturally  and 
unselfishly  curious,  if  not  anxious,  after  the 
exciting  case  of  the  ruler,  and  the  startling 
comments  of  the  Saviour,  to  understand  how 
he  himself  and  his  fellow  apostles  stood  re- 
lated, in  these  respects,  to  the  eternal  life. 

29.  Luke  does  not  record  the  answer  of 
Jesus  in  special  refereni^e  to  the  case  of  the 
apostles,  given  in  Matthew,  but  the  more 
general  one  applicable  to  all  disciples  who 
had  made  any  sacrifice  for  him.  Verily — a 
statement  t)f  importance  is  to  follow — there 
is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or  wife, 
etc.  Christ  seems,  by  his  enumeration  of  ob- 
jects given  up,  to  represent  all  types  of  loss 
and  sacrifice  to  which  his  disciples  were,  and 
wouldbe,  liable.  Such  things  were,  of  course, 
to  be  abandoned  when,  and  in  so  far  as,  they 
stood  in  the  way  of  a  complete  devotion  of 
the  believer  to  the  service  of  Christ.  For 
_th.e  kingdom  of  God's  sake — in  order  to 


gain,  and  worthily  to  maintain  citizenship,  in 
that. 
30.  Who  shall  not  receive  manifold  mo_ 
in  this  present  time — age,  world.  Mark 
says  "an  hundred  fold,"  and  both  he  and 
Matthew  refer  expressly  to  the  objects  which 
had  been  specified  as  forsaken  for  Christ. 
This  proves  that  there  was  no  thought  in- 
tended of  material  or  quantitative  recom- 
pense; onlj'  that  much  greater  satisfaction  of 
the  higher  nature  of  every  such  man  would 
come  than  he  could  have  enjoyed  in  a  selfish, 
worldly  use  of  what  he  has  thus  sacrificed. 
And  in  the  world  to  come  life  everlast-' 
ing  (better,  eternal  life.)  This,  while  begun 
in  the  present,  mundane  state  (John  17:2),  is 
still  enjoyed  with  so  many  drawbacks  and 
limitations,  that  it  is  natural  to  our  imperfect 
experience  to  think  of  its  main  blessedness  as 
lying  entirely  in  the  world  above.  The  con- 
dition of  attaining  it  is  here  seen  to  be  the 
renunciation  of  earthly  delights  found  in- 
compatible with  whole-hearted  attachment 
to  Christ  and  his  cause.  Its  essence  is  peace 
with  God,  and  the  unhampered  exercise  of  all 
the  faculties  of  the  soul  in  communion  with 
him — partial  in  time,  perfect  and  complete 
throughout  eternity. 

31-34.  Jesus  again  Foretells  his 
Death  and  Kesurrection. 

31.  The  Saviour  takes  an  occasion,  as  be- 
fore (ch.9: 22, 44),  when  the  hopes  of  the  disci- 
ples had  been  excited,  so  that  thej'  could 
better  bear,  and  perhaps  needed,  a  more  so- 
bering aspect  of  their  case,  to  declare  what  he 
was  to  suflTer,  in  order  to  establish  the  kingdom 
of  God.  The  nearness  of  his  passion,  too — 
we  go  up  to  Jerusalem — made  some  fresh 
announcement  concerning  it  appropriate.  The 
prediction  here  given,  as  compared  with  the 
passages  just  cited,  discloses  that  hissufl'erings 


Ch.  XVIII.] 


LUKE. 


275 


32  For*  be  shall  be  delivered  unto  the  Gentiles,  and 
shall  be  mucked,  uud  spitcl'uUy  entreated,  and  spitted 
ou:  • 

S.i  And  llioy  shall  scourge  him, ami  put  him  to  death  : 
and  the  third  day  ho  shall  rise  again. 

;U  'And  they  "uudurstuod  nciue  iil'  these  thiu<?s:  and 
this  saying  was  hid  I'roui  theui,  uuilher  knew  they  the 
thinjjs  which  were  spoken. 

35  «Aud  it  caiac  lo  p:iss,  that  as  he  was  come  nigh 
unto  Jcrichu,  a  certain  blind  man  sat  by  the  wayside 
begging : 

.i.i  And  hearing  the  multitude  pass  by,  he  asked  what 
it  meuiiL 

S^  And  they  told  him,  that  Jesus  of  Kazarcth  passeth 
by. 

"as  And  he  cried,  saying,  Jesus,  Ihou  son  of  David, 
have  mercy  on  aie. 

;w  And  they  which  went  before  rebuked  him,  that  he 
should  hold  his  peace:  but  he  cried  so  much  the  more, 
T/tou  sun  of  David,  have  mercy  ou  me. 


be  accomplished  unto  the  Son  of  man.  For  he  shall 
be  delivered  up  unto  the  (;entiles,and  shall  be  mock- 
ed, and  bhamelully  eutrealcd,  and  spit  u|>uii:  and 
thuy  shall  scourge  and  kill  him:  anil  the  third  day 
he  shall  rise  again.  And  they  understood  none  oi' 
these  tilings;  and  this  saying  was  hid  Irom  them, 
and  they  perceived  not  the  things  that  were  said. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  drew  nigh  unto  Jericho, 
acertain  blind  man  sat  by  the  wayside  begging:  and 
hearing  a  multitude  going  by,  he  inqiiireU  what  this 
muant.  And  they  told  him,  that  Jesus  of  ^<a^areth 
passeth  by.  And  he  cried,  saying,  Jesus,  thou  .S<jn  of 
David,  have  mercy  on  me.  .And  they  that  went 
before  rebuked  him,  that  he  should  hold  his  peace: 
but  be  cried  out  the  mure  a  great  deal,  Thou  iSon  of 


a  Hate  2T:  2;  ch.  13:  1;  JohDl8:28;  Acts  3:  13.... &  Mark  9:  32;  oli.  2:  50;  9:  i5;  Jobul0:6;  12:  16..  ..c  Mutt.  20  :  29;  Mark  10:  46. 


were  to  be  in  fulfillment  of  proplieoy,  at  the 
hands  of  Gentiles;  and  adds  some  details 
of  the  abusive  treatment  which  would  pre- 
cede his  death.  See  on  those  passages. — Then 
— (And)  he  took  unto  hira  the  twelve— took 
them  apart  from  the  throng,  that  he  might 
fully  unbosom  his  heart  to  them  alone. — We 
go  up  to  Jerusalem,  with  the  understanding 
(ooiup.  vcr. :ij),  "and  sliiill  soon  be  there." — And 
all  things  that  are  written  concerning 
the  Son  of  man  shall  be  accomplished — 
better,  as  in  tlie  Revision,  all  things  that  are 
written  through  the  prophets  shall  be  accom- 
plished tinto  the  Son  of  man.  That  what  was 
to  be  accomplished  unto  the  Son  of  man  would 
take  place  in  fultillment  of  the  prophets,  was 
as  well  suited  as  any  truth  could  be,  to  recon- 
cile the  disciples  to  their  occurrence,  and 
would  eventually  have  such  an  effect. 

32.  They  would  afterward  reflect  that 
almost  every  det:iil  of  the  humiliation  and 
suffering  of  their  Lord  had  been  precisely 
foretoUl  by  him. 

34.  And  they — emphatic,  or  distinctive= 
"the^',  on  their  part' — understood  none  of 
these  things.  The  teaching  was  so  contrary 
to  all  their  previously  formed  notions  concern- 
ing the  Messiah  and  his  fortunes,  that  the 
words,  although  perfectly  intelligible  in  other 
connections,  conveyed  no  clear  thought  to 
their  minds.  Yet  it  is  intimated  that  there 
was  a  higher  reason  for  their  blindness,  so 
peculiarly  dense,  in  the  counsels  of  (iod.  For 
it  is  added,  And  this  saying — the  declaration 
itself,  in  which  Christ  had  spoken  of  the.*e 
things  —  was  hid — had  been  concealed  — 
from  them.  Not  so  much,  we  may  believe, 
in  the  way  of  judicial  blindness,  as  if  they 


had  blamefully  missed  the  true  sense;  but 
rather  through  mercy,  that  they  might  not  be 
prematurely  aware  of  the  trials  before  them, 
but  first  find  the  import  of  the  prediction, 
when  they  should  most  need  its  comfort. — 
Neither  knew  they,  etc.  A  necessary  result 
of  the  preceding  statement. 

35-43.  Hkaling  of  a  Blind  Man  near 
Jericho. 

Luke's  account  of  this  event,  compared 
with  that  of  Matt.,  ch.  20:  29-:U,  and  of  Mark, 
ch.  10:  4G-52,  suggests  two  difficulties:  First, 
he  mentions  one  sufferer  relieved  (agreeing  in 
that  with  Mark) ;  .second,  he  places  the  occur- 
rence at  their  entrance  into  Jericho;  th<i 
others,  at  his  departure.  The  first  is  easily 
obviated.  Though  there  were  two,  manj'  rea- 
sons are  supposable  why  some  of  the  reports 
of  the  event  should  have  dwelt  upon  one,  to 
the  neglect  of  the  other.  Mark  indicates  one : 
that  one  of  tho.se  healed  was  son  of  a  man  of 
more  or  less  note,  one  Timteus.  As  to  the 
place,  one  cure  may  have  been  effected  when 
the  Lord  was  drawing  near  to  the  city;  the 
other,  when  he  was  going  away  from  it.  It 
would  be  consistent  with  Matthew's  practice, 
to  condense  the  two  accounts  into  one;  while 
Luke  mentions  the  former,  Mark,  the  latter 
case.  It  is  easy  to  conjecture  what,  with  more 
circumstantial  knowledge,  might  be  seen  to 
be  the  fact,  and  so  do  awa^'  with  all  appear- 
ance of  discrepancy.  This  is  sufficient  to 
refute  the  charge  of  necessary  contradiction. 

The  narrative  is  highly  graphic.  We  are 
made  to  see  the  sufferer  sitting,  as  if  to  rest 
from  his  own  journey,  by  the  way-side.  The 
great  multitudes  which  have  been  repeatedly 
mentioned  as  following  Jesus  of  late,  raise  a 


276 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


40  And  Jesus  stood,  and  commanded  him  to  be 
brought  unto  him:  and  when  he  was  come  near,  he 
asked  him, 

41  Saying,  Wliat  wilt  thou  that  I  shall  do  unto  thee? 
And  he  said,  Lurd,  that  I  may  receive  my  sight. 

42  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Receive  thy  sight:  "thy 
faith  hath  saved  thee. 

43  And  immediately  he  received  his  sight,  and  fol- 
lowed him, 'glorifying  God:  and  all  the  people,  when 
they  saw  il,  gave  praise  unto  Uod. 


40  David,  have  mercy  on  me.  And  Jesus  stood,  and 
commanded  him  to  be  brought  unto  him  :  and  when 

41  he  was  come  near,  he  asked  him.  What  wilt  thou 
that  I  should  do  unto  thee?    And  he  said.  Lord,  that 

42  I  may  receive  my  sight.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Receive  thy  sight:  thy  faith  hath  i  made  thee  whole. 

43  And  immediately  he  received  his  Sight,  and  followed 
him,  glorifying  (iod  :  and  all  the  people,  when  they 
saw  it,  gave  praise  unto  God. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


AND  Jesus  entered  and  passed  through  Jericho. 
2  And,  behold,  (here  was  a  man  named  Zaccheus, 
which  was  the  chief  among  the  publicans,  and  he  was 
rich. 


1  And  he  entered  and  was  passing  through  Jericho. 

2  And  behold,  a  man  called  by  name  Zacchseus;  and 


ocb.  17:  19 b  ch.  5:  26;  Acts  4  :  21  ;  11 :  18. 1  Or.  eaved  thee. 


din  in  passing,  which  excites  the  curiosity  of 
one  who  could  not  see  as  to  what  it  meant. 
The  answer  is  given  as  a  cold  matter  of  foct : 
"Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by."  The  name 
reminds  him  of  what  he  has  heard  of  the  won- 
derful deeds  of  this  personage  in  that  part  of 
the  country.  Instantly,  therefore,  he  calls 
aloud,  Jesus,  thou  son  of  David — thus 
proving  his  persuasion  of  the  Messiahship  of 
our  Lord — have  mercy  on  me.  This  speaks 
his  sense  of  need,  and,  equally,  of  unworthi- 
ness.  He  can  ask  help  only  for  pity's  sake, 
without  any  claim  or  allegation  of  merit. — 
And  they  which  went  before — in  the  van 
of  the  procession,  leaving  Jesus  nearer  the 
middle  of  the  line  than  he  generally  stood 
(oh.  19:28;  Mark, oh.  10: 32) — rcbukcd  him — think- 
ing it  unseemly  that  so  great  a  personage,  on 
so  stately  an  occasion,  should  be  disturbed  by 
a  blind  beggar.  Surely,  they  could  not  have 
been  long  in  the  Master's  company.  The 
blind  man  instinctively  appreciated  his  char- 
acter more  truly. — But  he  cried  so  much 
the  more — what  a  trait  of  natural  earnest- 
ness!— Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me! 
It  seems  probable  that  the  appellation  Son 
of  David,  from  the  lips  of  a  few  petitioners 
in  the  Gospels,  recognized  Jesus  in  the  most 
general  way  as  the  fulfillment  of  obvious  pro- 
phecies concerning  the  Messiah. 

40.  The  true  princeliness  of- our  Saviour 
now  appears  in  what  his  would-be  guardians 
thought  unworthy  of  him. — And  Jesus  stood 
— catching,  through  the  stir,  the  cry  of  need; 
himself  on  foot,  he  arrested  the  attendant 
throng. — And  commanded  that  he  should 
be  brought— led— unto  him,  by  the  hands, 
very  likely,  of  some  who  had  thought  it  un- 
becoming that  the  wretch  should  address  their 
Lord. 

41.  What  wilt  thou  that  I  shall  do  unto 


thee?  The  question  would  excite  the  faith 
of  the  sufferer,  and  draw  the  attention  of  all 
to  his  wretched  case.  It  itself  throws  the 
door  of  mercy  open,  implying  that  whatever 
was  needed  should  be  done. — And  he  said, 
liOrd,  that  I  may  receive  my  sight — is 
what  I  desire — but  a  blessing  so  great  that  I 
dare  not  plainly  ask  it. 

42.  Without  the  slightest  hesitation,  the 
healing  word  was  spoken :  Receive  thy 
sight ;  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee. 

43.  With  the  former  word  sight  came  to 
the  blind  eyes;  immediately  he  received 
his  sight.  The  latter  was  added  to  honor  the 
faith  which  the  man  had  exercised,  and  show 
that  there  had  not  been  merely  an  arbitrary 
exercise  of  the  divine  power.  For  the  man 
not  only,  but  for  the  whole  crowd,  this  refer- 
ence to  faith  was  of  essential  consequence. — 
And  followed  him,  glorifying  God.  (See 
on  ch.  5  :  25.)  He  thus  gave  the  best  evidence 
possible,  at  the  moment,  that  the  mercy  of 
Christ  had  reached  not  only  his  bodily  eyes, 
but  his  heart,  now  filled  with  joyful  gratitude 
to  God,  who  had  wrought  through  Christ. — 
And  all  the  people  ....  gave  praise  unto 
God.  A  general  enthusiasm  of  outward 
praise,  at  least,  animated  the  throng,  which 
their  leaders,  just  before  (ver.  39),  would  fain 
have  hindered  from  ibis  glorious  view. 


Ch.  19.  1-10.  Conversion  of  Zaccheus. 
I.  And  Jesus   entered   and  passed  (or, 

ivas  passing)  through  Jericho.  This  city, 
famous,  rich,  and  strong,  before  its  destruc- 
tion by  Joshua  on  his  entering  the  land  of 
Canaan,  had  afterward  arisen,  in  spite  of  the 
curse  which  he  pronounced  on  its  site;  and, 
through  various  fortunes,  had  become  again, 
under  Herod  the  Great,  and  later,  a  flourish- 
ing and  important  city.     It  lay  about  seven 


Ch.  XIX.] 


LUKE. 


277 


3  And  he  sought  to  see  Jesus  who  he  was;  and  could 
not  for  the  press,  because  he  was  little  of  stature. 

4  And  he  ran  before,  and  climbed  up  into  a  sycamore 
tree  to  see  him :  for  he  was  to  pass  that  Mviy. 

5  And  when  Jesus  came  to  the  place,  he  looked 
up,  and  saw  him,  and  said  unto  him,  Zaccheus,  make 
haste,  and  come  down ;  for  to  day  I  must  abide  at  thy 
bouse. 


3  he  was  a  chief  publican,  and  he  was  rich.  And  he 
sought   to  see    Jesus   who  he    was;    and  could  not 

4  for  the  crowd,  because  he  was  little  of  stature.  .\nd 
he  ran  on  before,  and  climbed  up  into  a  sveomore 

5  tree  to  see  him:  for  he  was  to  pass  that  way.  Ami 
when  Jesus  came  to  the  place,  he  looked  up,  and 
said   unto   him,  Zacchaus,  make   haste,  and  come 


miles  west  of  the  Jordan,  opposite  the  place 
where  the  river  parted  to  allow  passage  for  the 
Israelites,  and  the  same  distance  northwestof 
the  Dead  Sea,  where  that  river  empties  into  it. 
Standing  in  a  little  oasis  of  freshness  and  ver- 
dure, it  seemed  a  Paradise  to  the  traveler 
who  came  upon  it,  wearied  from  the  arduous 
canyons  of  the  western  mountain  (cb.  io:30), 
or  parched  and  thirsty  through  the  arid  sands 
ofthe  Jordan  plain.  We  have  rather  assumed, 
in  the  preceding  exposition,  that  Jesus  now 
came  to  Jericho  through  Perea,  the  country 
bcj'ond  the  Jordan,  according  to  the  repre- 
sentation of  Matthew  and  Mark  (M«tt.  i9:i;  nark 
10:  1).  Luke,  indeed,  does  not  say  so,  nor  does 
he  say  anything  to  the  contrary.  It  was  pos- 
sible to  come  from  Galilee  to  Jericho  follow- 
ing the  west  bank  of  the  Jordan,  down 
through  the  inhospitable  gorge  in  which  the 
river  winds  its  way  (the  Arabah,  Ghor).  But 
as  our  Saviour  evidently  desired  on  this  jour- 
ney to  reach  as  many  people  as  possible,  and 
made  provision  (ch.  loii)  for  quite  extensive 
pmciamation  of  the  gospel,  we  cannot  think 
Luke  supposed  that  to  be  the  real  course,  or 
that  the  Saviour  could  have  been  detained 
through  a  long  series  of  discourses  at  any  one 
place  in  the  sparsely  inhabited  valley  of  the 
Jordan.  Nor  would  he  then  have  needed  to 
pass  through  Jericho.  He  had  now  crossed 
that  river  bj'  the  well-known  ford,  where 
Joshua  had  crossed  in  the  early  day. 

2.  And,  behold,  there  was  a  man  named 
Zaccheus.  The  name  being  Hebrew,  from 
a  root  meaning  pure,  he  was  evidently  ofthe 
Jewish  stock.  The  name  (Zaccai)  occurs  (  Err« 
I:  »:  Neh.  7;  u);  which  was  the  chief  among 
the  publicans — chief  of  the  tax-gatherers — 
and  he  was  rich.  Jericho  was  celebrated 
for  its  production  of  highly  prized  balsam, 
and  other  articles  of  commerce;  and  lying  on 
the  only  route  of  trade  across  Southern  Pales- 
tine, between  the  "West  and  the  East,  must 
have  given  much  occupation  to  the  exactors 
of  revenue.  Such  were  frequently  Jews;  and 
as  Zaccheus  is  called  a  chief  of  the  tax  gath- 
erers, we  may  suppose  he  superintended  the 
collection  of  revenue  over  a  district  requiring 


others,  more  strictly  called  "publican.s," 
under  him.  See  on  ch.  3:  12.  We  have  seen 
(on  the  passage  just  cited)  that  those  who  fol- 
lowed his  business  were  able  to  make  it  very 
profitable.  Perhaps  no  one  of  them  in  Pales- 
tine would  have  opportunity  for  greater  gains. 
Hence  it  is  very  naturally  added— and  he 
was  rich. 

3.  And  he  sought  to  see  Jesus  who  he 
was.  He  wanted  to  know  by  his  actual  looks 
the  man  of  whom  he  had  heard  much  in  that 
region,  as  a  great  teacher  and  wonder-worker, 
and  especially  as  one  considerate  and  sj-mpa- 
thizing  toward  men  of  his  class.  His  feeling 
may  have  partaken  of  a  desire  which  would 
prepare  him  more  readily  to  receive  the  in* 
structions  of  Christ;  but  that  we  can  only 
conjecture.  And  could  not  for  the  press, 
because  he  was  little  of  stature.  The 
earnestness  of  his  desire  appears  in  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  overcame  the  difficulty. 

4.  And  he  ran  {on)  before— in  front  of 
the  advancing  procession — and  climbed  up 
into  a  sycamore  tree— more  exRct\y—ivent 
up  on  a  sycamore.  The  sycamore,  or  fig- 
mulberr\%  was  a  low-growing,  wide-spreading 
tree,  which  gave  little  occasion  for  "climb- 
ing," in  the  proper  sense,  and  the  Common 
Version  may  mislead  our  conception  of  what 
Zaccheus  really  did.  For  he  was  to — had 
to,  was  bound  to — pass  that  way. 

5.  We  cannot  at  all  say  whether  Jesus  had 
known  anything  of  Zaccheus  before;  he  might 
easily  learn  his  name,  and  something  of  his 
character,  from  the  comments  which  his  con- 
duct would  draw  from  the  crowd.  We  may 
well  suppose  that  this  conduct,  interpreted  by 
the  look  and  air  of  the  man,  as  Jesus  drew 
near,  would  indicate  in  him  an  unusual  pre- 
paredness for  the  reception  of  the  gospel. 
Hence  the  seemingly  abrupt  direction,  Make 
haste,  and  come  down  ;  for  to-day  I  must 
abide  at  thy  house.  The  necessity  implied 
in  I  must,  lay  in  the  fitness  with  his  whole 
plan  of  saving  the  lost,  of  such  a  tarrying  to 
enlighten  and  win  the  chief  tax-gatherer.  At 
his  house,  would  he  be  better  able  to  influence 
Zaccheus  for  his    spiritual   good.     There   i^ 


278 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


6  And  he  made  haste,  and  came  down,  and  received 
him  joyliilly. 

7  And  when  they  saw  it,  they  all  nuiruuired,  saying, 
"That  he  was  gone  to  be  guest  with  a  man  that  is  a 
sinner. 

8  And  Zaccheiis  stood,  and  said  unto  the  Lord;  Be- 
hold, Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  1  give  to  the  poor; 
and  if  1  have  taken  any  thing  from  any  man  by  "false 
accusation,  "I  restore  him  fourfold. 

9  And  Jesus  said  unto  hini.  This  day  is  salvation 
come  to  this  house,  forasmuch  as  "^  he  also  is  « a  son  of 
Abraham. 


6  down;  for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house.  And 
he  made  haste,  and  came  down,  and  received  him 

7  joyfully.  And  when  they  saw  it,  they  all  mur- 
mured, saying,  He  is  gone  in  to  lodge  with  a  man 

8  that  is  a  sinner.  And  Zacchieus  stood,  and  said 
unto  the  Lord,  Behold,  Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I 
give  to  the  poor;  and  if  I  ha\e  wrongfully  exacted 

9  aught  of  any  man,  I  restore  lourfold.  And  Jesus 
said  unto   him,    To-day   is  salvation   come   to  this 


a  Malt.  »:  11 ;  ch. 


.6  oh.  3:  14 c  Ex.  'U:  1;  1  Sam.  12  :  3  ;  !!  Sam.  12 :  6 d  Eoiu.  4:  11,  12,  16;  Gal.  3:  7 «  ch.  13:  16. 


nothing  to  lead  us  to  think  that  the  house  of 
Zaccheus  stood  outside  of  the  city. 

6.  And  he  made  haste,  and  came  down, 
and  received  him  joyfully.  Everything 
bespoke  heartfelt  and  lively  gratitication  at 
the  privilege  of  entertaining  the  great  teacher, 
the  reputed  Messiah. 

7.  And  when  they  —  the  accompanying 
multitude— saw  it,  they  all  murmure»l.  In 
the  brevity  of  the  narrative,  much  is  left  to 
imagination  in  filling  out  the  scene.  We  may, 
first  of  all,  emphasize  the  impression  which 
the  mere  presence  of  Jesus,  the  manner  of  his 
intercourse,  the  tones  of  his  voice,  and  the 
sentiments  of  his  conversation  made  on  Zac- 
cheus.  We  can  hardly  help  assuming,  also, 
that  there  was  much  discourse  exchanged  be- 
tween the  host  and  his  guest,  during  the  stay 
of  the  latter. — I  must  abide — in  the  house, 
whether  the  stay  was  of  a  few  hours  only,  or 
lasted  over  night.  Much  of  this  may  have 
passed,  and  the  interest  of  the  publican  have 
ripened  into  an  intelligent  and  deliberate 
fiiith,  while  this  murmuring  went  on. — Say- 
ing that  he  was  — is  —  gone  —  in  —  to  be 
guest — to  lodge — with  a  man  that  is  a  sin- 
ner. To  lodge,  would  naturally  imply  that 
Christ  was  tarrying  over  at  lea.st  one  night; 
but  not  necessarily  so.  He  is  gone  m=he 
went  in^is  spoken  after  the  visit  has  con- 
tinued for  some  time.  Their  calling  Zaccheus 
a  sinner  does  not  prove  that  he  was  more  so 
in  their  estimation  tban  any  publican.. 

8.  And  Zaccheus  stood — properly,  took 
his  stand,  as  at  ch.  18:  11.  At  some  point  of 
the  time,  he,  being  aware  of  their  opprobrious 
cries,  resolved  to  meet  them  before  the  Saviour, 
and  so  stood  forth,  in  calm  and  unabashed 
dignitj'.  Was  it  the  dignity  of  conscious  in- 
nocence toward  their  accusations,  or  of  peni- 
tent rectification  of  conscious  wrongs  ?  Godet 
and  others  take  the  former  view,  according  to 
which  the  publican  says:  "  Lord,  I  am  not  so 
unworthy  of  thy  attention  as  they  allege;  I 


give,  habitually,  the  half  of  my  goods  to  the 
poor,"  etc.  This  has  in  its  fsivor  the  present 
tense  of  the  verbs — I  give,  I  restore.  But 
against  it  lies  the  absurdity  of  habitually  giv- 
ing half  one's  goods,  and  remaining  rich; 
that  it  almost  precludes  the  question  of  such  a 
man's  exacting  aught  "wrongfully"  of  any 
man ;  and,  above  all,  that  it  breathes  no  whi.s- 
per  of  repentance.  Therefore,  we  hold  to  the 
common  view,  that  Zaccheus  now  meets  his 
defamers  by  declaring  that  he  doe.s,  here  and 
now,  to  Jesus  vow  the  gift  of  half  his  fortune 
to  the  poor,  both  out  of  gratitude  for  the  bless- 
ing which  comes  to  him  through  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  also  as  a  restitution  of  what 
he  may  have  acquired  not  with  that  honesty 
which,  in  Christ's  presence,  at  least,  he  feels 
right.  To  make  this  la.st  point  sure,  he  spe- 
cifically vows  to  restore  fourfold  to  any  indi- 
viduals from  whom  it  shall  ap})ear  that  he 
has,  in  his  office,  taken  what  they  should  not 
have  paid.  Thus,  the  present  tense  of  the 
verb  is  fully  justified.  (Comp.  Matt.  24:  40 fl". ; 
26:  2;  Kevision;  comp.  Butt,  N.  T.  Gram.,  p. 
205).  The  resolution  and  promise  went  far 
bej'ond  anything  required  in  the  law  in  such 
a  case.  See  the  law  concerning  such  a  tres- 
pass, in  Num.  5:  6,  7,  where  a  fine  of  one- 
fifth  only,  besides  the  principal  sum,  is  im- 
posed. Here  was  such  exercise  of  the  spirit  of 
the  law  of  love  as  had  been  required  of  the 
rich  young  man  (ch.  is.-  22).  It  was  an  exhibi- 
tion of  true  repentance,  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus,  which  Zaccheus  might  more  confi- 
dently rely  on  against  the  reproaches  of  the 
crowd,  than  upon  protestations  of  innocence, 
even  tliough  well  founded. 

9.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  This  day — 
in  consequence  of  my  abiding  at  this  house 
to-day  (ver.  5)  — is  salvation  come  to  this 
house — in  the  pardon  of  sins  to  its  proprie- 
tor— forasmuch  as  he  also  is  a  son  of 
Abraham.  The  last  sentence,  while  ad- 
dressed to  the  publican,  is  modified  in  form 


Ch.  XIX.] 


LUKE. 


279 


10  ■  For  the  8on  of  man  is  couie  to  seek  and  to  save 
that  wliich  wai$  lost. 

11  Aud  a.s  thuy  heard  these  things,  he  added  and 
spake  a  parable,  because  lie  was  uigh  to  .Jerusalem,  and 
*beeause  they  thought  that  the  kingdom  of  Ciod 
should  inimediuU'ly  appear. 

12  '  lie  .said  therefore,  .V  certain  nobleman  went  into 
a  far  country  to  receive  lor  Liuiself  a  kingdom,  and  to 
return. 


10  house,  forasmuch  as  he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham. 
l''or  the  .Sou  of  mau  came  to  seek  aud  to  save  that 
which  was  lost. 

11  Aud  a.s  they  heard  these  things,  he  added  aud 
spake  a  parable,  because  he  was  nigh  to  .lerusalem, 
aud  becatt-if  they  supposed  that  the  kingdom  of  liod 

12  was  immediately  to  appear.  He  said  therefore,  A 
certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far  country,  to  receive  . 


a  Matt.  IH:  U.     See  Matt.  10:6;  15:  21.... b  Acts  1:  6....C  Mutt.  25:  U;  Mark  13:  34. 


into  a  justification  of  the  favor  shown  him  as 
against  the  reproaches  of  the  people.  Christ 
would  say,  "in  blessing  him,  I  go  not  beyond 
the  circle  of  my  mission"  (Matt,  lo:  5, 6;  lo: -2*). 
He  was  one  of  "the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of 
Israel." 

10.  For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.  Quite 
in  the  spirit  of  chs.  6:  32;  13:  IG;  and  of  the 
whole  of  chapter  15.  Zaccheus  was  lost  to 
his  neighbors,  in  the  infamy  of  his  occupation; 
to  Jesus,  in  tiie  cstraiigoment  of  his  heart  from 
the  peace  of  God.  Thus  we  see  Christ  at  the 
very  close  of  his  life,  {)ersisting,  and  now 
against  greater  inducements  than  ever  before, 
through  the  ott'ered  homage  of  a  numberless 
and  friendly  throng,  in  manifesting  a  special 
favor  toward  tliose  wliom  tliat  throng  specially 
despised  and  avoided;  or — because  they  speci- 
ally needed  his  .sympathy  and  aid. 


Part  IV.  Ch.  19:  11;  24:  53.  Ap- 
proach to  Jerusalem,  AND  Fulfillment 
OF  the  Time  that  He  Should  be  Re- 
ceived Up.  (ch.9:5i).  We  cannot  maintain 
that  Luke's  narrative  expro.ssly  indicates  a 
new  beginning  here,  as  it  has  done  for  the 
three  preceding  Parts;  but,  in  common  with 
all  the  other  Gospels,  it  treats  the  events  of 
the  week  now  to  follow  with  such  fullness, 
and  such  concentrated  unity  of  interest,  as  to 
show  that  they  had  a  pre-eminent  and  unique 
interest  in  his  plan.  Henceforth  be  is  entirely 
on  common  ground  with  one  or  more  of  the 
evangelists,  in  the  principal  statements  of  his 
Gospel  to  the  end. 

11-27.  Parable  of  the  Ten  Pounds. 
(Or,  nmiae.) 

11.  And  as  they  hoard  these  things,  he 
added,  etc.  This  is  evidently  a  general  desig- 
nation of  the  time.  Not  precisely  while  they 
were  hearing  bis  discourse  with  Zaccheus, 
but  while  the  impression  of  that  was  fresh  in 
their  minds;  the  next  recorded  thing  that 
he  spoke,  was  the  following  parable.  Ad- 
ded and  spoke,  is  a  Hebraism  for  "spoke 


further."  Becanse  he  was  nigh  to  Jeru- 
salem— about  fourteen  miles  only  from  the 
objective  point  of  their  long  pilgrimage,  at 
which  the  opportunities  of  instructing  them 
would  .soon  end.  And  because  they  thought 
(or,  supposed)  that  the  kingdom  of  (iod 
should  immediately  appear— show  itself, 
or  be  displayed.  Immediately  is  emphatic. 
This  was  the  main  reason  for  uttering  the  para- 
ble. Their  idea  wa.s,  that,  as  soon  as  they 
reached  Jerusalem,  "the  glorious  appearing" 
of  the  Son  of  man  would  blaze  forth.  Tiiis 
statement  of  reasons  why  he  spoke  the  jjarable, 
proves  that  its  intention  was,  primarily,  to 
show  that  the  glory  of  his  kingdom  would  be 
seen  only  after  a  considerable  interval;  and, 
secondarily,  to  teach  the  chief  di.sciples  liow 
that  interval  should  be  spent.  He  accordingly 
compares  himself  to  a  man  of  noble  birth, 
entitled  to  exercise  kingly  dominion,  but 
needing  first  to  be  duly  invested  with  this 
authority  by  the  supreme  power,  a  long  way 
off.  Meantime,  he  leaves  with  selected  bond- 
slaves of  his  an  important  sum  of  money,  an 
equal  amount  to  each,  to  be  employed  for  the 
furtherance  of  his  interests  during  his  ab- 
sence. On  his  return  he  finds  that  some  of 
these  servants  have  made  excellent  use  of  his 
deposit,  and  rewards  them  proportionally; 
while  one,  who  had  done  nothing,  is  dis- 
graced and  stripped  of  his  trust.  Incidentally 
we  learn  that  the  community  at  large,  over 
whom  he  sought  the  dominion,  disliked  him, 
and  vainly  sought  to  hinder  his  receiving  it; 
but,  being  defeated  in  their  opposition,  they 
were  cruelly  punished  by  him  in  histriumpb. 
12.  A  certain  nobleman.  The.  figure 
might  be  suggested  by  the  frequent  cases  in 
which  princes  of  the  Herodean  family,  and 
others,  in  that  age,  had  to  apply  to  the  Roman 
Emperor,  for  monarchical  authority  in  Pales- 
tine, and  the  adjacent  provinces.  The  case 
of  Archelaus,  in  particular,  might,  as  Meyer 
and  others  have  noticed,  the  more  naturally 
be  remembered  here,  at  Jericho,  becau.se  ho 
had  left  there  a  splendid   palace,  and  other 


280 


LUKE. 


[Cu.  XIX. 


13  And  he  called  his  ten  servants,  and  delivered 
them  ten  pounds,  and  said  unto  theiu,  Occupy  till  1 
come. 

14  "But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  a  message 
after  him,  saying.  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign 
over  us. 

15  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  he  was  returned, 
having  received  the  kingdom,  then  he  commanded  these 
serv;  uts  to  be  called  uulo  him,  to  whom  he  had  given 
the  money,  that  he  might  know  how  much  every  man 
had  gained  bv  trading. 

Ki  Then  came  the  first,  saying.  Lord,  thy  pound  hath 
gained  ten  pounds. 


13  for  himself  a  kingdom,  and  to  return.  And  he 
called  ten  *  servants  of  his,  and  gave  them  ten 
2  pounds, and  said  unto  them,  Trade  ye  hereu-ilh  till  I 

14  come.  But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  an  am- 
bassage  after  him,  saying.  We  will  not  that  this  man 

15  reign  over  us.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  was 
come  back  again,  having  received  the  kingdom,  that 
he  commanded  these  i  servants,  unto  whom  he  had 
given  the  money,  to  be  called  to  him,  that  he  might 

16  know  what  they  had  gained  by  trading.  And  the 
first  came  before  him,  saying,  Lord,  thy  pound  hath 


-1  Gr.  bondservants i  Mina,  here  traudlated  a  pound,  is  equal  to  uue  hundred  dracUinris.    See  ch.  15 :  8. 


memorials  of  his  luxurious  reign.  ( Josephus, 
Antiquities,  xvii.,  13, 1.)  His  case,  atall  events, 
would  furnish  a  strict  parallel  to  the  incidents 
mentioned  in  ver.  14,  27.— A  far  country 
stands  for  the  celestial  state,  in  which  the 
Father  dwells  in  glory.  To  receive  a  king- 
dom signifies  the  sending  the  Son  of  man 
forth  again  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  and  of 
the  holy  angels,  when  every  knee  shall  how 
before  him,  and  every  tongue  confess  that  he 
is  Lord. 

13.  And— before  he  went— he  called  ten 
servants  =  sluves — of  his — own.  By  a  collo- 
quial inaccuracy,  the  commissioning  the  ser- 
vants is  mentioned  after  he  is  said  to  have 
departed.  The  ten  servants  were  only  a 
selection  of  the  whole  number  that  such  a  per- 
sonage would  possess.  Their  being  bond- 
servants would  not  hinder  their  standing  high 
in  the  confidence  and  favor  of  their  lord. 
"Why  just  ten?  A  smaller  number  would 
hardly  have  been  consistent  with  the  dignity 
of  such  a  nobleman,  while  twelve  would  have 
pointed  too  palpably  to  the  apostles.— Of 
his  own,  and,  therefore,  absolutely  subject 
to  his  authority.— And  gave  to  them  ten 
pounds — one  to  each  servant.  What  is  here 
called  a  pound  was  the  Attic  mina,  containing 
silver  equivalent  to  near  seventeen  dollars 
now,  but  then,  practically,  far  more  valuable. 
At  most  the  sum  is  so  small,  compared  with 
the  talents,  in  Matt.  25:  14,  ff.,  as  to  prove 
that  that  cannot  be  a  report  of  this  parable. 
It  was  sufficient  to  exercise  and  test  the 
capacity  of  these  servants  with  reference 
to  larger  responsibility  after  his  return. 
(Meyer.) — Occupy — trade  ye — till  I  come. 
The  pound  symbolized  the  ability  for  useful- 
ness in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  trading  there- 
with would  be  the  turning  such  ability  to  the 
best  account  for  its  purpose.  In  particular, 
we  may  perhaps  safely  say,  that  the  pound 
committed  to  each  servant  was  Christ's  truth 


(the  gospel),  his  ordinances,  his  Spirit.  Oc- 
cupy formerly  meant  nearly  the  same  as  "  use 
money  for  gain  "  (Plut.,  m  Richardsun  s  Dic- 
tionary), from  the  Latin  verb  occupare,  one 
meaning  of  whicli  was  "to  invest  money,"' 
either  as  a  loan  at  interest,  or  in  purchases  for 
profit.  This  is  the  sense  of  the  Greek  verb 
used  by  Christ.  Coverdale,  "chaffer  ye"; 
Tyndale,  "buy  and  sell."  Compare  "by 
trading"  (ver.  id). — Until  I  come  is,  in  the 
best  MSS.,  "while  I  am  coming,"  as  if  the 
whole  interval  of  absence  was  one  coming. 

14.  His  citizens  are  his  fellow-citizens, 
while  he  is  yet  a  candidate  merely  for  the  rule 
over  them;  his  future  subjects,  should  he  be- 
come king.  The  Jews  are  plainly  intended, 
as  using  every  possible  means  to  hinder  Jesus 
from  attaining  to  his  destined  dominion. 
There  may  probably  have  been  an  allusion  to 
the  well-known  caseof  Archelaus.  (Josephus, 
Antiquities,  xvii.  11,  1  ff. ) 

15.  This  verse  is  prophetic  of  Christ's  pro- 
cedure when  he  shall  come  in  royal  authority 
at  the  end  of  the  world.  How  much  every 
man  had  gained  by  trading  ;  the  Greek  is, 
nearly,  "  Who  had  accomplished  anything 
by  trading,  and  what."  This  would  deter- 
mine \frith  what  fidelity  and  success  they  had 
occupied.  In  "that  day"  the  Judge  will 
strictly  inquire  who  has  turned  to  account 
that  fund  of  truth  and  grace  which  was  lent 
to  each  one,  and  how  much  more  there  is  of  it 
now  for  future  use. 

16.  Then  came  the  first,  etc.,  (literally, 
And  the  first  came  before  him).  The  reports 
of  three  only  are  given,  that  being  enough  to 
exhibit  the  whole  method  and  spirit  of  the 
trial.  The  order,  first,  second,  third,  is  so 
conceived  that  the  first  proves  the  one  who 
has  been  most  successful  in  his  traffic,  the 
second  the  next  best;  then  (passing  over  all 
who  were  profitable  in  less  degrees),  third,  the 
one  who  has  done  nothing.     Or,  are  we  to 


Ch.  XIX.] 


LUKE. 


281 


17  And  he  said  unto  him,  Well,  thou  go'>d  servant : 
because  thou  hast  been  Muithful  iu  a  very  little,  ha^e 

^'ls'1^1' t'il:^;;:;uLi'cr::^saying.  Lord,  thy  pound 

';Vil'St^affiewte  to  him.Be  thou  alsooverfive 

"VrXnd  another  came,  saying.  Lord,  behold,  here  is  thy 
pound,  which  I  have  kept  laid  up  lu  a  I'^Pkin: 

21  ''i-'or  I  feared  thee,  because  thou  art  an  aubttrc 
man:  thou  takest  up  thit  thou  layedst  uoldowu,  aud 
TiJ-iiicst  that  thou  didst  not  sow. 

'"rind  he  saith  unto  him  « Out  "f /'^I^Xrkniwes'i 
will  I  iud^e  thee,M'y«  wicked  servant.  Jlhou  kuc«est 
U.at  1  was  an  ailstere  man,  taking  up  that  I  laid  not 
down,  and  reaping  that  1  did  not  sow  : 


17  made  ten  pounds  more.  And  he  said  unto  him, 
Well  done,  thou  good  i  servant :  because  thou  wast 
lound  laitlilul   in  a  very  little,  have  thou  authority 

18  over    ten    cities.      Aud   the   second    came     saying 
ly  Thv   pound.  Lord,  hath    made   live   pounds.     And 

he   said   unto   him   also,   IJe   tlnm    also    over     hve 

20  cities.  And  2  another  came,  saying,  Lord  Ije- 
hold     ht^re     is  thy   pound,    which  i    kept    laid    i.p 

21  iu  a  napkin:  for  1  feared  thee,  because  thou  art 
an  austere  man:  thou  lakesl  up  that  tl.ou  layedst 

22  not  down,  aud  reapest  that  thou  didst  not  sow.  He 
saith  unto  him.  Out  ofthine  own  mouth  will  1  ju(l),e 
thee,  thou  wicked  'servant.  Tl.uu  knewest  that  1 
am  an  austere  man,  takiug  up  thai  1  laid  not  down, 


^"m;.^;:;!:;;;^:^^:^^:::^^ 


understand  that  out  of  every  three  one  has 
turned  out  useless,  and  two,  more  or  less 
profitable  servants?  Saying,  Lord,  thy 
pound  hath  gained— did  of  itself  work  out 
besides— ten  pounds.  He  does  not  take  the 
credit  of  having  done  it;  the  master's  pound 
has  wrought  with  this  result.  Supposing  the 
capital  to  have  signified,  as  imagined  above, 
we  need  not  puzzle  ourselves  as  to  the  form 
in  whicii  the  increment  appears  at  the  last  day. 
It  may  be  in  the  enlarged  spiritual  acquire- 
ments and  developed  gifts  and  graces  of  the 
servant  himself,  or,  also,  in  the  propagation 
of  these  powers  of  usefulness  in  other  con- 
verted souls.  Enough,  that  there  are  now 
eleven  pounds  where  there  was  but  one.  He 
has  invested,  traded,  well. 

17.  And  he— the  Lord— said— ?<«!'o  him— 
Well !— 6mi!o— thou  good  servant.    AVhat 
joy  does  even  this   foreshadow,   for  the  dis- 
ciple who  shall  behold  the  smile  of  his  Lord 
and  Saviour,  at  the  last  day  ?    Because  thou 
hast  \ieei\— didst  inove—i&\i\\iu\  in  a  very 
little,  have  thou  authority  over  ten  cities. 
Comp.  ch.  16:   10.     Farrar  says  that  Arche- 
laus  thus  rewarded  the  chief   subjects   who 
had  been  faithful  to  him.     In  a  very  little. 
All  duties  and  performances  in  the  prelimi- 
nary dispensation  of   the  Son   of   man  will 
seem  trifling,  like  the  charge  of  a  few  dollars, 
when  measured  on  the  scale  of  eternal  affairs. 
Have  thou  authority  over  ten  cities.    The 
Greek  expression    strongly   marks  the  con- 
tinuation of  this  office,  nearly  as  "be  thou 
having,"  etc.     The  government  of  cities  may 
prefigure  oversight  and  responsibility  in  be- 
half  of  those  less  well  off  in  the  heavenly 
state.     At  all  events,  we  may  conclude  that 
the  Lord  will  there  have  a  field  for  the  exer- 
cise of  all  the  talents  and  capacities  of  his 


servants  which    he  has    developed    in   them 
here. 

18,  19.  The  second  servant  called  has,  ac- 
cording to  his  ability,  done  well  also  witli  the 
treasure  committed  to  him,  and  receives  a 
reward  proportional  to  thafof  the  other,  as 
was  the  efficiency.  The  teaching  naturally 
suggests  a  gradation  in  the  rewards  of  the 
blessed,  absolutely  considered,  while  that  of 
each  one  is  complete  for  him.  Comp.  Matt. 
20:  23;  Mark  10:  40. 

20.  The  third,  instead  of  being  so  called,  is 
spoken  of  3imply  as  another  —  Greek,  the 
other;  that  is  of  the  three.  Lord,  behold, 
here  is  thy  pound,  which  I  have  kept 
(rather,  I  kept)  laid  up  in  a  napkin.  He  lias 
effected  nothing  by  trading  with,  or  otherwise 
investing  it;  and  all  his  time,  which  was  due 
to  his  master,  has  been  simply  idle. 

21.  For  I  feared  thee,  etc.  His  apology 
mingles  equally  insult  and  liypocrisy.— Thou 
art  an  austere  man.  Harsh  and  unjust  in 
thy  dealings  with  inferiors.  Every  trait 
of  the  imaginary  nobleman  is  incompatible 
with  the  supposition  that  this  could  have  been 
spoken  sincerely— Takest  up  that  thou 
layedst  not  down,  sounds  like  a  proverbial 
euphemism  for  "dost  commit  robbery."  The 
point  of  this,  as  an  apology,  would  be,  that  it 
was  obviously  unsafe,  with  one  so  inhumane, 
to  venture  his  money  in  commercial  enter- 
prises, which  might  miscarry;  and  so  he  had 
simply  kept  the  deposit  safely  idle. 

22.  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge 
thee=from  thy  excuse  I  will  convict  thee 
of  unfaithfulness  to  me— a  wicked  servant. 
Thou  knewest  that  I  was— Greek,  ant— An 
austere  man,  etc.  This  sentence  is  best  un- 
derstood  as   ironically   interrogative:    Thou 


282 


LUKE. 


[Cn.  XIX. 


23  Wherefore  Ihen  gavest  uot  thou  my  money  into 
the  bank,  that  at  my  coming  I  might  have  requireil  mine 
own  with  usury? 

24  And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood  by,  Take  from 
him  the  pound,  and  give  il  to  him  that  liath  ten  pounds. 

25  (And  they  said  unto  him.  Lord,  he  hatli  ten  pounds.) 

26  For  I  say  unto  you,  "That  unto  every  one  wliich 
hath  shall  be  given  ;  and  from  him  that  hath  nut,  even 
that  he  hath  shall  be  taken  away  from  him. 

27  But  those  mine  enemies,  which  would  not  tliat  I 
should  reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them 
before  me. 

28  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  'he  went  before, 
ascending  up  to  Jerusalem. 


23  and  reaping  that  I  did  not  sow  ;  then  wherefore 
gavest  thou  not  my  money  into  the  bank,  and  i  1  at 
my  coming  should   have  required  it  with  interest? 

24  And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood  by.  Take  away 
from  him  the  jwuud,  and  give  it  unto  him  that  hath 

25  the  ten  pounds.     And  they  said  unto  him.  Lord,  he 

26  hath  ten  pounds.  I  say  unto  you,  that  unto  every 
one  that  hath  shall  be  given  ;  but  from  him  that  hath 
not,  even  that  which   he  bath  shall  be  taken  away 

27  from  him.  Howbeit  these  mine  enemies,  who  would 
not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and 
slay  them  before  me. 

28  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  went  on  before, 
going  up  to  Jerusalem. 


a  Matt.  i:t:  I'i;  25  :  39  ;  Mark  4  :  25  ;  ch.  8:  18....6  Mark  10:  32. 1  Or,  lehould  have  gone  and  required. 


knewest,  didst  thou  ?  and  so  didst  not  dare 
to  trade  with  \ny  money  ? 

23.  Wherefore,  then — for  that  very  rea- 
son— gavest  not  thou  my  money  into  the 
bank,  that  at  my  coming  I  might — rather, 
and  /,  at  my  coming,  would  have  requii-ed  it 
with  interest.  It  is  assumed  that  there  it 
would  have  been  safe,  and  drawing  interest. 
Bank  is,  in  the  Greek,  ^\m\)\y  table,  viz.,  of  the 
brokers,  or  money-changers  (Matt.  21:12;  johii2:i5). 
These  became  also  lenders;  and  their  business 
developed,  in  the  course  of  ages,  into  that  of 
the  bank.  The  interest  on  the  master's  pound, 
so  used,  would,  doubtless,  in  that  day,  have 
amounted  to  more  than  so  unenterprising 
a  servant  would  have  made  in  any  other  way. 
No  satisfactory  explanation  of  the  religious 
significance  of  the  bank  has  been  offered. 
The  words  mine  own  are  warranted  by  noth- 
ing in  the  Greek. 

24.  And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood 
by — the  ofiicers  of  this  king — Take  (away) 
from  him  the  pound,  etc.  A  direction  so 
strange  led  the  attendants  to  expostulate,  ap- 
parently interrupting  their  lord  before  he  had 
finished  his  sentence. 

25.  26.  And  they  said  unto  him.  Lord, 
he  hath  ten  pounds — as  though  that  was  a 
reason  why  he  should  not  have  more  given 
him.  But  in  a  case  like  this,  it  was  the  very 
reason  why  he  should.  And  our  Saviour 
proceeds,  without  noticing  the  interruption, 
I  say  unto  you.  That  unto  every  one  that 
hath  shall  be  given,  etc.  Here  the  meaning 
might  still  admit  of  api)lication  to  an  earthly 
case;  but  it  is  evident  that  the  antitypical 
truth  alone  is  in  the  mind  of  Jesus.  The 
parable  showed  that  the  disciple  that  hath  the 
spiritual  gift«  and  means  of  Chri-stian  useful- 
ness, is  he  that  uses  them.  Every  such  tnan, 
by  the  very  use,  increases  their  amount,  and 
becomes  fit  to  have  more  committed  to  him. 


The  man  who  had  put  them  away  in  a  hand- 
kerchief, did  not  have  them,  in  any  proper 
sense  of  the  word,  and  eventuallj'  will  be 
stripped  of  them,  in  every  sense.  Nothing  is 
said  here,  as  in  regard  to  the  misused  talent 
in  Matt.,  ch.  25,  of  punishment  to  the  craven 
servant,  beyond  the  disgraceful  deprivation 
of  his  trust.  This  may,  perhaps,  signify  that 
he  has  been  convicted  only  of  inefficiency  in 
the  special  and  selected  function  assigned  to 
him,  but  may  still  continue  in  some  lower 
grade  of  service  than  that  of  the  ten.  Some 
hint  of  such  an  intention  is  suggested  by  the 
conjunction  "howbeit"  of  the  next  sentence. 

27.  But  (or,  howbeit) — there  is  a  more  seri- 
ous case  than  his  to  be  attended  to — those 
mine  enemies  Avhich  would  not,  etc. 
This  sentence,  which  was  primarily  aimed  at 
those  Jewish  foes  who  so  malignantly  hated 
Jesus  then,  and  afterward  madly  remon- 
strated, in  effect,  with  the  Great  King  (see  23: 
18)  against  having  him  as  their  Messiah,  is  of 
dreadful  import  to  all,  of  every  nation  and 
age,   who   refuse   our  Saviour's  gentle  yoke. 

(Matt.  27:  25;  John  19:  15.) 

28.  Progress  Toward  Jeru.salem. 

28.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he 
went  before  —  in  front  of  the  crowd — as- 
cending up  (l)etter,  rfoing  itp)  to  Jerusalem. 

The  solemn  journej',  which  had  been  inter- 
rupted in  Jericho,  was  resumed  upon  finishing 
this  discourse.  Jesus  took  his  customary 
place,  at  the  head  of  the  line.  In  what  sense 
they  were  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  was  ex- 
plained in  the  note  on  the  reverse  movement 
of  the  man  going  down  to  Jericho.  See  on 
ch.  10:  30.  Jericho,  about  fourteen  miles 
distant,  was  not  far  from  3,(i00  feet  lower  than 
the  summit  of  Mount  Olivet,  which  they 
must  cross. 

29-46.  Arrival  at  Jerusalem. 

At  least  one  day  must  be  understood  to 


Ch.  XIX.] 


LUKE. 


283 


29  "And  it  caiuo  to  pass,  wben  he  was  come  uigh  to 
Bethphaf^e  aud  liethauy,  at  the  mount  called  the  moant 
of  Olives,  be  sent  two  of  his  disciples, 


t  29      And   it  came  to  pass,  when   he  drew  nigh   unto 
1        Bethphage  aud  Bethany,  at  the  mount  ihat  is  called 


a  Malt. -Jl  :  1;  Mark  II:  1. 


hiive  passed  between  the  movement  just 
treated  of,  and  the  continuation  of  it,  which 
is  now  before  us.  Of  that  day  no  notice  is 
taken  in  either  of  the  Synoptical  Gospels. 
For  we  have  now  come  where  we  can,  from 
the  Four  Gospels,  determine,  with  great  prob- 
ability, the  dates  of  events,  relatively  to  the 
day  of  the  crucifixion.  Our  Saviour  died  on 
Friday  of  the  week;  and,  as  generally  under- 


Of  our  Lord's  experience,  in  the  bosom  of  a 

well-beloved  family,  during  t!:at  last  Sabbath 
of  his  life,  we  can  form  imaginations  <)nly. 
Luke  writes  as  if  entirely  unaware  of  that 
stop  at  Bethany,  as  do  Matthew  and  Mark 
also,  though  they  show  afterward  that  they 
were  cognizant  of   the  supper  at   Bethany. 

(Malt.  26:  6;  Mark  14:  3.) 

29.  And  it  came  to  pass— mi  the  morn- 


stood,  that  was  the  15th  of  Nisan.  the  day  of 
the  Pa^^sover.  Now  in  John  12:  1,  we  read 
that  Jesus  came  to  Bethany,  which  was  on 
the  road  from  Jericho  to  Jerusalem,  "six 
days  before  the  passover,"  and  was  enter- 
tained in  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper.  In 
ver.  12  he  sets  out,  the  next  day,  on  this  jour- 
ney to  Jerusalem,  which  we  are  following  in 
Luke.  As  the  Passover  began,  that  year, 
Thursday  evening  at  sun-down  (Friday  eve. 
in  the  Jewish  reckoning),  "six  days  before" 
carries  us  to  the  evening  of  Friday,  9th 
Nisan,  Sabbath  eve,  where  and  when  on  his 
passage  from  Jericho,  as  spoken  of  in  ver.  28 
here,  be  must  have  rested  over  the  Sabbath. 


ing  of  the  first  day  of  the  week— when  he 
came  nigh  to  Bethphase  and  Bethany, 
at  the  mount  that  is  called  the  mount  of 
Olives.  This  mountain,  so  named  from 
ample  olive  orchards  on  its  western  slope, 
stretches  from  north  to  south  on  the  east  of 
Jeru.salem,  and  distant,  at  its  summit,  from 
the  wall  of  the  city,  2.0()0  or  2,;300  feet.  It 
must  be  crossed  in  passing  between  Jerusa- 
lem and  Jericho.  The  village  of  Bethany 
lay  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  ridge,  "fifteen 
furlongs,"  or  about  a  mile  and  three-quarters 
southeast  of  the  citv.  Bethphage  was  a 
place  closely  connected  with  Bethany;  but 
whether  merely  a  district  in  which   Bethany 


284 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


30  Saying,  Go  ye  into  tlie  village  over  against  you; 
in  the  which  at  your  entering  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied, 
whereon  yet  never  man  sat:  loose  him,  and  bring  him 
hit  her. 

31  And  if  any  man  ask  you,  Why  do  ye  loose  himf 
thus  shall  ye  say  unto  him,  Because  the  Lord  hath  need 
of  him. 

32  And  they  that  were  sent  went  their  way,  and  found 
even  as  he  had  said  uuto  them. 

33  And  as  they  were  loosing  the  colt,  the  owners 
thereof  said  unto  them.  Why  loose  ye  the  colt? 

34  And  they  said.  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him. 

35  And  they  brought  him  to  Jesus:  "and  they  cast 
their  garments  upon  the  colt,  and  they  set  Jesus 
thereon. 

3()  'And  as  he  went,  they  spread  their  clothes  in  the 
way. 

37  And  when  he  was  come  nigh,  even  now  at  the 
descent  of  the  mount  of  Olives,  the  whole  multitude  of 
the  disciples  began  to  rejoice  and  praise  God  with  a 
loud  voice  for  all  the  mighty  works  that  they  had  seen  ; 


30  Olivet,  he  sent  two  of  the  disciples,  saying.  Go  your 
way  into  the  village  over  against  you  ;  in  the  which 
as  ye  enter  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied,  whereon  no  man 

31  ever  yet  sat :  loose  him,  and  bring  him.    And  if  any 

32  one  ask  you.  Why  do  ye  loose  him?  thus  shall  ye 
say,  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him.  And  they  that 
were  sent  went  away,  and  found  even  as  he  had  said 

33  unto  them.  And  as  they  were  loosing  the  colt,  the 
owners  thereof  said  unto  them.  Why  loose  ye  the 

34  colt?     And  they  said.   The  Lord  hath  need  of  him. 
3.5  And  they  brought   him  to  Jesus:    and  they  threw 

their  garments  upon  the  colt,  and  set  Jesus  thereon. 

36  And  as  he  went,  they  spread  their  garments  in  the 

37  way.  And  as  he  was  now  drawing  nigh,  even  at 
the  descent  of  the  mount  of  Olives,  the  whole  mul- 
titude of  the  disciples  began  to  rejoice  and  praise 
God  with  a  loud  voice  for  all  the  '  mighty  works 


a  2  Kings  9:  13;  Matt.  21 :  7  ;  Mark  U  :  7  ;  John  12  :  14 I  Matt.  21 :  i 


-1  Gr.  poicers. 


was,  or  some  village  otherwise  unknown,  or  the 
village  spoken  of  in  the  next  verse,  is  a  matter 
of  dispute.  The  latter  is  quite  probable;  in 
which  view  it  is  mentioned  before  Bethany, 
as  being  the  point  now  brought  to  mind,  and 
defined  by  the  latter  as  being  more  generally 
known.  This  place  must  have  lain  between 
Bethany  and  Jerusalem.  He  sent  two  of 
his  disciples.  He  had  now  come  so  near 
that  it  was  necessary  to  make  preparations 
that  he  might  enter  the  city  conformably  to 
the  description  of  the  prophets. 

30.  Saying,  Go  ye  into  the  village 
over  against  yon.  In  the  absence  of  more 
definite  topographical  knowledge,  it  is  not 
clear  in  what  sense  the  village  was  over 
against  them.  Dr.  F  Gardiner  {Greek 
Harmony,  p.  172,  note)  is  authority  for  the 
statement  that  "the  road  from  Bethany  to 
Jerusalem,  as  it  passed  along  the  side  of 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  encountered  a  deep 
valley,  and  made  a  long  detour  around  the 
head  of  the  valley,  to  avoid  the  descent  and 
ascent.  A  short  footpath,  however,  led  di- 
rectly across  the  valley,  and  it  was,  probably, 
from  the  point  where  this  parted  from  the 
road,  that  the  disciples  were  sent  for  the  ass  to 
the  village  on  the  opposite  side,  where  the 
path  again  met  the  road  [at  the  winding-road 
(Mark  10;  4),  not  whcre  two  ways  met] — a  site 
still  marked  by  ruins.  The  owner  could  have 
seen  the  whole  procession  winding  around  the 
valley;  and  he  must  have  already  known, 
from  the  multitudes  going  out  of  Jerusalem  to 
meet  Jesus  (John  12:  u),  what  it  meant."  The 
colt  was  an  ass's  foal  (Matt.  21:2, 7).  Such  were 
not  despised  among  the  Jews,  but  held  honor- 
able (Jo'ig- 5: 10 ;  10:4;  12:14). — Tied,  as  if  awaiting 


the  Messiah's  use. — Whereon  yet  never  man 
sat.  Animals  unsubdued  to  earthly  uses 
seem  to  have  been  thought  more  worthy  of 
the  divine  use.     See  Deut.  21 :  3  ;  1  Sam.  6:  7. 

31.  The  Lord  would  here  be  understood  to 
mean  the  Teacher,  perhaps  the  Messiah;  and 
rather  implies  that  the  owner  of  the  animal 
was  a  disciple,  or  one  interested  in  Jesus  of 
Nazareth. 

32-35.  The  exact  correspondence  of  the 
facts,  as  they  found  them,  with  what  Christ 
had  foretold,  was  well  adapted  to  confirm 
their  faith,  and  that  of  all  who  became  aware 
of  it. — And  they — the  throng  of  people — cast 
(or,  threw)  their  garments  upon  the  colt, 
and  (omit  they)  set  Jesus  thereon.  It  was 
the  best  substitute  they  could  afford  for  the 
trappings  with  which  the  steeds  of  monarchs 
and  other  dignitaries  were  caparisoned,  when 
they  rode  in  state.  He  was  now  ready  to 
receive  their  recognition  of  his  Messiahship, 
and  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  so  far  as  we 
are  informed,  journeyed  otherwise  than  on 
foot,  or  in  the  boats  on  the  Lake  of  Gennes- 
aret. 

36.  And  as  he  went,  they  spread  their 
clothes  in  the  way.  Another  touching  dis- 
play of  their  reverence.  Matthew  and  Mark 
add,  that  they  cut  oft'  branches  from  the  trees 
and  tender  herbage,  and  strewed  in  the  way, 
as  if  to  carpet  the  road  for  their  Heavenly 
King.  For  similar  display,  see  2  Kings  9; 
13  ;  2  Mace.  10:  7  ;  Herod.  7  :  54,  and  a  multi- 
tude of  references  in  Wetstein  on  Matt.  21 :  8. 

37.  And  when  he  was  come  (better,  as  he 
roan  now  drawing)  nigh — to  Jerusalem — at  the 
descent  of  the  mount  of  Olives,  having 
just  crossed  the  summit,  when  the  view  of  the 


Ch.  XIX.] 


LUKE. 


285 


38  Saying,  "Blessed  be  the  King  that  coiueth  in  tlie 
name  of  the  Lord  :  '  peace  in  heaven,  and  glory  in  the 
highest. 

'M  And  .some  of  the  Pharisees  from  among  the  multi- 
tude said  unto  him.  Master,  rebuke  thy  disciples. 

4it  And  ho  answered  and  said  unto  them,  1  tell  you 
tliat,  if  these  should  hold  their  peace,  ''the  stones  would 
immediately  cry  out. 

41  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he  beheld  the  city, 
and  «'  wept  over  it. 


■38  which  they  had  seen;  saying.  Blessed  is  the  King 
that  comeih   in  the   name  oi    the   J>ord:   peace   in 

39  heaven,  and  glory  in  the  highest.  And  some  of  the 
Pharisees  from  the  multituue  said  uuto  him,  i  Mas- 

40  ter,  rebuke  thy  disciplt/s.  And  he  answered  and 
said,  I  tell  you  that,  if  these  shall  hold  their  peace, 
the  stones  will  cry  out. 

41  And  when  he  drew  nigh,  he  saw  the  city  and  wept 


a  Ps.  118:  26;  ch.  13:  »6 b  cb.  2  :  14;  Ephes.  2:1 c  Hab.  2:  11 d  John  11:  35. 1  Or,  Teacher. 


city  first  broke  upon  them— the  whole  mul- 
titude of  the  disciples  began  to  rejoice. 
The  word  disciples  is  liere  used  in  a  com- 
prehensive sense  (comp.  John  6:  GO,  Oti),  as 
including  the  mass  of  the  great  throng  which 
we  can  see  swayed  by  tlie  surges  of  an  irre- 
sistible enthusiasm.  It  is,  in  the  main,  the 
same  multitude,  or,  ^nultitudes,  making  up 
the  caravan  from  Galilee,  and  Perea,  who 
accompanied  him  through  Jericho;  many  of 
whom  liad  probably-  hastened  on  to  Jerusa- 
lem, when  ho  paused,  on  Sabbath  eve,  with 
his  friends  in  Bethany.  These,  with  numbers 
from  other  quarters,  influenced  by  their  re- 
port of  his  coming,  were  the  "much  people" 
(John  i2:  12, 13)  who,  on  this  Sunday  morning, 
"took  branches  of  palm  trees,  and  went  out 
to  meet  him."  Turning  then  in  the  direction 
of  the  train,  they  might  constitute  those  whom 
Matthew  (ch. 2i:9)  speaks  of  as  "those  that 
wont  before";  while  the  procession  from 
Bethany  were  those  "that  followed."  When 
we  remember  what  countless  numbers  flocked 
to  the  holy  city,  on  occasion  of  the  Passover, 
and  how  easily  such  a  host  is  heated  to  a  pop- 
ular excitement,  even  without  clear  under- 
standing of  the  cause  of  their  zeal,  imagina- 
tion easily  combines  the  scattered  hints  of  the 
Four  Gospels  into  a  scene  of  gigantic  commo- 
tion, like  what  is  beheld  in  some  great  city  in 
honor  of  a  favorite  ruler;  on  the  departure  of 
an  arm^'  in  an  agonizing  national  crisis;  or  at 
the  return  of  a  victorious  commander  from 
the  salvation  of  a  people's  cause.  We  may 
hear  tlu-ir  jubilant  hallelujahs,  as  they  began 
to  rejoice  and  praise  God  with  a  loud 
voice,  etc.  The  mighty  works  that  they 
had  seen,  included  all  those  which  had  re- 
cently occurred  on  their  journey ;  but,  partic- 
ularly, the  raising  of  Lazarus — an  event  that 
had  lately  drawn  many  of  them  out  to  Beth- 
any, to  see  Jesus  and  Lazarus ;  and  all  the 
long  series  of  mighty  works  of  mercy,  which 
one  and  another  could  recall  out  of  his  past 


life.     Their  praise  was  to  God,  who  had  sent 
them  the  Messiah. 

38.  One  form  of  their  ascription  was, 
Blessed  be  the  King  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  When  they  style  Jesus 
a  king,  they  distinctly  recognize  in  him  the 
Messiah.  (P9.ii«;26.) — In  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  as  representing  the  penson,  wearing  the 
character,  and  sharing  the  authority,  of  Je- 
hovah.—Peace  in  heaven.  The  cessation 
of  divine  anger  toward  sinners,  as  the  fruit  of 
the  Messiah's  mission,  and  consequent  salva- 
tion.—  Peace,  with  the  Hebrew,  compre- 
hended all  welfare,  and  was  equivalent  to 
salvation.  This  is  the  effect  of  it  to  men. — 
And  glory  in  the  highest— that  is,  places- 
accrues  to  God  from  his  mercy  in  the  Anointed 
One.     See  the  hj'mn  of  the  angels.  (Ch.2:u.) 

39.  And  some  of  the  Pharisees  from 
(omit  among)  the  multitude— a] ii)arently 
of  the  milder  sort,  who  were  yet  uncertain 
about  the  character  and  aims  of  the  Galilean 
Teacher— said  unto  him,  3Iaster=7'^v7c/«^;- 
—rebuke  thy  disciples.  Finding  that  the 
zeal  of  the  people  tended  actually  to  make  of 
Jesus  the  Messiah,  they  seem  to  have  supposed 
that,  if  reminded  of  it,  he  would  correct  their 
mistake. 

40.  He  rather  rebukes  them.  The  fact  of 
his  Messiahship  should  no  longer  be  sup- 
pressed, or  in  any  degree  concealed.  It  must 
c<mie  forth  ;  and  these  human  voices  are 
God's  proclamation  of  tlie  truth.  That  the 
stones  would  immediately  cry  out,  is  a 
hyperbole,  similar  to  that  used  by  John  the 

Baptist.    (Matt.  3:9.) 

41.  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he 
beheld  the  city.  This  marks  a  stage  of 
the  journey  in  advance  of  that  intended 
in  ver.  37.  There  he  "was  drawing  nigh." 
and  the  van  of  the  vast  procession  may  have 
caught  sight  of  the  Holy  City,  and  thus  been 
roused  to  an  outburst  of  adoration.  Now  the 
view  had  fairly  arrested  the  attention  of  our 


2S6 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


42  Saying,  If  thou  haclst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  I  42  over  it,  saying, '  If  thou  hadst  known  in  this  ''day, 
in  this  thy  day,  the  thiugs  «;/t«cA6«/t;/tj/ uuto  thy  peacel  I  even  thou,  the  things  which  beloug  unto  " peace! 
but  now  tuey  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.  | 


1  Or,  Oh  Ikal  (Aau  hadat  known, . .  .2  Some  auuiuut  i 


ities  read,  tftjf  day. . .  .3  Some  ancient  uuthu)-itie.s  read,  thy  peace 


Lord  himself.— He  saw  the  city.  By  which- 
ever of  the  three,  branches  of  the  road  from 
Bethany  he  might  be  following — it  was  prob- 
ably the  southern  and  more  gentle  one — he 
would,  on  surmounting  the  crest  of  the  ridge, 
stand  one  or  two  hundred  feet  higher  than 
the  temple  area,  and  still  farther  above  most 
other  parts  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  then  a  very 
strong  and  splendid  city,  although  nar- 
rowly   limited    in    extent    by   its   very   site. 


few  moments,  grouped  in  silence.  .  .  .  The 
one  thought  'This  is  Jerusalem'  absorbs  all 
others.  '  Thy  servants  take  pleasure  in  her 
stones.'  It  is  like  revisiting  a  father's  grave, 
or  the  home  of  one's  youth,  and  no  one  is  dis- 
posed to  expatiate  on  the  outline  or  details 
of  the  landscape;  for  over  it  hover  the  mem- 
ories of  redemption  achieved,  and  the  victory 
over  the  grave."  (Canon  Tristram,  Lnndof 
Israel.)     What  memories,  what  historic  asso- 


JERUSALEM. 


Among  a  number  of  striking  features,  the 
temple  would  attract  the  first  glance  by  its 
grandeur  and  magnificence.  Even  in  the 
present  dilapidation  of  the  city,  this  scene 
awakens  profound  emotion  in  every  thought- 
ful and  sensitive  soul.  "  It  is  a  glorious  burst 
as  the  traveler  rounds  the  shoulder  of  Mount 
Olivet,  and  the  Haram  wall  [on  the  site  of 
the  temple]  starts  up  before  him  from  the 
deep  gorge  of  the  Kidron,  with  its  domes 
and  crescents  sparkling  in  the  sunlight — a 
royal  city.  On  that  very  spot  he  once  paused, 
and  gazed  on  the  same  bold  cliffs,  supporting 
a  more  glorious  pile.  .  .  .  We  gazed  for  a 


ciations,  therefore,  must  it  now  have  awakened 
in  the  breast  of  Jesus!  But  only  to  darken 
and  distress  his  prevision  of  the  fate  of  the 
beloved  city.  He  Avept  over  it.  Broke  out 
into  loud  and  tearful  lamentations.  The  verb 
used  ((cAaieif)  properly  denotes  "  lortd  expres- 
sions of  grief"  ;  see  Liddell  and  Scott.  The 
dreadful  contrast  between  what  might  have 
been  and  what  is  to  be  I 

42.  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thon, 
at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which 
belong:  unto  thy  peace  1  Excess  of  the 
Saviour's  feelings  breaks  off  the  sentence 
(compare  note  on  ch.  13:  9),  "what  wouldst 


Ch.  XIX.] 


LUKE. 


287 


43  For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  that  thiue 
enemies  shall  "cast  a  trench  about  (hue,  aud  couipa^^s 
thee  round,  and  keep  thee  iu  on  every  side, 

4t  Aud  '•shall  lay  ihee  even  with  the  ground,  and  thy 
children  within  thee;  and  «tliey  shall  not  leave  iu  theo 
one  stone  upon  another ;  ''  because  thou  kue  west  not  the 
time  of  thy  visitation. 

45  "And  he  went  into  the  temple,  and  began  to  cast 
out  them  that  sold  thereiu,  and  them  that  bought ; 


43  but  .now  they  are  hid  I'rom  thine  eyes.  For  the  days 
shall  come  upon  thee  when  ihiue  enemies  shall  casl 
up  a  1  hank  atiout  thee,  anii  ciiinpa.ss  line  niunii,  and 

44  keep  thee  iu  on  every  sule,  ana  sliall  uash  ihee  lo 
the  ground,  and  thy  cuilureu  within  lliec;  and  they 
shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon  anoilier;  be- 
cause thou  kueWesl  not  the  lime  ol  ihy  visilulion. 

4o      Aud  he  entered  iuto  the  temple,  aud  began  to  cast 


ilsa.  a9;  3,4-   Jer.  6:8,  6;  oh.  21 :  20.... »  I  Kings  » :  7,  8;  Mic;ih»:   12..   .c  Mull.  24:  2;  Mmk  13 :  2  ;  ch.  21:6....d  l>Bu.9:  24;  ch.  1: 
'  6h,TS;  1  Pet.  2  :  12 e  Hull.  21 :  12  ;  Mark  11 :  11,  la  ;  JobD  2  :  14,  lo. 1  Qr.  |)it(iau((e. 


thou  not  have  escaped?"  The  shorter  and 
more  simple  form  of  tlie  Revision  lyr^bably 
represents  tlie  correct  text.  Peace  is,  here 
again,  prosperity,  welfare,  salvation.  The 
things  which  belong  to  it  tire  repentance, 
faith  in  the  Messiah,  true  righteousness,  on 
the  ground  of  which  alone  it  could  be  en- 
joyed. To  know  these  is  not  merely  to 
recognize  them  as  being  necessary,  but  to 
approve,  adopt,  and  cherish  them.  In  this 
thy  »lay,  or,  "in  thy  day,"  the  last  oppor- 
tunity afforded  thee.  Even  thou,  or," thou 
also,"  as  well  as  others  who  believe  in  me; 
thou  especially  whose  leaders  are  so  alien- 
ated from  God,  and  on  whose  repentance  so 
much  depends.  But  now  they  are  hid 
from  thine  eyes.  Now— as  the  case  stands ! 
They  are  hid  from  thine  eyes,  or,  more 
exactly,  were  hidden,  viz.,  by  the  judicial 
appointment  of  God'.  Thou  loouldst  not  see 
them  ;  hence  it  was  his  will  that  thou  shouldst 
be  blind  to  them.  Comp.  ch.  9:  45;  18:  34; 
concealment,  but  with  a  merciful  design. 

43-44.  These  verses  predict  so  preciselj* 
what  actually  befell  Jerusalem  forty  years 
afterward,  that  critics  who  deny  all  real 
prophecy,  even  on  the  part  of  Christ, 
of  course  treat  them  as  a  prophecy  after 
the  event.  Not  only  the  general  evidence 
of  an  earlier  date  of  the  Gospel  refutes 
this,  but  the  supernatural  character  of 
Christ,  in  any  view  of  the  record,  and  the  un- 
questionable fact  that  he  did,  in  soine  terms, 
foretell  the  ruin  of  the  city,  give  an  antece- 
dent probability  that  he  would  come  thus 
near  to  the  history.  The  days  shall  come 
— should  rather  be,  days  irill  come.  See  on 
ch.  5:  od  ;  17:  '11.  Cast  a  trench — rather,  a 
hnnk—a.\>o\\t  thee.  The  Revision  is  to  be 
preferred  in  these  verses,  where  it  differs  from 
the  Common  Version.  A  bank  about  thee — 
is  the  enclosing  rampart,  by  which  the  enemj' 
will  shut  thee  in,  to  prevent  escape  or  succor. 
Because  thou  kncAvest  not,  etc.  It  is 
implied  that  if  they  had  appreciatively  known 


that  the  coming  to  them  of  Jesus  was  the 
crisis  of  their  opportunity  to  turn  unto  the 
Lord,  they  would  have  believcjd,  and  been 
saved.  Then  their  city  would  have  stood  per- 
petually illustrious  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Their  failure,  however,  to  apprehend  the  full 
purport  of  the  manifestation  of  Jesus  being 
the  result  of  prejudice  and  self-interest,  was 
no  excuse  for  their  murderous  oi)positii>n  to 
him.     Comp.  ch.  23;  23,  24. 

45,  46.  Christ  EIxkrcises  Supreme 
Authority  in  thk  Temple. 

Mark  (oh.  ii :  u)  gives  the  succession  of  events 
with  special  distinctness,  and  Matthew 
(oh.2i:  II,  12)  adds  some  graphic  details.  It 
would  appear  that  that  "Palm  Sunday" 
ended  with  a  survey  of  the  temple,  prelim- 
inary t(»  further  work  there.  The  driving  out 
of  the  traffickers,  as  reported  here  by  Luke, 
occurred,  probablj',  the  next  day.  Compare 
Mark  11 :  12,  "on  the  morrow."  The  night 
was  spent,  as  were  all  that  followed,  until  the 
last,  at  Bethanj'  (Markn:n),  or,  at  least,  on  the 
Mount  of  Olives  (ch.21 :  :i7.') 

45,  And  he  went  into  the  temple,  and 
began  to  cast  out,  etc.  The  Revision  rightly 
leaves  (>ut  hero,  in  Luke,  the  four  last  words 
of  this  verse.  That  Jesus  should  have  thus 
purified  the  temple  courts  twice  in  his  life 
(comp.  John  2:  13  ff.),  is  thought  by  some  so 
improbable,  that  they  take  this  as  only  another 
report  of  the  same  occurrence  as  that  in  John. 
Really,  however,  it  is  not  in  the  least  unnat- 
ural that  there  should  be  fresh  occasion  for 
our  Lord's  righteous  displeasure.  The  im- 
pression made  by  the  former  chastisement 
would  soon  pass  away.  The  sooner,  because  a 
great  number,  whose  pecuniary  interests  were 
involved  in  the  unsoemly  traffic,  would  com- 
bine their  influence  against  the  innovation. 
Officials  of  the  temple,  and  some  of  high  rank 
in  the  Sadducean  priesthood,  whose  great  for- 
tunes were  at  stake,  would  make  a  mighty 
combination.  They  would,  doubtless,  insist 
on  the  great  convenience  of  having  money- 


288 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XX. 


46  Saying  unto  them,  "It  is  written,  My  house  is  the 
bouse  oi  piayer;  luu  'ye  liave  inaUe  ii  aaeu  of  thieves. 

47  Auu  lie  taught  daily  iu  the  teujple.  But  "the  chief 
priests  and  ttie  scribes  aud  the  chief  of  the  people 
sought  to  destroy  hiiu, 

40  And  could  not  tiud  what  they  might  do:  for  all 
the  people  ^  were  very  attentive  to  hear  him. 


46  out  them  that  sold,  saying  unto  them.  It  is  written, 
And  my  house  shall  be  a  house  ol  prayer:  but  ye 
have  made  it  a  den  of  robbers. 

47  And  he  was  teaching  daily  in  the  temple.  But 
the  chief  priests  ajid  the  scribes  aud  the  principal 

48  men  of  the  people  sought  to  destroy  him;  and  they 
could  not  find  what  tuey  might  do;  for  the  people 
all  hung  upon  him,  listening. 


CHAPTEK    XX. 


AND  'it  came  to  pass,  thai  on  one  of  those  days,  as  he 
taught  the  people  iu  the  temple,  and  preached  the 
gospel,  tUe  cliiei  priests  aud  the  scribes  came  upon  him 
With  the  eluers. 


1  And  it  came  to  pass,  on  one  of  the  days,  as  he  was 
teaching  the  people  in  the  temjile,  aud  preaching 
the  gospel,  there  came  upon  him  the  chief  priests 


a  Isa.  56:  7 6  Jer.  7:  11 c  Mark  11 :  18;  John  7  :  19;  8  :  37 d  Acts  16:  14 e  Matt.  21 :  23. 


changers  present  at  this  central  spot,  to  give 
coin  current  at  Jerusalem  to  those  who  came 
Irom  all  parts  of  the  world,  in  order  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  temple,  and  all  their  need 
for  other  purchases.  And  -what  should  hinder 
the  animals  required  for  sacrifices  from  being 
kept  in  the  same  convenient  neighborhood? 
The  scruples  of  some  might  be  obviated  by 
the  consideration  that  it  was  only  the  Court  of 
the  Gentiles  that  they  used  for  tliese  purposes. 
A  number  of  festivals  had  passed  since  Jesus 
taught  them  the  previous  lesson,  and  it  would 
be  strange  if  the  old  practices  had  not  re- 
established themselves  in  full  vigor,  with  all 
the  accompanying  fraud,  extortion,  and  prac- 
tical robbery  of  the  ignorant,  poor,  helpless 
worshipers  in  the  sacred  precincts.  Jesus 
would  at  once  perceive  the  vanity  of  all  pleas 
of  convenience,  as  a  justification  of  such 
abuses  and  crimes.  Therefore,  "he  began 
to  ca.%t— drive— t\vem  out."  We  are  not 
told  now  of  the  use  of  scourges,  as  before 
(John 2: 15).  His  personal  presence,  after  the 
demonstration  of  the  day  before,  was  enough 
to  scatter  the  evil  doers ;  and  we  see,  from  the 
parallel  passages,  that  he  made  a  clean  sweep 
of  all  their  traffic,  with  its  apparatus. 

46.  Saying  unto  them,  It  is  written 
(Isa.  56:  7),  {And)  my  house  is — shall  be — the — 
a — house  of  prayer — upon  which  some  of 
his  hearers  might  recall  from  Isaiah,  "for  all 
the  nations,"  those  Gentiles  whom  the.y  did 
their  utmost  to  cheat  and  despoil.  Jeremiah 
(7:  11)  had  addressed  his  contemporaries  as  if 
they  thought  the  house  called  by  Jehovah's 
name  "a  den  of  robbers,"  in  which  very 
words  Jesus  tells  the  people  who  cowered 
before  him,  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den  of 
thieves — "a  robbers'  cave."  What  could 
more  clearly  portend  a  destruction  of  the 
hypocritical  place,  as  complete,  and  vastly 


more  astounding  than   that   which  followed 
Jeremiah's  words! 

47,  48.  Sketch  of  our  Lord's  Action, 
and  of  the  machinations  of  his  foes. 

47.  And  he  taught  (better,  was  teachitig) 
daily  in  the  temple — through  Mondaj', 
Tuesday,  and  Wednesday.  But  the  chief 
priests  and  the  scribes,  and  the  chief 
{7nen)  of  the  people  sought — all  this  time — 
to  destroy  him.  The  favor  of  the  people 
toward  him  had  risen  to  such  a  pitch  as  to 
allow  no  delay.  They  must  destroy  him,  or  a 
religious  revolution,  through  his  influence, 
would  destroy  them — destroy  their  influence 
and  emoluments. 

48.  And  could  not  find  what  they 
might  do — what  means  they  could  employ 
to  reach  their  end.  Not  that  scruples  of  con- 
science could  have  restrained  them  from  any 
measures,  however  violent  or  bloody.  But 
prudence  hindered.  For  all  the  people 
were  very  attentive  to  hear  him.  (Better, 
as  in  the  Revision,  Fo?'  t/te  people  all  hung 
upon  Ai?n,  listening.)  These  were  the  days  of 
Christ's  lordship  in  his  temple.  The  power 
of  the  ordinary  rulers  was  utterly  subverted, 
and  thej'  were  obliged  to  resort  to  under- 
handed and  deceitful  ways,  lest  they  should 
bring  upon  themselves  the  fury  of  their  own 
populace.  This  was  eminently  so  in  the  first 
days  of  the  week. 

Ch.  20.  1-8.  The  chai)ter  presents  several 
instances  of  the  thwarted  attempts  of  the 
chief  priests  and  scribes  to  destroy  him;  and 
specially  graphic  is  this  picture  of  the  failure 
of  the  whole  body  of  the  rulers  to  entrap  the 
Lord  in  his  speech. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass  (omit  that)  on 
one  of  those  days.  A  comparison  of  Mat- 
the^v  and  Mark  shows  that  it  was  on  Tuesday, 


Ch.  XX.] 


LUKE. 


289 


2  And  spake  uuto  him,  saying,  Tell  us,  "by  what 
authority  Uoest  thou  these  things'.'  or  who  is  he  that 
gave  thee  this  authority  V 

;!  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  I  will  also 
ask  you  oue  thing;  and  answer  me: 

4  The  baptism  of  John,  was  it  from  heaven,  or  of 
men  '.' 

.»  And  they  reasoned  with  themselves,  saying.  If  we 
shall  say,  From  heaven  ;  he  will  say,  Why  then  believed 
ve  hiru  not? 


2  and  the  scribes  with  the  elders;  and  they  spake, 
saying  unto  him,  Tell  us:  iJy  what  authority  doest 
thou  these  things?  or  who  is' he  that  gave  thee  this 

;{  authority?    And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them, 

4  1  also  will  ask  you  a 'question;  and  tell  me:  The 
baptism  of  John,  was  it  Ironi  heaven,  or  from  men? 

5  And  they  reasoned  with  themselves,  sai  ' 
shall  say,  From  heaven  ;  he  will  say,  Why 


ying,  II 

(•  did  ye 


Acta  4:7;  7  :  27.- 


after  the  withering  of  the  fig  tree  that  he  had 
cursed  tlie  preceding  (Monday)  morning,  on 
the  way  from  Betlmny  to  Jerusalem.  As  he 
taught  (better,  was  teaching)  the  people  in 
the  temple,  and  preached  (or,  vfas preach- 
iiKj)  the  gospel,  according  to  the  custom 
noted,  (ch.  19:47).  The  teaching  would  be 
principally  an  exposition  of  the  Messianic 
intent  of  the  Old  Testament,  the  application  of 
which  to  his  own  character  and  work  would 
be  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  (Comp. 
cli.  4:  16-21.)  We  may  well  suppose  that 
large  numbers  were  now  thronging  him, 
"hanging  upon  him,  listening,"  so  that  any 
interruption  would  attract  great  attention. 
Just  at  such  a  moment,  an  interruption  did 
occur,  of  the  most  formidable  description; 
one  which,  if  anything  could,  might  have 
abashed  Jesus  himself  The  chief  priests 
(ch.9:  -fi)  and  the  scribes  (ch.5:  21)  came  upon 
him,  with  the  elders  (oh. m:  m).  The  order 
of  words  in  the  lievision  is  preferable  to  that 
in  the  Common  Version.  It  looks  like  a 
formal  delegation  from  the  Sanhedrin,  or 
great  r::ligious  council  of  the  nation,  similar 
to  that  which  was  sent  to  John  the  Baptist,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  Gospel  (Johui:  lair.).  Se- 
lected members,  representing  all  sections  of 
the  bod^',  venerable  in  years  and  character, 
and  arrayed  in  their  distinctive  robes  of  office, 
constituted  an  apparition  well  adapted  to 
overwhelm  the  po[)ulace  with  reverence  and 
awe.  The  statement  that  they  came  upon 
him,  implies  a  degree  of  suddenness,  if  not 
surprise,  in  their  appearance.  The  design 
was  soon  manifest. 

2.  And  (tfiei/)  spake  unto  him,  saying. 
Tell  us,  by  what  authority  doest  thou 
these  things  ?  The  imperative.  Tell  us,  is 
consistent  with  the  whole  air  of  superiority 
and  command  which  the  visit  bespoke.  As 
overseers,  in  divine  providence,  of  the  religious 
instruction  of  the  people,  neither  the  people 
nor  Jesus  himself  would  question  the  propriety 
of  their  inquiring  into  the  credentials  of  one 


who  assumed  the  function  of  a  messenger  of 
God;  only  let  them  do  it  with  an  honest  and 
earnest  desire  to  know  the  truth.  But  their 
question  was  rather  in  regard  to  things  done. 
These  things  would  include,  primarily,  the 
cleansing  of  the  temple  courts,  the  day  before, 
and  all  that  he  had  done  and  allowed  on  the 
day  of  his  arrival.  The  people  listening 
would  be  likely  to  associate  with  these  the 
blasting  of  the  tig-tree,  the  giving  sight  to  the 
blind,  the  raising  of  Lazarus — all  thai  guaran- 
teed him  to  be  the  prophet  of  Galilee,  the  Mes- 
siah of  the  nation.  With  this  extent,  the 
question,  by  what  authority  doest  thou 
these  things  I — understood,  as  they  intended 
it,  viz.,  what  man,  what  eldership,  what  col- 
lege of  rabbins,  gave  it  to  thee?  (which  is  the 
sense  of  their  alternative  question) — was  likely 
to  seem  absurd.  The  practical  sum  of  it  was, 
in  their  minds,  "How,  when,  where,  did.st 
thou  receive  this  authority  from  us?"  As 
their  inquir3'  was  proper  in  form,  the  Lord 
gave  a  resp»^ctful  reply. 

3.  And  he  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  I  will  also  ask  you  one  thing 
(better,  rt  question);  and  answer  (or,  tell, 
as  in  ver.  1)  me.  To  answer  a  question  by 
proposing  another  has  alwa\'s  been  allowable, 
but  is  often  very  troublesome.  Christ's  repe- 
tition of  their  Tell  me  assumes  a  dignity  and 
dominion  equal  to  theirs. 

4.  The  baptism  of  John,  was  it  from 
heaven,  or  of  (literally. /row)  men  ?  The 
baptism  of  John  is  put  briefly  for  the  whole 
mission  of  John.  Now.  John  had  notoriously 
testified  to  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  and  that 
to  the  embassy  sent  from  this  very  body,  per- 
haps including  some  of  these  very  men.  An 
answer  to  his  question,  therefore,  would 
greatly  clear  the  way  toward  an  answer  to 
theirs,  and  perhaps  render  further  answer 
unnecessary.  Did  John  do  what  he  did,  and 
say  what  he  said,  as  a  prophet,  the  spokesman 
of  God  ? 

5.  The  tables  were  at  once  turned.     They, 


290 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XX. 


6  But  and  if  we  say,  Of  men  ;  all  the  people  will  stone 
us:  "for  tliey  be  persuaded  that  John  was  a  prophet. 

7  And  they  answered,  that  they  could  not  tell  whence 
it  was. 

8  And  Jesus  said  unto  theiu,  Neither  tell  I  you  by 
what  authority  I  do  these  things. 

9  Then  began  he  to  speak  to  the  people  this  parable; 
'A  certain  man  planted  a  vineyard,  and  let  it  forth  to 
husbandmen,  and  went  into  a  far  country  for  a  long 
time. 


6  believe  him?  But  if  we  shall  say,  From  wen  ;  all  the 
people  will  stone  us:    for  they  are  persuaded  that 

7  Johu  was  a  prophet.     And  they  answered,  that  they 

8  knew  not  whence  it  was.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them. 
Neither  tell  I  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these 
things. 

9  And  he  began  to  speak  unto  the  people  this  par- 
able:  A  man  planted  a  vineyard,  and  let  it  out  to 
husbandmen,  and  went  into  "another  country  for  a 


a  Matt.  14:  5;  21:  26;  oh.  7:  2»....&  Matt.  21  :  33 ;  Mark  12:  1. 


not  he,  were  perplexed. — And  they  reasoned 
with  themselves  —  thus  betraying  to  the 
people  their  confusion,  at  once — saying.  If 
we  shall  say,  From  heaven,  etc.  It  was  as 
plain  as  day  that,  if  they  admitted  the  pro- 
phetic character  of  John  (of  which  they  had 
convincing  evidence),  they  condemned  them- 
selves for  not  welcoming  as  tlie  Christ  him 
whom  that  prophet  had  declared  such.  They 
might,  therefore,  have  denied  John  this  char- 
acter, evidence  or  no  evidence  ;  but  then  the^' 
would  forfeit  the  confidence,  and  even  incur 
the  hatred,  of  the  people — which,  in  all  their 
malice  and  machinations,  they  were  now 
anxious  to  avoid. 

6.  But  and — omit  and — if  we  say.  Of 
men — acting  self-moved,  or  with  only  the  war- 
rant of  other  men — all  the  people  will  stone 
us  :  for  they  be  {are)  persuaded  that  John 
was  a  prophet.  So  universal  was  this  belief, 
that  the  rulers  feared  a  general  insurrection  if 
it  was  challenged.  An  additional  proof  of  the 
extent  and  depth  of  the  impression  made  on 
the  nation  by  John's  work.  Perhaps  none  of 
the  ancient  prophets  had  been  so  completely 
recognized  as  such.  Hence,  stones  would  be 
the  ready  weapons  of  the  enraged  people 
against  blasphemous  impeachment  of  his  au- 
thority. 

7.  And  they  answered,  that  they  could 
not  tell  (rather,  kneio  not)  whence  it  was. 
This  answer,  if  truthful,  proved,  as  everj'  one 
might  see,  such  incapacity  to  recognize  the 
source  of  prophetic  authority',  that  they  had 
no  claim  to^ question  Christ's.  If  false,  as 
would  be  the  more  natural  view,  it  the  more  de- 
cidedly exempted  him  from  their  jurisdiction. 

8.  He  could  not  say,  like  them,  "neither 
do  I  know"  ;  but  assuming  that  their  answer 
meant  "we  will  not  tell  you,"  he  dismissed 
them,  silenced  and  crest-fallen,  with,  Neither 
tell  I  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these 
things.  We  may  profitably  notice  the  divine 
calmness  of  our  Saviour;  the  promptness,  pro- 
priety:, and  force  with  which  he  met  this  sud- 


den, unexpected,  and  most  imposing  assault 
from  hostile  powers,  before  which  an  ordinary 
Hebrew  would  have  quailed. 

9-19.  Parable  of  the  Wicked  Hus- 
bandmen. 

Having  effectually  baffled  these  dignitaries, 
Jesus  uttered  a  parable  to  the  people,  but  for 
the  rulers,  who,  or  a  portion  of  whom,  con- 
tinued to  listen.  This  is  sufficiently  apparent 
from  verse  16,  below,  and  is  confirmed  by 
Matt.  21 :  28-33 ;  Mark  12 :  1. 

9.  Then  {Atid)hegHn  he  to  speak  to  the 
people  this  parable  :  A  certain  man 
planted  a  vineyard,  and  let  it  forth  (out) 
to  husbandmen,  and  went  into  a  far 
(rather,  another)  country  for  a  long  time. 
The  intended  reference  of  the  chief  features 
of  the  allegory  is  plain.  Tlie  proprietor  is 
God.  The  vineyard  is  the  Jewish  State,  the 
Theocracy,  with  its  resjjonsibilities,  privileges, 
promises,  rewards.  The  planting  it,  was  its 
establishment  in  the  land  of  Palestine,  with 
all  that  inclosure  of  institutions,  rites,  and 
customs  which  should  at  once  promote  its  own 
prosperity',  and  keep  it  distinct  from  the  rest 
of  the  world.  The  husbandmen  to  whom 
it  was  let  out,  were  the  administrators  of 
the  government  under  God  —  the  judges, 
kings,  priests,  and  all  that  successively  consti- 
tuted the  hierarch3\  The  "fruits"  expected 
by  the  proprietor  of  this  vineyard,  were  obe- 
dience to  his  will,  as  declared  in  the  law, 
which  was  to  prepare  the  wa3'  for  a  universal 
reign  of  grace  to  sinful  men,  while  it  mean- 
time fostered  acharacter  of  humility,  upright- 
ness, mercy,  piety,  among  the  people  who 
made  up  the  plants  of  the  vine3-ard.  The 
servants,  were  the  prophets,  sent  in  succes- 
sion, to  require  this  fruit  at  the  hands  of  the 
people,  represented  and  moulded  bj'  their 
rulers.  Three  stages  of  their  mission  are  men- 
tioned, denoting  that  they  were  sent  repeat- 
edly;  not,  necessarily,  just  thrice.  Many  of 
them  were  ill-treated;  some  of  them,  even 
slain — particularly,   John  the   Baptist.      The 


Ch.  XX.] 


LUKE. 


291 


10  And  at  the  season  he  sent  a  servant  to  the  hus- 
bandiueu,  thai  thev  should  jrive  hiiu  ol  the  Iruit  ol  the 
vineyard:  but  the  LusbaDduieu  beat  hiiu,  uud  sent  him 
away  empty. 

1 1  And  a;<ain  he  sent  another  servant :  and  they  beat 
him  also,  and  entreated  him  shaiuel'ully,  and  sent  htm 
away  empty. 

l/And  a^aia  he  sent  a  third:  and  they  wounded 
him  also,  and  cast  /i/i/tuiit. 

V.i  Then  said  the  lord  ol"  the  vineyard,  What  shall  I 
do?  t  will  send  uiy  l>e!oved  son  :  it  may  be  they  will 
reverence  him  when  they  see  him. 

14  Kut  when  the  husbaudmen  saw  him,  they  rea- 
soned amon>;  themselves,  .saying,  This  is  the  heir: 
come,  let  us  kill  him,  that  the  inheritance  may  be  ours. 

15  So  they  ca^t  him  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  killecl 
him.  What" therefore  shall  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  do 
unto  them? 

16  He  shall  come  and  destroy  these  husbaudmen,  and 


10  long  time.  And  at  the  season  he  sent  unto  the 
husbandmen  a  I  servant,  that  they  siiould  give  him 
of  the  Iruit  of  the  vineyard :  but  the  husbandmen 

11  beat  him,  and  sent  him  away  empty.  And  he  sent 
yet  another  '  servant :  and  fiim  also  they  beat,  and 
handled  him  shamefully,  and  sent  him  away  empty. 

V2.  And    he    sent    yet    a    third:    ami    him    also    they 
lii  wounde.',  and  east  him  forth.     And  the  lord  of  the 
14  vineyard  said.  What  shall  1  do?     1  will  send  my  be- 
loved son  :  it  may  l>e  they  will  reverence  him.     hut 
when  the  husbandmen  saw  him,  they  reasoned  one 
with  another,  saying.  This  is  the  heir:  let  us  kill 
lo  him,  that  the  inheritance  may  be  ours.     And  they 
oust   him  forth  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  killed  him. 
What    therefore  will  the  lor\l"  of  the  vineyard  do 
IG  unto  them?     He  will  come  and  destroy  these  hus- 
bandmen, and  will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others. 
And  when   they  heard   it,  they  said,  2  God  forbid. 


1  Gr.  hondttrvant 2  Gr.  Be  it  not  ao. 


son — wlioin  the  proprietor  decides  to  send 
after  tiie  last  of  his  servants  has  failed,  is,  of 
course,  the  Lord  Jesus  himself;  and  the  plot 
of  the  husbandmen  against  him,  is  what  the 
chief  priests  and  scribes  are  now  engaged  in 
working  out,  that  they  may  continue  to  hold 
their  control  over  the  people,  with  its  honors 
and  emoluments.  It  is  a  pathetic  picture  of 
the  present  case  of  the  Son  of  man,  with  ref- 
erence to  its  historical  antecedents,  and  its 
impending  tragedj*.  The  husbandmen — a 
more  comprehensive  term,  instead  of  tlie  more 
precise,  "  vine- dressers,"  "vineyardists." 
They  are  the  men  who  would  employ  the  vine- 
dressers.— For  a  long  time,  covers  the  pe- 
riod from  the  settlement  in  Canaan  to  the 
coming  of  Christ. 

10.  At  the  season — namely,  when  the 
effect  of  his  favor  to  this  people  should  have 
shown  itself  in  their  gratitude,  obedience,  and 
love  to  him. — Of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard, 
not  absolutely  all  of  it.  It  implies  an  ar- 
rangement with  the  husbandmen  that  they 
were  to  have  some  share  of  the  benefit,  in  im- 
proved and  happier  lives  of  rulers  and  people. 

12.  In  no  case,  at  no  period,  do  they  meet 
God's  reasonable  requirement  with  fidelity 
and  righteousness.  In  this,  the  Saviour 
simply  summarized  their  recorded  history. 
Throughout  that,  from  the  men  who  "out- 
lived Joshua"  (Judg. 2:7),  we  search  in  vain  for 
the  account  of  a  single  generation  that  served 
Jehovah  with  more  than  a  rare,  meagre,  half- 
hearted devotion.  Scarcely  a  king  that, 
through  his  life-time,  remained  faithful  to  the 
national  covenant  with  God.  The  ascending 
degrees  of  their  cruelty  to  his  servants,  as 
here  set  forth,  show  that  they  became  worse 
instead  of  better. 


13.  Their  course  had  culminated  in  this 
harder  than  brazen-heartedness  of  these  men, 
who  now  hear  without  relenting  the  pathetic 
emotion  of  the  Father  in  heaven,  when,  as 
the  last  expedient,  he  says,  I  will  send  my 
beloved  Son:  it  may  be  they  will  rever- 
ence him. 

14.  It  was  painting  the  present  state  of 
things  to  the  life,  when  Jesus  represents  the 
rulers  as  turning  this  extremity  of  fatherly  af- 
fection into  an  occasion  for  the  supreme  exer- 
cise of  their  rebellion  and  hate. — Let  us  kill 
him,  that  the  inheritance  may  be  (become) 
our.s.  The  motive  of  their  murderous  wicked- 
ness is  laid  open  before  them— tliat,  the  Mes- 
siah being  put  out  of  the  way,  they  may  sit  in 
his  place,  as  they  already  sat  "in  Moses'  seat." 
"What  was  originally  and  properly  a  piece  of 
land  entrusted  to  their  care,  on  certain  unful- 
filled conditions,  has  become,  in  their  view, 
an  inheritance  handed  down  to  them  ,  so  that, 
if  the  legitimate  heir  be  got  rid  of,  it  will  fall 
of  right  to  them. 

15.  Their  plan  is  put  in  execution. — They 
cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  killed 
him.  Christ  speaks  of  that  as  already  accom- 
plished, which  is  to  take  place  after  three 
days.  The  casting  the  son  out  of  the  vine- 
yard, means,  perhaps,  nothing  more  than  that 
they  put  him  off  from  the  field  which  he 
claims,  and  which  they  usurp,  before  they  put 
him  to  death.  Some  think  it  refers  to  a  for- 
mal excommunication  of  Jesus,  but  without 
adducing  any  proof  of  such  a  fact.  For.«aking 
now  the  form  of  narrative,  Christ  inquires 
as  to  the  future  consequences  of  this  conduct. 
— What  therefore  shall  the  Lord  of  the 
vineyard  do  unto  them? 

16.  The  answer  to  his  question  must  prob- 


292 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XX. 


shall  give  the  vineyard  to  others.    And  when  they 
heard  U,  they  said,  (iod  I'orbid. 

17  And  he  beheld  them,  and  said,  What  is  this  then 
that  is  written,  "The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected, 
the  same  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner? 

18  Whosoever  shall  fall  upon  that  stone  shall  be 
broken  ;  but  *on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will  grind 
him  to  powder. 

19  And  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes  the  same 
hour  sought  to  lay  hands  on  him  ;  and  they  feared  the 
people :  for  they  perceived  that  he  had  spoken  this 
parable  against  them. 


17  But  he  looked  upon  them,  and  said,  What  then  is 
this  that  is  written, 

The  stone  that  the  builders  rejected, 

The  same  was  made  the  head  of  the  corner? 

18  Every  one  that  falleth  on  that  stone  shall  be  broken 
to  pieces;  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will 
scatter  him  as  dust. 

19  And  the  scribes  and  the  chief  priests  sought  to 
lay  hands  on  him  in  that  very  hour;  and  they 
feared  the  people :  for  they  perceived  that  he  sijake 


(  Ps.  118:  2-';  Matt.  21  :  42. ...5  Dan.  2  :  34,  .Sd;  Matt.  21 :  44. 


ably  be  understood  in  our  passage,  and  so  in 
Mark,  as  the  Lord's  own  to  his  own  question. 
Matthew  gives  substantially  the  same,  as  ex- 
torted from  one  of  those  rulers  by  the  vivid- 
ness of  the  narrative. — He  shall  (rather,  will) 
come  and  destroy  these  husbandmen, 
and  shall  {will)  give  the  vineyard  to  oth- 
ers. The  privileges  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
will  soon  be  withdrawn  from  the  Jews,  as  a 
visible  polity,  with  temporal  advantages ;  its 
earthly'  rulers  will  be  superseded,  and  its  in- 
tended benefits  will  become  the  spiritual  pre- 
rogative of  individuals,  Jews  or  Gentiles,  who 
are  ready  to  receive  it. — And  when  they — 
that  is,  some  of  the  parties  threatened — heard 
it,  they  said,  God  forbid  (or,  rather,  Let 
it  not  be).  The  familiar  form  may  be  more  to 
our  taste,  but  that  does  not  warrant  bringing 
the  name  of  God  into  such  vehement  expres- 
sions a  thousand  times,  in  the  Bible,  when  its 
authors  left  it  out.  From  what  follows,  it 
would  seem  that  what  they  would  avert  was 
not  merely  the  destruction,  but  the  cause  of  it, 
in  the  murder  of  the  son  of  the  lord  of  the 
vineyard.  "Let  that  not  be,  in  order  that 
those  natural  consequences  may  not  follow!  " 
17.  The  Saviour  replies,  in  effect,  "That 
must  be,  else  how  shall  the  Scripture  be  ful- 
filled?" And  he  beheld  them — looked  on 
them — with  a  glance  of  searching  penetration 
— and  said,  What  is  this  then  that  is 
written  (ps.  iis:  22).  The  stone,  etc.  Do  you 
not  see  that  what  my  parable  portends  is 
deeply  suggested  in  your  ancient  Scripture? 
The  passage  cited  celebrates  the  triumph  of 
some  prominent  personage  typically  con- 
nected with  the  typical  kingdom  of  God. 
Foes  would  have  depressed  him ;  but  he  is 
raised  to  the  highest  honor.  This  Jesus  ap- 
plies to  himself,  making  the  rulers  the  build- 
ers of  the  Theocracy,  who  have  rejected  him 
only  to  be  defeated,  in  seeing  him  exalted  to 
headship  in  that  structure.  The  same— that 
very  person,  he  and  no  other — is  become — 


(or,   was  made)  the   head    of  the  corner. 

This  last  phrase  is  a  Hebraism  for  a  stone  so 
fitted  and  placed  as,  by  forming  part  of  two 
walls,  to  bind  them  togetlier  at  a  corner, 
and  give  security  to  the  whole  structure. 
Whether  it  is  conceived  of  as  coping  out  the 
main  wall  at  the  top  (Jer.  51: 26),  or  the  founda- 
tion wall,  on  which  the  edifice  rested  (is.28:  ig; 
iPet.2:6,7),  or,  as  placed  at  any  desired  eleva- 
tion, admits  of  question. 

18.  Whosoever  shall  fall  upon  that 
stone  shall  be  broken,  etc.  Now  the 
corner  stone  is  imagined  lying  on  the  ground, 
and  liable  to  be  stumbled  over;  then  as  raised 
aloft,  ready  to  be  precipitated  on  the  heads 
below.  Or  the  idea  of  construction  may 
simply  have  been  dropped  ;  the  thought  hav- 
ing passed  to  that  of  a  stone  capable  of  doing 
harm.  The  teaching  is,  that  those  who  took 
offence  at  Jesus  in  his  earthly  manifestation 
would  perish  ;  but  still  more  miserablj'  those 
who  should  continue  to  despise  him  after  his 
exaltation  to  the  right  hand  of  God.  The 
former  will  be  crushed,  the  latter  scattered  as 
dust — literally,  winnowed — with  the  effect 
that  the  wind  will  blow  them  away.  Comp. 
Ps.  1 :  4. 

19.  This  verse  at  once  closes  the  account  of 
the  parable,  and  introduces  the  next  attempt 
of  his  enemies.  And  the  chief  priests  and 
the  scribes  the  same  hour  sought  to  lay 
hands  on  him.  The  order  in  the  Greek  is: 
And  the  scribes  and  the  chief  priests  sought 
to  lay  (their)  hands  on  him  in  that  very  hour. 
We  shall  see  on  ch.  22:  8,  that  they  had 
already  contracted  with  Judas  for  the  betrayal 
of  Jesus,  but  did  not  think  it  expedient  to  try 
to  carry  out  their  plan  until  after  the  feast. 
But  the  exasperation  of  the  Sanhedrists  had 
now  become  so  intense  that  they  were  almost 
ready  to  seize  him  on  the  spot.  And  they 
feared  the  people.  Comp.  ver.  6.  Another 
important  fact  which  tempered  their  rage, 
and  obliged  them  to  try  other  expedients  to 


Ch.  XX.] 


LUKE. 


293 


20  "■  And  they  watehed  Aim,  and  sent  forth  spies,  which 
should  IVign  themselves  just  luen,  that  they  mij^lit  take 
hold  of  his  words,  that  so  they  luight  deliver  him  unto 
the  power  and  authority  of  the  governor. 

21  And  they  asked  him,  saying, '•Master,  we  know 
that  thou  sayest  and  teachest  rightly,  neither  acceptest 
thou  the  person  oj  any,  but  teachest  the  way  of  God 
truly : 

22  Is  it  lawful  for  us  to  give  tribute  unto  Caesar,  or  no? 

23  But  he  perceived  their  craftiness,  and  said  unto 
them.  Why  tempt  ye  me? 

24  Shew  me  a  penny.  Whose  ima^e  and  superscrip- 
tion hath  it  ?    Tney  answered  and  said,  Cesar's. 


20  this  parable  against  them.  And  they  watched  him, 
and  sent  fortu  spies,  who  feigned  themselves  to  be 
righteous,  that  they  might  take  hold  of  his  .speech, 
so   as  to  deliver  hiui   up  to  the   '  rule  and  to  the 

21  authiJrity  of  the  governor.  And  they  asked  him, 
saying,  -'Master,  we  know  that  thou  sayest  and 
teachest  rightly,  and  acceptest   not  the   person  of 

22  any,  but  of  a  truth  teachest  the  way  of  God :  Is  it 
lawful   for  us  to  give  tribute  unto  Cicsar,  or  not? 

23  But  he  perceived  their  craftiness,  and  said  unto 
them,   Shew    me   a  ■'denarius.      Whose   image   and 

24  superscription   hath  it?     And  they  said,  Cccsar's. 


a  Uait.  it:  M i  Malt.  22:  16;  l£ark  12:  14. 1  Or,  ruling  power 2  Or,  Teacher 3  See  margiual  note  on  Matt,  xvlii.  28. 


reach  their  end  without  danger  to  themselves. 
For  they — i.  e.,  tlie  scribes  and  chief  priests — 
perceived  that  he  had  spoken  {literally 
spake)  this  p.irable  against  them.  This 
e.\|thiins  the  first  member  of  this  verse — they 
gonght  to  lay  hands  on  him. 

20-26.  Another  Plot  of  Theirs 
Foiled. 

20.  And  they  watched  him — looking  out 
for  a  good  opportunity  and  contrivance — 
and  sent  forth  spies^men  suborned,  or  in- 
stigated to  practice  fraud — which  should 
feign  (literally,  feigned)  themselves  just 
(better,  righteous)  men.  They  hypocriticallj' 
professed  great  care  to  do  tbeir  duty  to  God 
and  man,  in  the  hard  relation  which  they 
stood  in  toward  the  existing  government. 
That  they  might  take  hold  of  his  words 
(speech),  that  so  they  might  deliver  him, 
etc.  Tiiey  had  arranged  a  scheme  of  such  in- 
genuity that,  whatever  he  might  say,  .«eenied 
certain  to  make  liim  guilty  before  the  religious 
orthe  civil  authority.  Untothe  power ;  i.e., 
the  civil  rule  or  magistracy,  however  admin- 
istered—and authority  of  the  governor — 
tiie  Roman  Procurator,  Pilate.  Only  the 
latter  could  decree  the  death  penaltj',  nothing 
less  than  which  would  satisfy  their  malignitj'. 
Fnun  the  other  Synoptists  we  learn  that 
among  tlie.se  lyers-in-wait  were  some  who 
were  disciples  of  the  Pharisees,  and  some  who 
were  Ilerodians.  The  former  would  share  the 
spirit  and  represent  the  ability  of  the  Phari- 
sees, althougli,  apparently,  not  full-fledged 
members  of  tlie  sect  {uaa.  n  -.  le) ;  and  they  could 
serve  a.s  witnesses  on  the  Pharisaic  side.  The 
Herodians  were  such  as  originally  supported 
the  rule  of  the  Herodian  family  ;  and,  as  this 
depended  on  the  Roman  power,  they  indi- 
rectly supported  the  Roman,  as  opposed  to 
the  patriotic  rule.  They  were  thus  at  the 
opposite  pole  of  political  .principle  to  the 
Pharisees ;  but  common  antagonism  to  Jesus, 


as  a  revolutionary  reformer,  made  them  one 
for  the  moment.  Their  coming  to  liim  in 
company  might  tend  to  throw  liim  off  his 
guard ;  their  consentient  testimony,  at  all 
events,  would  have  the  greater  weight.  It 
is  worthy  of  note  that  Luke  sa^'s  nothing  of 
Pharisees  here ;  only  of  chief  priests  and 
scribes.  So  also  in  the  preceding  section, 
from  ver.  1.  He  does  not  even  mention  them 
again  through  all  these  procedings.  And 
here  is,  chronologically,  the  last  reference 
to  them  by  Matthew  or  Mark,  until  they 
come,  with  others,  to  Pilate  (Matt. 27:62)  about 
the  body  of  Jesus.  John  also  alludes  to  them 
as  now  active  only  once.  (Ch.  i8:s.)  The  de- 
nunciation of  the  Pharisees,  in  Matt.  23s 
belongs  to  an  earlier  date. 

21.  And  they  asked  him,  saying.  Mas- 
ter ( TcrtrAer),  we  know  that  thou  sayest 
and  teachest  rightly,  etc.  Tiieir  ques- 
tion is  suspended  by  a  very  adroit  piece  of 
flattery,  which  they  might  naturally  suppose 
would  be  likely  to  throw  Jesus  off  his  guard. 
—Neither  acceptest  thou  the  person  of 
any.  To  accept  the  person  was  the  same  as 
"to  respect  persons " — a  Hebrew  exi)ression 
for  "to  pervert  justice  in  favor  of  any  one," 
to  show  partiality  in  pronouncing  judgment. 
They  say.  in  effect,  "  We  desire  to  know  the 
honest  truth,  however  it  may  bear  on  our  con- 
duct, and  are  sure  that  thou  art  the  teacher 
who  can  give  it  to  us." 

22.  Is  it  lawful  for  us  to  give  tribute- 
pay  taxes — unto  Ca'sar,  or  no?  The  last 
two  words  betray  the  desire  for  an  explicit  and 
categorical  answer.     Yes,  or  no? 

23.  24.  But  he  perceived  their  crafti- 
ness. If  he  said  "Yes,"  the  Herodians 
would  be  pleased,  while  the  whole  Pharisaic 
zeal,  and  that  of  the  patriotic  populace,  would 
be  kindled  against  him.  But  if  he  answered 
"No,"  siding  with  the  Pharisees  against 
such  political  subjection,  he  would  still  more 


294 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XX. 


25  And  he  said  unto  them,  Render  therefore  unto    25  And  he  said  unto  them,   Then  render  unto  Caesar 


Csesar  tlie  things  which  be  Cwsar's,  and  unto  (jod  the 
things  whieli  be  God's. 

2^  And  they  could  not  take  hold  of  his  words  before 
the  people  :  and  they  marvelled  at  his  answer, "and  held 
their  peace. 

27  "Then  came  to  him  certain  of  the  Sadducees, 
'  which  deny  that  there  is  any  resurrection ;  and  they 
asked  him, 


the  things  that  areCa;sar's,  and  unto  Uod  the  things 

26  that  are  liod's.  And  they  were  not  able  to  take 
hold  of  the  saying  before  the  people:  and  they 
marvelled  at  his  answer,  and  held  their  peace. 

27  And  there  came  to  him  certain  of  the  Ijadducees, 
they  that  say  that  there  is  no  resurrection  ;  and  they 


a  Mail.  '22  :  a3 ;  Mark  12  :  18 6  A -ts  23  :  6.  8. 


directly  come  into  collision  with  the  ruling 
power  of  his  nation.  We  should  not  have 
been  surprised  to  tind  it  written  that  he  re- 
flected for  a  moment.  But  no;  instantly, 
with  the  same  imperturbable  serenity  which 
■we  noticed  in  ver.  3,  ti".,  he  said  uuto  them, 
.  .  .  .  Show  me  a  penny  —  a  denarius. 
This  coin  would  be  appropriate,  as  a  unit  in 
the  reckoning  of  the  taxes  and  tolls.  Whose 
image  and  superscription  hath  it?  They 
answered  and  said,  Caesar's.  The  coin 
current  in  their  country,  bearing  the  likeness 
of  the  Emperor  for  the  time  being,  would  be  a 
proof  that  he  was  sovereign  over  them,  and  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  admirable  solution  of 
their  question  which  is  to  follow.  The  coin 
produced  would  probably  be  one  of  Tiberius, 
the  reigning  Emperor.  (Csesar  was  the  dynas- 
tic designation  of  the  Emperors,  like  Kaiser 
in  Germany,  Zar  in  Eussia,  and  not  a  per- 
sonal name.  "  On  one  side  would  be  the  once 
beautiful,  but  now  depraved,  features  of  Ti- 
berius ;  the  title  Poniifex  Mnximns  was  prob- 
ably inscribed  on  the  obverse." — (Farrar.) 

25.  Render  therefore  (or,  7%c»)— in  con- 
sideration of  what  that  implies— nnto  Csesar 
the  things  which  be  (or,  that  rrre)  Caesar's, 
and  nnto  God  the  things  which  be  {that 
are)  God's.  The  former  were  the  tribute,  in 
various  forms  of  tax  levied,  necessary  to  sus- 


tain the  government  under  which  they  lived; 
the  latter,  the  love  and  service,  constituting 
piety  and  true  holiness,  which  were  due  to  the 
Heavenly  Kuler.  Christ  does  not  content 
himself  with  an  answer  to  their  secular  ques- 
tion merely,  but  shows  that  there  is  a  religious 
side  to  secular  duties.  Fidelity  to  the  state  is 
not  only  consistent  with  duty  to  God,  but  is 
included  in  it. 

26.  And  they  could  not  (or,  were  not  able 
to)  take  hold  of  his  words  (lit.,  the  saying) 
— as  they  had  set  out  to  do  (ver.  20) — before  the 
people.  Again,  in  the  presence  of  the  peo- 
ple, they  were  plainly  defeated  in  their  at- 
tempt to  entrap  him. — And  they — the  spies — 
marvelled  at  his  answer — it  was  the  won- 
der, not  of  admiration,  but  of  amazement — 
and  held  their  peace.  Their  efforts  against 
the  Saviour  were,  for  the  time,  entirely  si- 
lenced. "They  left  him,  and  went  their 
way"  (Matt.22:22).  This  was  the  end  of  an 
attempt  proceeding  from  the  Pharisaic  party. 

27-39.  Sadducees  Would  Test  Him 
Concerning  the  Kesurrection. 

27.  Then  came — And  theyi  came — to  him 
certain  of  the  Sadducees.  These  were  a 
sect  of  the  Jews  next  in  prominence  to  that  of 
the  Pharisees,  which  we  have  met  so  often. 
In  Matthew's  Gospel  they  are  much  more  fre- 
quently mentioned  than   in  Luke.' — Which 

iThey  appear  obscurely,  first  about  the  middle  of  the  second  century  before  Christ,  as  the  priestly  party  of 
the  AsnionaaD  rulers.  Around  them  gathered  a  small  but  powerful  number  of  the  worldly  rich,  and  influential 
officials  of  the  commonwealth.  They  were  in  some  sense  politico-religious  liberals.  Against  the  tendency  of 
the  Pharisees  to  multiply  traditional  precepts,  "  fencing"  the  law,  and  to  sharpen  the  distinctions  which  should 
naturally  .separate  the  .Tews  from  other  nations,  they  favored  freedom  from  other  restrictions  than  those  which 
were  expressly  commanded  in  the  law;  and  although  rigid  in  their  interpretation  of  some  of  these  requirements, 
were  inclined,  gener.illy  speaking,  to  let  down  the  barriers  between  themselves  and  the  heathen,  and,  at  times, 
to  make  very  little  of  the  Jewish  peculiarities.  What  was  at  first  a  practical  tendency,  the  result  of  inclination 
and  regard  for  personal  interest,  would  eventually  work  out  principles  for  itself.  What  was  at  first  largely 
political  and  secular  in  their  course  could  not  fail,  in  a  period  of  such  intense  popular  religiousness,  to  take  on 
also  a  religious  character.  The  rule  of  their  development,  in  every  respect,  was  antithesis  to  the  principles  and 
movement  of  the  Pharisees.  For  a  considerable  period  the  fortunes  of  the  nation  varied  with  the  varying  pre- 
ponderance of  the  two  parties  in  the  government  of  the  state.  More  particularly,  as  to  their  principles,  we  see 
both  by  inevitable  inference  from  what  is  explicitly  told  us  about  them,  and  from  the  utter  absence  of  any  con- 
trary intimation : 

1.  That  they  took  no  account  of  a  Messiah  to  come.  This  would  be  enough  of  itself  to  justify  our  Saviour's 
-warning  to  his  disciples  to  beware  of  their  teaching  and  influence  (Matt.  16:  6, 11, 12).    They  are  by  him  asso- 


Ch.  XX.] 


LUKE. 


295 


28  Savinu  Ma.ster;  -Moses  wrote  unto  us,  If  any 
n.fu-rbrott.er  die.  having,  a  ^^ife  and  he  ^le  without 
children,  that  his  brother  should  take  his  wile,  and 
raise  up  seed  unto  his  brother.  i.i.., «,«. 

2U  There  were  therefore  seven  brethren  :  and  the  first 
took  a  wire,  and  dieil  without  children. 

!jo  And   the  second   took   her   to  wife,  and  he  died 

'"'•ll'^Ami  the  third  took  her;  and  in  like  wanner  the 
seven  also:  and  they  left  no  children,  and  died. 
i>  Last  of  all  the  woman  died  al.so. 

33  Therefore  in  the  resurrection  whose  wife  ot  them 
is  she'  for  seven  had  her  to  wife. 

34  \nd  .Jesus  answering  said  unto  theiu,  The  children 
of  this  world  marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage: 


28  asked  him,  saving, 'Master,  Moses  wrote  unto  us, 
that  if  a  man  s  brother  die,  having  a  wile,  and  he 
be  childless,  his  brother  should  take  the  wile,  and 

29  raise  up  .seed  unto  his  brother.  There  were  there- 
fore seven   brethren:    and    the   first   took    a   wile. 

30  and  died  childless;  and  the  second;  and  the  third 

31  took  her;   and  likewi.se  the  s.veu  also  lelt  no  chi - 

32  dren,  and  died.  Afterward  the  woman  also  died. 
3;j  In  the  resurrection  therefore  whose  wile  ol  them 
34  shall  she  be?  for  the  seven  had  her  to  wile.     And 

Jesua  said    uulo    them,  The    sous  of   this  -world 


aDeuI.25:&. 1  Or,  Teacher iOr.age. 


deny  that  there  is  any  resurrection.  Some 
meinbei^  of  tliis  sect,  emulous  of  a  victory 
over  the  Great  Teiicher,  by  whom  the  riviil 
party  had  been  baffled,  and  in  a  matter  where 
confirmation  of  their  own  tenet  might  be 
gained,  now  come  forward  with  a  puzzle  con- 
cerning the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead.  They  evidently  thought  they  had  a 
reductio  ad  absurdum  of  that  doctrine. 

28.  Moses  wrote  unto  us,  If  any  man's 
brother  die,  having  a  wife,  and  he  die 
without  children  (or,  better,  and  he  be  child- 
less), etc.  They  refer  to  the  peculiar  provision 
ofthe  Mosaic  law  (neut.-io:  s)  concerning levirate 
marriages.  According  to  that,  in  order  appar- 
ently to  preserve  the  family  estate  in  the 
land,  as  well  as  the  name  of  each  individual 
proprietor,  when  a  man  died  childle.ss,  his 
brother  (the  eldest,  probably,  by  preference, 
whether  already  married  or  not),  should  take 
the  widow  to  wife,  and  the  first  born  son 
should  be  reckoned,  not  as  his,  but  the  son  of 
the  former  husband,  and  inherit  his  name. 
This  had  probably  been  an  ancient  u.sage  of  the 


Hebrews,  as  of  some  other  nations,  and  would 
be  less  remarkable  in  a  society  where  polyg- 
amy was  practiced,  and  not  forbidden  in  the 
law. 

29-33.  On  this  provision  of  law  they  pre- 
sent a  case,  real  or  supposed,  of  a  woman  who 
became  the  wife  of  seven  brothers  in  succesion, 
who  all  died  childless.  How  would  the  doc- 
trine of  a  resurrection  appb'  to  such  a  case, 
seeing  that— for  this  is  the  uurve  of  tiiuir  argu- 
ment—in that  supposed  other  life,  she  must 
be  the  wife  of  a  former  husband,  and  cannot 
be  of  more  than  one  ?  They  had  very  prob- 
ably found  this  a  graveling  question  to  the 
orthodox  party,  judging  from  verse  39. 

34.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them  —  as 
calmly  and  as  promptly  as  in  the  preceding 
cases— the  children  {smus)  of  this  world  (or, 
age)  marry — spoken  of  the  men — and  are 
given  in  marriage — spoken  of  the  women. 
The  word  sons  is  very  frequently  lised  in  the 
Bible  to  denote  the  people— sons  and  daugh- 
ters, men  and  women.  So  here.  In  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  instances  in  the  Common  Ver- 


ciated  with  the  Pharisees,  not  as  similar,  but  antithetical,  and  complementary,  so  that  between  them  they 
represented  all  opposition  to  the  gospel. 

•»  .Jiisephus  tells  us  that  they  rejected  the  fiction  of  the  Pharisees  concerning  a  body  of  unwritten  laws,  or 
precepts,  handed  down  from  Moses  through  the  elders  of  the  i>eoplc.  Herein  they  had  the  full  support  of  Jesus 
in  his  condemnation  of  their  "  traditions,"  which  so  often  made  void  the  true  law  of  (.od.  They  may  probably 
at  first  have  claimed  to  be  bound  only  by  the  plain  requireinents  of  their  ancient  .'Scriptures;  but  finding  their 
spontaneous  tendency  in  practice  to  l>e  hampered  by  the  prophetic  teachings,  it  is  exceedingly  probable,  though 
not  stated,  that  they  shortened  their  rule  of  life  to  the  Five  Books  of  Moses. 

3.  From  Luke  we  learn,  in  the  passage  l>efore  us,  and  from  Acts  23:  S  (comp.,  alRO.4:  1,  2),  that  they  denied 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  .loseplius  says  the  same,  and  furthermore,  that  they  dislx-lievetl  the  immor- 
talitv  of  the  soul.  As  he  belonged  to  the  Pharisaic  party,  we  cannot  be  certain  just  what  abatement  is  to  be 
uiatle  from  his  statements  on  the  latter  point.  We  can  easily  suppose,  from  their  almost  certain  undervaluation 
ofthe  other  Scriptures,  compare<l  with  the  Pentateuch,  that  they  would  maintain  that  there  was  no  clearly 
revealed  proof  of  any  resuvrection.  That  their  skepticism  should  have  gone  so  far  as  to  reject  (Acts  23.  S1  the 
existence  of  "angel"  and  "spirit",  namely,  a  supermundane,  finite  spirit,  can  with  difficulty  be  reconciled  with 
faith,  even  in  the  Pentateuch.    Indeed,  we  greatly  lack  the  means  of  making  out  completely  any  article  of  their 

doctrinal  system. 

4.  One  other  thing  of  some  importance  we  are  told  by  Josephus:  that  they  held  to  the  absolute  freedom  of  a 
man  to  will  good  or  evil,  unhelped  and  unhindered  by  any  Divine  Providence,  or  power  of  fate;  the  latter 
meaning,  probably,  any  divine  decree.    Hence,  a  man's  fortunes  were  in  his  own  hand.    Rewards  and  punish- 


296 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XX. 


35  But  they  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to 
obtain  that  world,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage  : 

36  Neither  can  they  die  any  more :  lor  "  they  are 
equal  unto  the  angels ;  and  are  the  children  of  God, 
''being  the  children  of  the  resurrection. 

37  Now  that  the  dead  are  raised,  "even  Moses  shewed 
at  the  bush,  when  he  calleth  the  Lord  the  tfod  of  Abra- 
ham, and  the  Ciod  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob. 


85  marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage:  but  they  that  are 
accounted  worthy  to  attain  to  that  'world,  and  the 
resurrection  troni  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are 

36  given  in  marriage :  for  neither  can  they  die  any 
more:  for  they  are  equal  unto  the  angels;  and  are 

37  sons  of  God,  being  sons  of  the  resurrection.  But 
that  the  dead  are  raised,  even  Moses  shewed,  in  the 
place  conv.erniiig  the  Bush,  when  he  calleth  the  Lord 
the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 


a  I  Cor.  15    42,  i».  52;  1  John  3:  2 b  Rom.  8:23 c  Ex.  3:6. 1  Or,  age. 


sion  of  the  Old  Testament  where  "children" 
occurs,  the  Hebrew  has  "sons."  From  the 
other  Synoptists  we  learn,  in  addition,  that 
Jesus  referred  their  question  to  two  mistakes, 
and  very  gross  mistakes  for  expounders  of 
Scripture  to  make,  in  that  they  knew  not  the 
Scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God.  Both 
which  mistakes  are  exposed  in  his  argument; 
the  second  one  first. 

35.  But  they  which  be  (rather,  that  are) 
accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world, 
(or,  age)  to  which,  namely,  the  resurrection 
will  lead,  the  age  of  completed  Messianic 
blessedness — and  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead — without  which  that  is  not  obtained 
— neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  mar- 
riage. This,  we  have  reason  to  think,  was 
then  a  great  theological  novelty.  They,  not 
knowing  the  power  of  God  to  provide  for  a 
different  social  state  in  the  future  life,  suyj- 
posed  that  there  also  the  family  relation  must 
be  repeated  and  continue. 

36.  .Tesus  shows  them  why  that  would  be 
neither  necessary  nor  appropriate.  For  (this 
is  in  the  true  text)  neither  can  they  die  any 
more.  They  are  immortal ;  hence  there  is 
no  need  of  procreation  to  maintain  the  popu- 
lation of  that  world ;  therefore  they  do  not 
marry.  But  why  can  they  not  die  any  more? 
For   they   are    equal   unto   the   angels — 


angel  like,  in  that  they  are  spiritual  beings; 
not,  necessarily  bodiless,  but  incapable  of  dis- 
solution. This  again  is  confirmed  by  the  state- 
ment :  and  are  the  children — sons — of  God, 
being  the  children — sons — of  the  resur- 
rection— that  is  to  sa3%  owing  that  life,  not  to 
any  human  or  created  parentage,  but  to  the 
power  working  in  their  resurrection,  which 
power  is  God's,  they  are  the  sons  of  God, 
and  so  as  immortal  as  he.  How  truly  the 
Sadducees  had  not  known  "the  power  of 
God"!  And  the  argument  which  spoiled 
their  catch  in  regard  to  the  resurrection  of 
the  pious  dead,  assumes  and  teaches  also  the 
existence  of  the  angels,  in  refutation  of 
another  tenet  of  theirs.   (Acts  23:  8.) 

37.  Now  he  will  show  that  they  "knew  not 
the  Scriptures,"  either.  Now  (rather.  But) 
whatever  you  may  think  of  my  declaration— 
that  the  dead  are  raised — present  for  fu- 
ture— even  Moses  shewed.  This  does  not 
prove  that  the  Sadducees  held  that  only  the 
Pentateuch  was  sacred  and  authoritative,  how- 
ever this  may  have  been  ;  but  it  asserts  that, 
without  looking  further  into  the  Scriptures, 
even  in  one  of  its  first  books,  Moses  shewed. 
The  Greek  verb  means  "disclosed,"  "gave  the 
means  of  knowing." — At  the  bush=in  that 
part  of  the  Scripture  which  treats  of  God's 
interview  with  Moses   in   the   Burning  Bush 


ments  must  all  come  in  the  present  life;  therefore,  the  man  who  prospered  proved  that  he  had  chosen  right; 
and  if  he  was  poor,  or  otherwise  unfortunate,  he  was,  as  he  ought  to  be,  simply  reaping  the  fruit  of  his  character 
and  acts.  It  was,  accordingly,  quite  natural  that  the  Sadducees  should  be  charged  with  harshness  toward  the 
poor,  and  unrelenting  severity  against  those  who  had  broken  the  laws.  This  is  of  interest,  when  we  learn  that 
Annas  and  Caiaphas,  at  the  time  of  Christ's  trial,  were  Sadducees,  "and  all  that  were  with  them"  in  the  San- 
hedrim" (Acts  5:  17).  It  was  the  Pharisees  in  this  Council,  if  ever  any,  who  inclined  to  leniency  in  judgment 
of  the  accused  (Acts  5:  33  ff. ;  23:  9). 

There  were  priests  among  the  Pharisees,  also;  but  notgenerally  those  of  the  highest  rank,  or  wealth,  or  power. 
The  Sadducees  desired  the  welfare  of  their  country,  but  through  worldly  policy,  and  for  temporal  advantage; 
the  Pharisees,  through  the  favor  of  God  toward  their  scrupulous  piety,  and  in  the  expectation  of  Messianic 
rewards. 

If  we  were  to  guess  which  is  right  among  the  three  conjectures  that  have  been  put  forth  in  regard  to  the 
origin  of  the  name  Sadducees,  we  should  side  with  those  who  think  it  to  be  from  the  Hebrew  root  for  "  righteous." 

The  chief  source  of  Information  concerning  them  is  Josephus.  His  scattered,  fragmentary,  and  sometimes 
partial  notices,  are  discussed  in  Whiston's  foot-notes;  in  Prideaux's  Connections ;  better,  with  some  estimate 
of  the  Rabbinic  references,  in  Ewald's  History,  vol.  5;  still  better,  as  regards  the  Talmudic  lore,  in  Griitz, 
Geschichte  der  Juden,  vol.  3;  Derembourg,  Histoire  de  la  Palestine,  etc. ;  and  Edersheim's  Life  and  Times  of  Jesus, 
B.  iii.,  ch.  2. 


Cii.  XX.] 


LUKE. 


297 


38  For  he  is  not  a  fiod  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living: 
for  "all  live  unto  him. 

39  Then  certain  of  the  scribes  answering  said,  Master, 
thou  hast  well  said. 

40  And  after  that  they  durst  not  ask  him  any  queslion 

cU  (ill. 

41  And  he  said  unto  them, 'How  say  they  that  Christ 
is  David's  son'.' 

42  And  i>avid  himself  saith  in  the  book  of  Psalms, 
«The  LoKD  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right 
hand, 

43  Till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool. 


38  God  nf  Jacob.    Now  he  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead, 

39  but  of  the  living:  for  all  live  unto  liim.     And  cer- 
tain of  the  scribes  answering  s<}id,  'Master,  thou 

40  hast  well  said.    For  they  durst  not  any  more  ask 
him  any  question. 

41  And  he  said  unto  them.  How  say  they  that  the 

42  Christ  is  David's  son?    For  David  himself  saith  in 
the  book  of  Psalms, 

The   Lord  said   unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my 
right  hand, 

43  Till  1  make  thine  enemies  the  footstool  of  thy 

feet. 


a  Bom.  6:  10,  11 6  Matt.  22:  42:  Mark  12:  36 c  Ps.  110:  1;  Acts  2  :  34. 1  Or,  Teacher. 


(Ex.  3:  2-6).  Before  the  convenience  of  division 
into  chapter.-?  and  verses  was  known,  the  He- 
brews referred  vaguely  to  a  considerable  sec- 
tion of  their  Bible  b}'  naming  some  prominent 
feature  of  the  record  there,  as  the  Bush,  in 
this  place;  Elijah  (Rom.  u:  2),  (comp.  Meyer's 
note  ;  the  Bow  (2  sam.  1 :  ]8). — When  he  calleth 
the  Lord  the  God  of  Abraham,  etc.  How 
Moses  reveals  to  us  that  he  had  a  conception 
of  the  great  truth  of  a  future  life,  is  explained 
in  the  next  verse.  In  that  conception  was  in- 
volved that  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead. 

38.  The  Sadducees  might  have  been  ready 
to  dull  the  edge  of  his  proof  by  alleging  that 
this  language  meant  that  God,  in  speaking  to 
Moses,  was  the  same  God  who  had  been  wor- 
shiped by  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  succes- 
sively, during  their  lives.  Our  Saviour,  with 
a  divine  insight,  perceives  that  such  a  view 
stripped  the  declaration  of  all  reason  and 
value,  in  relation  to  those  to  whom  it  was  ad- 
dressed. Of  what  consequence  was  it  to  Moses 
and  his  people,  to  be  informed  that  the  God 
who  now  summoned  them  to  a  task  of  enor- 
mous hardship,  hazard,  and  privation,  had 
been  the  God  of  men  preceding  them,  whom 
he  had  left  to  death  and  annihilation?  No; 
they  still  lived;  for  he  is  not  a  God  of  the 
dead,  but  of  the  living.  The  article  is 
wanting  in  the  Greek:  ''Of  dead,  of  living 
2Jerson.s."  —  For  all  live  unto  him — to  his 
view,  in  relation  to  him.  Sublime,  consoling 
truth !  Gone  from  their  wonted  places  on 
the  earth,  lost  in  the  darkness  to  those  who 
remain  behind,  the  departed  saints,  "that  are 
accounted  worth3'  to  attain  to  that  world," 
live  unto  God,  and  are  more  immedi- 
ately present  with  him.  This  being  clear, 
the  certainty  of  a  resurrection  for  them  was  as 
much  a  tenet  of  Jewish  theology  at  that  time 
as  it  is  of  Christian  now. 

39,  40,  Impression  Made  by  this  Dis- 
course. 


39.  Then  (or.  And)  certain  of  the 
scribes  answering  said.  Master,  thuu 
hast  well  said.  Tlie  scribes  were  Pharisaic 
in  their  views  and  practice,  and  would  sin- 
cerely rejoice  in  the  refutation  of  the  heretical 
Sadducees.  Still,  it  implied  unusual  frank- 
ness and  liberality  on  the  part  of  these  few, 
that  they  should  express  their  sentiments  in 
Christ's  favor  now. 

40.  Well,  indeed,  had  the  Teacher  spoken. 
—And  (Fot-)  after  that  they  durst  not  ask 
him  any  question  at  all ;  or,  durst  nut  any 
man  ask  him  any  question.  It  is  common 
for  the  harmonizers  to  place  before  this  verse 
the  question  of  a  scribe  concerning  the  greatest 

commandment   (Man.  22:34fr. ;  Mark  12:28  ff.).      If  it 

were  certain  that  this  occurred  so  late,  we 
must  suppose  Luke  to  have  spoken  of  those 
questions  which  he  knew,  excluding  this;  or 
that  he  regarded  this  as  substantially  identi- 
cal with  what  he  had  before  narrated,  and 
not  having  a  different  intention  from  the 
former  questions  of  this  chapter.  All  parties 
had  now  been  utterly  foiled  in  their  attempts 
to  harm  him. 

41-44.  David's  Lord  David's  Sox.  — 
Ho-w? 

41.  And  he  said  unto  them — the  scribes 
(vcr.  39),  although  tlie  question  probably  chal- 
lenged the  understanding  of  all  professed 
teachers  present  —  How  say  they  —  the 
rabbis  — that  (the)  Christ  — the  Anointed, 
the  Messiah  of  the  Old  Testament  — is 
David's  son?  The  question  shows  that  the 
Jewish  teachers  interpreted  the  prophecies  a.s 
indicating  that  the  Messiah  would  be  of  the 
offspring  of  David.  But  how  do  they  recon- 
cile that  with  other  statements  of  Scripture? 

42.  And  {For)  David  himself  saith  in  the 
book  of  Psalms  (iio:  1),  The  LORD  said 
unto  my  Lord,  etc.  Here  the  LORD  stands 
for  Jehovah  in  the  Hebrew,  and  my  Lord  is  a 
different  word,  used  when  the  Supreme  Being 


298 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XX, 


44  David  therefore  calleth  him  Lord,  how  is  he  then 
his  son? 

45  "Then  in  the  audience  of  all  the  people  he  said 
unto  his  disciples, 

4(i  *  Beware  of  the  scribes,  which  desire  to  walk  in 
long  robes,  and  <^love  greetings  in  the  markets,  and  the 
highest  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  the  chief  rooms  at 
leasts ; 

47  '^  Which  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  shew 
make  long  prayers:  the  same^hall  receive  greater  dam- 
nation. 


44  David  therefore  calleth  him  Lord,  and  how  is  he  his 
son? 

45  And  in  the  hearing  of  all  the  people  he  said  unto 

46  his  disciples.  Beware  of  the  scribes,  who  desire  to 
walk  in  long  robes,  and  love  salutations  in  the 
market-places,  and  chief  seats  in  the   synagogues, 

47  and  chief  places  at  feasts;  who  devour  widows' 
houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make  long  prayers  :  these 
shall  receive  greater  condemnation. 


a  Matt.  23:  1 ;  Mark  12:  38 b  Mutt.  23:  5 c  oh.  11  :  43 d  Matt.  aS  :  U. 


was  to  be  named  without  calling  him  Jeho- 
vah, or  simply  God  {Elohirn).  Thus  David, 
the  author  of  the  Psalm,  in  prophetic  vision, 
hears  Jehovah  addressing  his  (David'sj  Lord 
=  God,  as  the  Messiah,  and  placing  him  in 
the  position  of  divine  honor  and  authority 
over  all  the  enemies  of  Jehovah's  rule. 

44.  David  therefore  calleth  him  Lord, 
how  is  he  then  his  son?  How,  indeed, 
except  as  the  bearer  of  two  characters,  that  of 
his  son  by  natural  descent,  that  of  his  Lord, 
as  sharing  in  the  divine  nature,  by  which  he 
is  qualified  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  Jeliovah 
and  wield  the  government  over  liis  subjects, 
some  of  whom  are  in  rebellion  against  him. 
(Ps.  110:  5, 6;  comp.  P.S.  2.)  Jesus  does  not  answer 
the  question,  but  leaves  it  for  them  to  answer. 
He  had  claimed  the  honor  due  to  the  Messiah 
(oil.  19:  38-40),  born  in  Bethlehem,  of  the  seed  of 
David,  and  had  shown  at  the  same  time  that 
they  were  about  to  put  him  to  death.  Could 
it  be  that  they  would  murder  him  whom 
David  had  worshiped  as  his  Lord?  Whether 
the  thought  of  such  a  thing  came  into  their 
minds,  we  cannot  say.  At  all  events,  they 
made  no  answer.  Answering  as  well  as  ques- 
tioning, in  the  way  of  argument,  was  done 
with  between  them  and  Christ. 

45-47.  Warning  Against  the  Scribes. 

45.  Then  (rather,  And)  in  the  audience 
(better,  hearing)  of  all  the  people,  he  said 
unto  his  disciples.  To  his  disciples ;  but  for 
the  people  also  who  heard.  The  experience 
of  the  last  two  days  might  well  have  given 
him  a  fresh  and  heightened  sense  of  the  will- 
ing blindness,  the  self-seeking,  and  fraudulent 
hypocrisy,  of  the  ruling  classes,  and  of  the 
peril  to  the  people  from  their  influence.  He 
would  fain  have  received  them  to  his  favor, 
up  to  the  last  moment;  but  without  repent- 
ance on  their  part  this  could  not  be,  and  re- 


pentance was  the  furthest  in  the  world  from 
their  hearts.  They  would  murder  their  Lord 
rather. 

46.  Beware  of  the  scribes.  Be  not  de- 
ceived by  their  show  of  piety  ;  catch  not  their 
spirit;  follow  not  their  example.  —  Which 
desire  to  walk  in  long  robes  —  official 
gowns,  distinctive  of  office,  and  calling  for 
special  reverence. — And  love  greetings  (or, 
salutations)  in  the  markets  [rnarket-places, 
or  public  squares) — those  profound  snlaams^ 
humble  and  protracted  prostrations,  which 
simulated,  even  where  they  did  not  express, 
respect;  such  as  may  be  seen  in  any  Moham- 
medan city  at  the  present  daj',  especially  to- 
ward their  holy  men. — Chief  rooms— cJiief 
places.     (See  on  14:  7,  8.) 

47.  Which  devour  w^idows'  houses. 
They  abused  the  confidence  placed  in  them 
by  reason  of  their  reputed  piety,  and  which 
secured  to  them  the  trusteeship  of  the  estates 
of  widows.  These  they  so  far  perverted  to 
their  own  emolument,  through  commissions 
and  charges,  sometimes,  probably,  by  more 
palpable  spoliations,  that  the  widows  saw  them- 
selves impoverished  while  their  guardians 
grew  fat.  It  is  a  pity  and  shame  that  similar 
hypocrisy  and  fraud  has  continued  ever  since, 
often  sheltering  itself  under  the  Christian 
name. — And  for  a  shew  [pretence)  make 
long  prayers.  By  spending  much  time,  at 
the  hours  of  prayer,  in  forms  of  devotion,  in 
the  temple  or  the  public  squares,  and  openings 
of  the  streets  (where  things  were  exposed  for 
sale),  they  disguised  their  lack  ot  love  toward 
God,  and  regard  for  the  rights  of  men.— The 
same  shall  receive  greater  damnation — 
greater,  that  is,  than  open  and  manifest  of- 
fenders, by  as  much  as  their  hypocrisy  has 
secured  to  them  a  greater  facility  in  wrong. 
The  Greek  for  damnation  is  "judgment," 
often,  as  here,  involving  condemnation. 


Ch.  XXL] 


LUKE. 


299 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


AND  he  looked  up.  "and  saw  the  rich  men  casting 
/l     their  (^it'ts  into  tne  treasury. 

2  And  he  saw  also  a  certain  pf)or  widow  ca.-sting  in 
thither  two  '  mites. 

:j  And  he  said,  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  "that  this 
poor  widow  hath  cast  in  more  than  they  all: 

4  For  all  these  have  of  their  abundance  cast  in  unto 
the  offerings  of  God:  but  she  of  her  penury  halh  cast 
in  all  the  living  that  she  had. 


1  And  he  looked  up,  'and  saw  the  rich  men  that 

2  were  casting  their  gilts  into  the  treasury.  And  he 
saw  a  certain  poor  widow  casting   in   thither   two 

3  mites.     And  he  s:iid,  (Jf  a  truth  1  say  uiitu  v.iu.  This 

4  poor  widow  cast  in  more  than  they  all:  lor' all  these 
did  <U'  their  superlluity  cast  in  u'ulo  the  gilts:  hut 
she  of  her  want  did  cast  in  all  the  living  that  she 
had. 


a  Mark  12  :  41 ...  .6  See  Mark  12 :  42 e  2  Cor.  8 :  12. 1  Or,  and  tau  them  that  .  .  .  treoMvry,  and  they  were  rich. 


Ch.  21.    1-4.    The  Widow's  Contribu- 
tion. 
1.  And  he  looked  up,  and  saw  the  rich 

men — t/mt  were — easting  their   gifts  into 
the   treasury.    This  beautiful   incident   be- 
longs to  the  series  of   events  and  teachings 
which  have  filled  chapter  20,  and  might  well 
have  terminated  that  chapter.    Compare  Mark 
13:  1,  which  shows  that  after  this,  Jesus  left 
the  temple,  at  evening,  as  usual  in  these  day.*, 
for  the  Mount  of  Olives.    That  he  looked  up, 
may  mean  that  he  had  been  bowed  in  medi- 
tation, or  that  the  offerings  were  made  on  a 
place  above  that  on  which  he  sat.     The  exact 
position   of   the    treasury   is  not    certainly 
known.        Ligiitfoot,     in    his    Area    Templi 
(opera  I.  697  ff.,  also  in  Ugolino,  Thesaurus, 
Vol.34;  translated  in  his  irorAs,  IX.  313.  ft".), 
understiinds  tlie  treasury  to  have  been  in  the 
Court  of  the  Women,  where  stood,  according 
to  Talmudic   testimony,  eleven  of   the    thir- 
teen   treasure    chests,     with     trumpet-mouth 
openings,  which  Jewish   tradition  declares  to 
have  been  placed  for  the  reception  of  dona- 
tions toward  the  several  needs  of  the  divine 
service.     If   it  was  the  cloi.ster  surrounding 
this  court,  or  some  part  of  it,  Christ,  sitting 
in  thecourt,  would  obviously  be  over  against 
it.     (Mark  12:  4.)      Beff)re    this    time,    Jesus  is 
said  (John  8: 20)  to  havc  spoken  "in  the  treasury, 
as  he  taught  in  the  temple."     The  gifts  of  the 
rich   men    were   voluntary   contributions  for 
various   religious  and    charitable    uses;   and 
probably   the  several   chests  just  spoken  of 
were  labeled,  each  to  receive  the  money  for  a 
separate  purpose.      The  men   were  thus  per- 
forming one  of  the  three  great  acts  of  piety,  in 
which  their   "righteousness"'  was  exercised. 
(Matt.6:  1-4.)     In  the  former  temples,  treasuries 
are    spoken   of     as    though    they   had    been 
strong  "chambers,"  for    the    reception    and 
preservation  of  temple  gifts,  in  which  at  times 
wealth  of  immense  value  was  held. 
2.  And    he    saw   also    a  certain    poor 


widow  casting  in    thither   two  mites — 

worth,  say,  two  centimes,  French,  or  two- 
fifths  of  our  cent.  On  the  value  of  the  mite, 
see  on  ch.  12:  59.  SciiOttgen  on  Mark  12:  42, 
cites  a  Rabbinic  rule  that  a  single  mite  should 
not  be  given  to  the  eleemosynary  chest,  from 
which  he  infers  that  the  widows  gift  was 
the  very  smallest  that  was  allowed.  Unless 
we  knew  that  her  gift  was  not  eleemosynary, 
it  does  not  appear  how  Meyer  can  deny  that 
tile  citation  is  apposite. 

3.  And  he  said.  Of  a  truth,  I  say  unto 
you,  that  this  poor  widow  cast  (not  hnf/i 
cast)  in  more  than  they  all.  How  truiv 
God  looketh  at  the  heart!  According  to  that 
the  gift  of  one,  a  woman,  very  poor,  out- 
weighs the  donations  of  "many  rich   men," 

who  "cast  in  much."    (Markl2:  41.) 

4.  For  all  these  have  (rather,  di>i)  of 
their  abundance  (or,  superfluity)  cast  in 
unto  the  offerings  (simply,  gifts)  of  (iod ; 
but  she  of  her  penury=(w«^  (omit  hath) 
cast  in  all  the  living  that  she  had.  God  s 
estimate  of  benevolence  takes  in  not  onlj^ 
what  is  given,  but  what  is  reserved.  The 
mere  pittance  of  the  widow,  bestowed  out  of 
what  was  not  enough  for  a  living— A<?r  toant, 
or  lack— was  of  more  value  in  his  sight  than 
the  great  sums  out  of  the  superfluity  of  men 
who.  no  matter  how  much  they  gave,  had 
still  left  more  than  they  had  any  need  to  use.— 
Abundance,  or.  superfluity,  is  the  overplus 
bej-ond  reasonable  needs;  penury,  or,  7/'-^/«!', 
is  deficiency  compared  with  the  requirements 
forlife.— All  the  living,  etc.,  means,  probably-, 
all  that  she  had  for  the  nextdtiy's  subsistence. 

Thus  close.*,  in  Luke's  narnUive,  the  public 
activity  of  the  life  which  began  in  a  .stable, 
and  passed  on  to  the  end,  zealous,  indeed, 
for  the  true  welfare  of  all  men.  hut  specially 
concerned  that  the  poor,  the  outcast,  the 
wretched,  should  not  fail  of  the  riches  and 
blessedness  of  the  life  everlasting.  The 
wealth  and  magnificence  of  the  temple,  soon 


300 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXI. 


5  <r<»And  as  some  spake  of  the  temple,  how  it  was 
adorned  with  goodly  sloues  and  gifts,  he  said, 

6  As  for  these  things  which  ye  behold,  the  days  will 
come,  in  the  which  ''  there  shall  not  be  left  one  stone 
upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down. 

7  And  they  asked  him,  saying.  Master,  but  when 
shall  these  things  be?  and  what  sign  will  there  be  when 
these  things  shall  come  to  pass  ? 


5  And  as  some  spake  of  the  temp|le,  how  it  was 
adorned  with  goodly  stones  and  olierings,  he  said, 

6  As  for  these  things  which  ye  behold,  the  days  will 
come,  in  which  there  shall  not  be  lelt  here  one  stone 

7  upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down.  And 
they  asked  him,  saying,  i  Master,  when  therefore 
shall  these  things  be  ?  and  what  shall  be  the  sign 


(  Mark  24  :  1 ;  Mark  13  :  1 5  oh.  19  :  44. 1  Or,  Teacher. 


swallowed  up  in  fire  and  blood,  are  to  us  a 
tradition  and  a  dream.  The  benevolence  of  a 
poor  widow  stands  forever  distinct  and  con- 
spicuous over  its  ruin,  as  a  proof  that  the 
humble  heart,  and  Christ-like,  is  God's  most 
precious  temple. 

5-36.  Prophecy  of  the  Destruction 
OF  THE  Temple,  and  of  the  Last  Days. 

It  seems  not  inappropriate  that  our  Great 
Prophet,  who  was  about  to  accomplish  his 
function  of  Great  High  Priest,  should  close 
his  utterances  connected  with  the  temple  by 
this  prophecy  in  the  strictest  sense.  He  looks 
forward  to  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  of 
the  Old  Testament  polity,  and,  as  closely 
joined  with  that,  of  the  whole  pre-Messianic 
constitution  of  things.  We  need  to  bear  in 
mind  that  he  here  speaks  as  a  prophet,  in  the 
manner  of  other  prophets;  sometimes,  in  fig- 
urative and  metaphorical  language,  not  de- 
scribing the  future  with  the  definiteness  of 
history,  leaving  much  obscure  in  the  inter- 
pretation, until  the  events  shall  be  fully 
accomplished.  These  are  obvious  features  of 
prophecy  in  the  Old,  and  elsewhere  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  hence,  to  be  looked  for 
here.  If  it  be  objected  that  he  was  divine, 
and  other  prophets  human,  let  us  not  forget 
that  he,  also,  was  human.  When  we  consider 
that  he  himself  said,  concerning  this  very 
subject — his  own  second  advent — that  he  knew 
not  the  day  nor  the  hour,  we  can  only  specu- 
h\te,  with  reverence,  as  to  what  difference 
there  was  in  prophetic  activity  between  him 
and  the  earlier  prophets,  who  spoke  as  they 
were  borne  on  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  See  on 
ch.  17:  22  ff. 

5-9.  Occasion  of  the  Follo  winq  Proph- 
ecy.    Preliminary  Caution. 

5.  And  as  some  spake  of  the  temple, 
how  it  was  adorned  with  goodly  stones 
and  gifts.  From  Luke's  account,  we  might 
think  of  this  conversation  as  arising  within 
the  temple  courts.  Matthew  24:  1,  and 
Mark  13:  1,  show  us  that  it  was  as  he  went 
forth  from  the  temple,  on  Tuesday  evening 


— Wednesday  eve,  in  the  Jewish  reckoning 
— and  that  the  subject  was  proposed  by  his 
disciples.  Could  it  be  that  they  remem- 
bered what  he  had  said  (oh.  i9:  43, 44),  and  spake 
in  the  way  of  lamentation  over  so  much 
beauty  and  grandeur?  The  goodly  stones 
included  splendid  pieces  of  marble;  colossal 
columns,  wrought  with  the  highest  perfection 
of  architectural  skill;  mighty  masses  of  shaped 
stone,  that  entered  into  the  substructure  and 
main  walls  of  the  enclosure.  The  gifts  were 
costly  objects,  which  the  piety  of  ages  had 
dedicated  to  the  God  of  the  temple,  until 
they  had  become  a  treasure  of  incalculable 
value.  Comp.  2  Mac.  3:  6,  11 ;  5:  16;  Jo- 
sephus.  Antiquities,  xv.  11 :  3. 

6.  As  for  these  things  which  ye  behold, 
.  .  .  there  shall  not  be  left  one  stone 
upon  another,  etc.  How  this  must  have 
amazed  the  disciples,  with  their  ideas  of  the 
sanctity,  as  well  as  the  vastness,  of  the  place, 
we  may  conceive  from  the  fact  that  Titus  him- 
self, when  he  saw  the  greatness  of  the  rock 
masses  in  its  walls,  ascribed  its  conquest  to  the 
power  of  God.  (Josephus.  Jewish  Wars,  vi., 
9,  1.)  But  the  demented  obstinacy  of  the 
Jews  had  driven  him  to  destroy  it  against  his 
choice  (Josephus,  Jewish  Wars,  vi.,  4,  5),  and 
thus  God  had,  indeed,  through  him,  wrought 
out  the  Saviour's  prediction. 

7.  They  had  walked  on,  perhaps  in  medita- 
tive silence,  down  the  steep  slope  from  the 
temple  eastward,  and  up  the  side  of  Olivet, 
until  they  were  again  on  a  level  with,  or 
above,  the  temple  platform,  and  over  against 
it.  Then  Jesus  sat  down,  as  we  learn  from 
Matt.  24 :  3,  and  Mark  13 :  3.  And  they  asked 
him — as  if  nothing  else  had  engaged  their 
thought  —  but  when  [when  therefore)  shall 
these  things  be?  Familiar  with  those  ex- 
pressions of  the  Old  Testament  which  seemed 
to  ascribe  eternal  perpetuity  to  the  temple  and 

the   holy    city  (iKiogsOrS-,  2Chron.6:6i7:16),  and    to 

make  it  the  centre  of  worship  for  the  univer- 
sal and  perfected  kingdom  (isa.  2:2,  ff. ;  27:  is; 
ps.  68:  15, 16),  the  disciples  might  easily  conclude 


Ch.  XXI.] 


LUKE. 


301 


8  And  he  said,  "Take  heed  that  ye  be  not  deceived  : 
for  many  shall  come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  C/iri.it ; 
aiid  tlie  lime  draweth  near:  go  ye  not  iherel'ore  after 
them. 

9  J5ut  wlien  ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and  commotions, 
be  not  torritied:  for  these  things  must  first  come  to 
pass  ;  but  the  end  is  not  by  and  by. 

10  ^  Then  said  he  unto  them,  Nation  shall  rise 
against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom: 


8  when  these  things  are  about  to  come  to  pass?  And 
he  said,  Take  heed  that  ye  be  not  led  asfray  :  for 
many  shall  come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  //(■;  and, 

9  The  time  is  at  hand:  go  ye  not  alter  them.  And 
when  ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and  tumults,  be  not  ter- 
rified: for  these  things  must  needs  come  to  pass 
first  ;  but  the  end  is  not  immediately. 

10      Then  said  he  unto  them,  Nation  shall  rise  against 


a  Matt.  24:  4;  Mark  13:  5;  liphes.  6:6;  i  Thess.  2:  3 b  Matt.  24:  7. 


that  this  predicted   destruction   involved,  in 
some   vfkiy,    the    end    of   all   earthly   things. 
Having  heen  already  roused  from  the  grosser 
fancies  of  the  Jewish  theology,  concerning  an 
earthly,  sensuous  reign  of  the  Messiah,  they 
had  also  caught  from  their  Master  the  idea  of 
a  celestial,  spiritual  reign,  to  begin  after  that 
state  of  things  should  be  broken  up.  Matthew 
shows  that  their  question  did  actually  make 
reference  to  the  "end,"  consummation, or  com- 
pletion, of  the  world,  or  age,  as   well   as  to 
Christ's  coming  again,  when  the  destruction 
should  take  place.     Neither  Mark  nor  Luke 
alludes  to  that  here.     Having  before  (inch,  n) 
given  a  discourse  of  Jesus  concerning  the  end 
of   the   world    (see    on    ver.    22-37),    Luke's 
sources   seem    to    have    presented  here  what 
principallj'    related    to     the    destruction    of 
Jerusalem,  but  not  witliout  mingling  to  some 
extent  a  view  of  the  final  coming.  And  Avhat 
sign  will    there    be  (more   correctly,    vjhot 
shall  be  the  si(/ii)  when  these   things   shall 
come     to     pass   (or,    are  about   to   come  to 
pass)  9     Their  question  is  two-fold  :  When? 
and  preceded  by  what  sign?    Jesus  may  have 
seen  that  to  answer  the  former,  had  it  been 
possible  for  him,  would  have  been  a  shock  to 
their  preconcei>tions,  as  harmful  as  it  would 
be  for  him  to  say  that  he  could  not  answer  it 
in  the  sense  in  which  they  proposed  it.     As  to 
the  sign,    also,   it  was  best  that  they  should 
think  about  it  in  such  a  way  as  to  stimulate 
their  perseverance  in  the  faith.    Accordingly, 
as  in  other  cases  of  curious  and  unpractical 
questionings,  he  turns  their  attention,  rather, 
to  such  trl^th  as  will  be  important  for  them 
in  all  their  future  career.     And  note,  that,  as 
indefiniteness  of  the  time  to  elapse  must  be 
maintained,  while  it  is  intimated  (ver. 32)  that 
in  some  sense  all  is  to  be  accomplished  within 
that  generation,  he  must  speak  throughout  as 
though  those  whom  he  addressed  were  to  live 
till  the  final  consummation. 

8.  Take  heed  that  ye  be  not  deceived 
(or,  led  astral/).  Comjiare  ch.  17:  22.  A 
caution  not  to  be  dissuaded  from  faith  in  him 


duringthe  time  of  waiting  for  "these  things  to 
come  to  pass."    For  many  shall  come  in  my 

name,  i.  e.,  calling  themselves  the  Christ, 
Saying,  I  am  Christ ;  and  the  time  draw- 
eth near,  i.  e.,  the  time  of  the  enthronement 
of  the  Messiah,  and  the  end  of  the  world.  The 
history  of  the  times  immediately  following  is 
too  scanty  to  allow  us  to  say  that  this  was,  or 
was  not,  fulfilled  of  pretended  Christs.  The 
analogy  of  generations  before  (in  Palestine) 
and  since,  renders  it  extremely  probable  that 
there  were  such  Christs;  and  if  his  words  be 
understood  in  a  more  general  sense  of  re- 
ligious leaders,  Simon  Magus  is  a  type  of 
common  occurrence.  The  Lord  would  guard 
them  from  supposing  prematurely  that  his 
return,  indissolubly  associated  in  their  minds 
with  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  was  near. 
Go  ye  not  therefore  after  them.  Give 
them  no  credence.  Be  not  persuaded  to  leave 
your  posts  of  patient  continuance  in  my  ser- 
vice, where  your  heavenly  Father  shall  have 
stationed  you. 

9.  But  when  ye  shall  hear  of  wars 
and  commotions — tumults — political  dis- 
turbances— be  not  terrified.  The  last  verb 
is  appropriately  used  in  classical  Greek  of  a 
scared  animal :  "be  not  scared."  Thehistories 
of  Josephus  and  Taoitus  are  sufficient  to  show 
that  numbers  of  such  events  occurred  within 
the  next  forty  years,  some  of  them  within, 
and  others  bordering  on,  the  Jewish  sphere. 
The  general  coloring  of  Old  Testament  proph- 
ecies might  lead  the  disciples  to  interpret 
these  things  as  portents  of  the  judginent — 
"the  day  of  the  Lord."  But  the  end  is  not 
by  and  by  {i.  e.,  immediately).  Such  an  an- 
nouncement of  the  plan  of  Providence  was 
well  adapted  to  prevent  unnecessary  appre- 
hension and  disturbance  of  mind. 

10-19.  A  Cursory  View  OF  Commotions, 
Dangers,  and  Duties,  to  Precede  the 
Siege  of  Jerusalem. 

10,  11.  Then  said  he  unto  them.  This 
formula  denotes  a  certain  solemnity,  as  though 
the  prophetic  forecast  took  a  higher  flight,  u 


302 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXI. 


n  And  great  earthquakes  shaU  be  in  divers  places, 
and  fauiines,  aud  pestilences;  and  fVartul  sights  and 
great  signs  shall  there  be  Iroui  heaven. 

V2  "ISutbelure  all  these,  they  shall  lay  their  hands 
on  yon,  aud  persecute  you,  delivering  you  up  to  the 
synagogues,  aud  'inlo  prisons,  "^ being  brought  before 
king.s  and  rulers'*  ("or  luy  name's  sake. 

1,}  And  « it  shall  turn  to  you  lor  a  testimony. 

14  /Settle  it  therefore  in  your  hearts,  not  to  medi- 
tate before  what  ye  shall  answer: 

15  For  I  will  give  you  a  mouth  and  wisdom,  9  which 
all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  gainsay  nor 
resist. 

IC)  *And  ye  shall  be  betrayed  both  by  parents,  and 
brethren,  and  kinsfolk.s,  and  friends  ;  and  *some  ol  you 
shall  they  cause  to  be  put  to  death. 


11  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom:  and  there 
shall  be  great  earthquakes,  and  in  divers  places 
famines  aud  pestilences  ;   and  there  shall  be  terrors 

12  and  great  signs  from  heaven.  But  before  all  these 
things,  they  shall  lay  their  hands  on  yon,  and  shall 
persecute  you,  delivering  yon  up  to  the  synagogues 
and  prisons,  i  bringing  you  before  kings  and  gover- 

13  nors  for  my  name's  sake.     It  shall   turn  unto  you 

14  for  a  testimony.     Settle  it  therefore  in  your  hearts, 
\o  not  to  meditate  beforehand  how  to  answer:  for  I 

will  give  you  a  mouth  and  wisdom,  which  all  your 
adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  withstand  or  to 
16  gainsay.  But  ye  shall  be  delivered  up  even  by 
parents,  and  brethren,  and  kinsfolk,  and  friends; 
and  some  of  you  2  shall  they  cause   to   be  put  to 


o  Mark  13;  9;  Rev.  2:  10.... 6  Acts  4:3;  5: 18j  12:  *;  16:  24....C  Acts  25:  23 d  1  Pet.  2;  13.... e  Phil.  1 :  28  ;  2  Thess.  1  :  6.... /Matt.  10: 

IM;  Maris  13:  11;  oh.  12:  11 j  Aois  6  :  10.... ft  Mio.  7:6;  Miirk  i;<:  12 i  Aocs  7  :  5a  ;  12:  2. 1  Gr.  you  being  brought 2  Or,  ahall 

they  put  to  death. 


broader  sweep.  We  need  not  be  particular  to 
show  that  all  these  predictions  were  literally 
fulfilled  before  the  year  seventy,  although  this 
has  often  been  done.  As  our  Lord  looked 
into  the  future,  he  saw  the  world  full  of  these 
convulsions  of  society,  and  of  nature,  and  that 
each  generation,  including  the  first,  would 
have  its  share  of  them.  Fearful  sights— or, 
more  generally,  terrors — include  all  sights, 
sounds, reported  wonders. — Great  signs  shall 
there  be  from  heaven — meteoric  prodigies, 
comets,  boreal  lights,  falling  stars,  flaming 
swords,  and  conflicts  of  warriors  in  the  sky,  as 
reported  by  Josephus  and  Tacitus.  Such  things 
have  been  often  apparent  to  the  imagination, 
in  times  of  national  trouble.  Book  vi.  of 
Josephus'  Wars  of  the  Jews,  is  sutRcient  to 
help  one  to  realize  what  may  have  been  be- 
fore the  mind  of  Christ. 

12.  But  before  all  these,  they— the  peo- 
ple about  you,  Jews  or  Gentiles — shall  {will) 
lay  their  hands  on  you,  etc.  If  any  one 
feels  a  lack  of  harmony  between  this  state- 
ment and  Matt.  24:  9,  or  Mark  13:  9,  which 
seem  to  make  the  persecutions  come  after,  or 
in  company  with  these  things,  he  may  obviate 
the  difficulty  either  by  laying  a  special  em- 
phasis on  all — "before  all  the.se" — which  the 
Greek  will  v^rarrant,  or  he  may  understand 
"before,"  not  as  showing  a  relation  of  time, 
but  of  importance— above  all  these  things. 
Excellent  scholars  have,  respectively,  adopted 
both  views.  But  the  adverb  "then"  hardly 
gives  occasion  for  much  difficulty.  The 
persecutions  here  foretold,  were,  as"  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  among  the  first  experiences  of 
disciples  after  the  time  of  this  discourse.  See 
the  Book  of  Acts,  from  ch.  4:  8,  throughout. 
—Delivering  you  up  to  the  synagogues— 
as  in  the  case  of  Stephen,  and  those  whom 


Saul  persecuted.— And  intoprisons— as  with 
Peter  and  John  (Aot»4;  s;  5:  i8) ;  the  apo.stle9 
(16:23),  Paul  and  Silas.— Being  brought— 
rather,  Bringing  yow— before  kings  and 
rulers — as  in  the  case  of  Paul.  ( Aots  23 ;  24 ;  25 :  13, 23.) 

13.  It  shall  turn  to  you  for  a  testimony  ; 
i.  e.,  prove  an  opportunity  for  you  to  testify 
more  widely  and  eflTectively  to  the  truth  of 
the  gospel.  (Compare  Acts  6:  41 ;  Phil.  1 :  12, 
fl'. )  The  practice  of  the  apostles,  Peter  and 
Paul  eminently,  as  familiar  to  us  from  the 
Acts,  interprets  the  meaning  here. 

14.  Settle  it  therefore — seeing  that  it  is 
to  be  a  te.stimony  for  me — not  to  meditate 
before  what  ye  shall  answer  (literally, 
study  not  beforehand  to  defend  yourselves). 
To  meditate  has  in  it  something  of  anxious 
forethought;  the  parallel  word  in  Mark  be- 
ing that  which  the  Eevision  translates  "be 
not  anxious."  In  such  an  emergency  they 
are  forbidden  to  depend  on  any  ability  of 
their  own. 

15.  For  I  will  give  you  a  mouth  and 
wisdom.  Utterance  and  thought,  matter 
and  manner,  substance  and  form  of  discourse. 
The  cause  being  his,  Jesus  assumes  the 
whole  care  of  its  management  through  them. 
— Which  all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be 
able  to  gainsay  nor  resist  (rather,  to  with- 
stand or  to  gainsay).  That  is,  so  as  eflTect- 
ually  to  arrest  their  testimony,  or  to  break  its 
evidential  force.  In  another  sense  they  might 
powerfully  resist  and  silence  the  disciples,  but 
the  testimony  of  these  would  prevail,  even  at 
the  sacrifice  of  their  lives,  if  need  be. 

16-19.  The  darkest  aspect  of  their  future  is 
yet  to  be  mentioned,  and  the  best  of  their 
consol£\tion. 

16.  And  ye  shall  be  betrayed  (will  be  de- 
livered up)  both  by  parents,  and  brethren 


LUKE. 


Ch.  XXIJ 

17  And  «  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's 

^^IsMUit  there  !<hall  not  a  hair  of  your  head  perish. 

19  In  your  patieuce  possess  ye  your  souls. 

oO'Aud    when   ve   shall   see    Jerusalem   compassed 
wUh  armies,  then  know  that  the  desolation  thereol  is 

"'•n'rhen  let  them  which  are  in  Judiea  flee  to  the 
mountains;  and  let  them  which  an-  in  tlieimUst  ol  it 
depart  out;  and  let  not  them  that  arc-  in  the  countries 
enter  thereinto.  .u   *   j    n 

22  For  these  be  the  days  of  vengeance,  that  "all 
things  which  are  written  uiay  be  fulfilled. 


303 


17  death.    And  ve  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  uiv 

18  name's  sake."  And   not  a  hair  of  your  head  shall 
I'J  perish.     In  vour  'patience  ye  shall  win  your  -isouls. 
20       But   when   ve  see  Jerusalem   compassed  with   ar- 
mies, then   know   that   her   desolation    is   at    hand. 

■'1  Then  let  them  that  are  in  .ludic-a  lice  unto  the 
mountains;  and  let  them  that  are  in  the  midst  of 
her  depart   out;  and  let  not  them  that  are   in  the 

•2''  country  enter  therein.  For  these  are  days  ol  ven- 
geance, that  all  things  which  are  written  may  be 


aMaU.10:-»....>M.U.10:»0....ell»U..4:15;MHrR13:U....dD.c.9.-i6.-27;Zcch.n  =  l.— 10r..»ead/«.»».......iOr.»»»». 


(brothers),    and    kinsfolks,    and    friends. 

This,  which  has  often  come  to  pass,  in  the  ex- 
perience of  Christ's  followers,  has  given  thcin 
a  sharper  pang  than  all  the  distress  which 
other  enemies  could  possibly  inflict. —  And 
some  of  you  shall  they  cause  to  be  put  to 
death.  Many  a  martyrdom  has  been  brought 
about,  in  the  persecutions  of  the  Christian  ages, 
through  the  murderous  zeal  of  near  relatives, 
and,  alas!   professed  disciples  of  Jesus. 

17.  And  ye  shall  (or,  wiU)  be  hated  of  all 
men  for  myname's  sake.  (Afli»28:  «;  i  cor.  i5: 
30,.ii;  iPet.  2:  li.)  These  passages  but  indicate 
the  sentiment  awakened  by  the  first  presenta- 
tion of  the  pure  principles  of  Jesus  in  all 
countries  and  times. 

18.  But  (rather,  And)—sit  the  same  time- 
there  shall  not  a  hair  of  your  head 
perish.  This  is  not  put  as  an  antithesis  to 
the  preceding  statements,  as  "but"  would 
imply  ;  it  simply  continues  the  enumeration 
of  particulars,  adding  to  those  fearful  predic- 
tions this  pleasant  one.  Thus,  of  course,  it 
could  not,  after  ver.  16,  mean  that  no  physical 
harm  should  befall  them;  but  they  should 
suffer  no  damage  as  to  the  best  portion  of  their 
true,  spiritual  welfare,  nor  fail  of  the  full  ac- 
complishment of  all  which  God  would  work 
through  them.  The  utmost  rage  of  their  ad- 
versaries should  turn  out  "rather  for  the  fur- 
therance of  the  gospel,"  and  for  their  personal 
salvation.  (Pbii.i:  12. '9-) 

19.  In  your  patience  possess  ye  (rather, 
ye  shall  win)  your  souls.  The  Revision  cor- 
rectly reads  it  as  a  promise,  not  a  command. 
Patience,  here,  as  commonly  in  the  New 
Testament,  is  persevering  endurance,  against 
obstacles,  in  the  exercise  of  faith.  By  this, 
those  who  held  out  faithful  till  his  return 
would  mn,  or  gain,  acquire,  "  purchase"  (Mc- 
Clellan),  make  sure  of,  their  souls.  This  is 
according  to  Matt.  10:  22;  Rom.  2:  7;  2  Tim. 
2;  12.     The  opposite    case    is   that  of  John; 


15:  6.  The  declaration  clo.scs  the  preceding 
series  thus:  By  faithful  endurance  of  persecu- 
tions and  trials  for  my  sake,  not  only  will  ye 
not  suffer  the  least  real  damage,  but  rather,  by 
this  very  course  make  sure  of  your  souls  = 
your  eternal  life. 

20-23.  Siege  and  Suujuoation  of  Je- 
rusalem. 

The  discourse  approaches  nearer  to  an  inti- 
mation of  what  the  sign  of  these  things  should 
be.   (Ver.  7.) 

20.  Compassed  with  armies  —  accord- 
ing to  the  prediction  (oh.i9:*»).  The  history 
may  be  read  in  Jos.  Wars  of  the  Jeivs,  V.  6.  7. 
The  sense  is  equivalent  to  that  of  "the 
abomination  of  desolation,"  (Matt. 24:  15).  The 
Greek  participle  being  in  the  present  tense- 
becoming  surrounded— there  is  no  ground  for 

!  Meyer's  saying  that  Luke  makes  the  designa- 
tion of  time  ton  late  for  the  escape  of  Chris- 
tians in  Jerusalem. 

21.  Then  let  them  which  are  in  Judara 
flee  to  the  mountains.  The  warning  is 
intended  for  the  disciples  who  may  be  there  ; 
and  early  Christian  writers  tell  us  that  by  fol- 
lowing this  instruction  when  the  danger  came, 
those  warned  did  flee  to  the  high  lands  over 
the  Jordan,  and  all  escaped.  Eusebius,  Ecrl. 
Hist.  III.  5.  Epiphanius  Cont.  Harrs,  Ed. 
Migne,  1.  col.  404  f.  The  direction  is  then 
made  more  specific,  Judsra  including,  1.  the 
city  of  Jerusalem,  2.  the  "countries,"  the 
rural  spaces,  or  fields,  with  their  villages.  In 
the  midst  of  it.  This  means  of  Jerusalem, 
mentioned  (ver.  20).  Chri.«tians  there  must 
leave  the  place,  and  those  in  the  country  parts 
of  Judwa  must  not  think  of  entering  into  the 
city,  as  would  be  natural,  considering  its  ap- 
parently impregnable  security.  That  would 
now  be  a  broken  reed  to  all  who  should  lean 
upon  it. 

22.  For  these  be  (are)  the  days  of  ven- 
geance—the infliction  of  righteous  retribu- 


304 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXI. 


23  "  But  woe  unto  thorn  that  are  with  child,  and  to 
them  that  give  suck,  in  those  days  !  lor  there  shall  be 
great  distress  in  the  land,  and  wrath  upon  this  people. 

24  And  they  shall  lall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and 
shall  1)0  led  awav  captive  into  all  nations :  and  Jerusa- 
lem shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  'until  the 
times  of  the  (ientiles  be  fulfilled. 

2.'i  Tf  "And  there  shall  be  signs  in  the  sun,  and  in  the 
moon,  and  in  the  stars;  and  upon  the  earth  distress  of 
nations,  with  perplexity  ;  the  sea  and  the  waves  roar- 
ing; 

26  Men's  hearts  failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  look- 
ing after  those  things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth: 
<i  for  the  powers  of  heaven  shall  be  shaken. 


23  fulfilled.  Woe  unto  them  that  are  with  child  and 
to  them  that  gi\e  suck  in  those  days!  for  there 
shall  be  great  distress  upon  the  i  laud,  and  wraih 

24  unto  this  people.  And  they  shall  lall  by  the  edge 
of  the  sword,  and  shall  be  led  captive  into  all  the 
nations:  aud  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of 
the  (ientiles,  until  the  times  of  the  (jentiles  be  ful- 

2.5  tilled.  And  there  shall  be  signs  in  sun  and  moon 
and  stars;  and  upon  the  earth  distress  of  nations, 
in  perplexity  for  the  roaring  of  the  sea  and  the  bil- 

26  lows  ;  men  -  fainting  for  fear,  and  for  expectation  of 
the  things  which  are  coming  on  3 the  world  :  for  the 


aMatt.  24  :  19. . .  .h  Daa.  9  ;  27  ;  12  :  7  ;  Rom.  11 :  25. . .  .c  Matt.  24  29  ;  Mark  U  :  24  ;  2  Pet.  3  :  10 :  12. . 

expiring 3  Gr.  the  inhabited  earth. 


.d  Matt.  24:  29. 1  Or,  earth 2  Or, 


tion  on  the  guilty,  forewarned,  obstinate, 
blinded  capital  of  the  Jews.  That  all 
things  which  are  written  may  be  fulfilled. 

(  Ueut.  28  :  49  tr. ;  1  Kings  9  :  6-9  ;  Isa.  29 :  1  ff. ;  Mic.  3  :  12  ;  Dan.  9  : 

2Bf.).  "For  the  wrath  is  come  upon  them  to 
the  uttermost."  (iThess.  2:  le). 

33.  Woe  unto  them  that  are  with  child, 
and  to  them  that  give  suck  in  those  days. 

Their  case  in  particular  is  bewailed,  because 
they  will  be  peculiarly  unable  to  bear  that 
long  and  hurried  flight,  which  alone  can 
avert  a  horrible  fate.  For  there  shall  be 
great  distress  in  (iipon)  the  land,  and 
wrath  upon  (unto)  this  people.  Josephus, 
speaking  long  afterward  of  the  fulfillment  of 
this  prophecy,  says  (Pre/,  to  Jewish  Wars), 
"It  appears  to  me  that  the  misfortunes  of  all 
men  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  if  they 
be  compared  to  these  of  the  Jews,  are  not  so 
considerable  as  they  were."  {Jewish  Wars, 
V.  10,  5).  "Neither  did  any  other  city  sutfer 
such  miseries,  nor  did  any  age  ever  breed  a 
generation  more  fruitful  in  wickedness  than 
this  was,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 
Such,  repeated  in  substance  a  hundred  times, 
was  the  testimony  of  one  of  themselves,  an 
eye-witness  both  to  the  wickedness  and  the 
distress. 

24.  And  they  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of 
the  SAVord,  etc.  Here  again  Josephus  {Jew- 
ish Wars,  V.  9,  3  f.)  is  our  authority  for  the 
statement  that  in  that  whole  war  there  were 
97,000  of  the  Jewish  people  sold  as  .slaves  into 
the  various  countries,  and  that  1,100,000  per- 
ished—600,000  by  famine.  "Accordingly,  the 
multitude  of  those  that  therein  perished,  ex- 
ceeded all  the  destruction  that  either  God  or 
man  ever  brought  upon  the  world."  And 
Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the 
Gentiles— a  striking  representation  of  the 
humiliation  of  the  once  glorious  city  !  Until 
the   times— seasons— of    the    Gentiles    be 


fulfilled.  The  times  of  the  Gentiles— their 
seasons — or  opportunities,  are  to  be  understood 
as  the  antithesis  of  the  season  of  Jerusalem 
(ch.  19:  44),  the  opportunity,  that  is,  which  is  to 
be  afforded  the  Gentiles  for  sharing  the  bless- 
edness of  the  gospel.  They  are  even  to  ad- 
minister the  kingdom  of  God,  the  true  theoc- 
racy, which  will  be  taken  away  from  the 
wicked  husbandmen,  and  given  to  others, 
(ch. 20:  16).  That  period,  as  distinguished  from 
the  existing  one,  would  be  eminently  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles.  The  plural,  the  times, 
is  freely  employed  by  us,  as  a  larger  syno- 
nym, for  "the  time,"  and  so  in  Scripture. 
(iTim. 4;  i;2Tim. 3:  1).  The  plural  maj',  of  couTse, 
be  used  to  signify  different  periods,  of  the 
nations  successively  (Godet),  but  not  so 
reasonably  .  Fulfilled=ended,  brought  to  a 
close.  That  would  be  naturally  at  the  end  of 
the  world,  unless  some  intimation  were  given 
of  a  prior  date.  There  is  nothing  to  indicate 
that  Christ  had  in  mind  a  restoration  of  the 
city,  and  re-occupation  of  it  hy  the  Jews. 

25-28.  Precursory  Intimations  of  the 
Second  Advent. 

25.  And  there  shall  be  signs  in  the  sun, 
and  in  the  moon,  and  in  the  stars.  The 
time  intended  is  that  near  the  close  of  "the 
times  of  the  Gentiles."  Then  the  world,  in- 
cluding a  worldly  church  (ch.  17:20, 30),  will  be 
admonished  by  prodigious  phenomena,  in 
heaven  above,  and  in  the  earth  beneath.  Un- 
wonted and  portentous  aspects  of  the  heav- 
enly bodies  above,  eclipses,  meteors,  comets. 
These,  which  had  been  witnessed  before  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  are  to  be  expected 
prior  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord. — And  upon 
the  earth  distress  of  nations,  with  (rather, 
in)  perplexity;  the  sea  and  the  waves 
roaring  ( rath er,/or=on  account  of — the  rotr- 
ing  of  the  sea.  and  of  the  hilloivs — as  in  the  Ke- 
vision).     The  distress  or  anxiety  of  the  na- 


Ch.  XXI.] 


LUKE. 


305 


27  And  then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  "coming 
in  a  cloud  with  \h  wer  and  great  glory. 

2S  And  when  these  thirigM  begin  to  come  to  pass, 
then  look  u|),  and  lift  up  your  heads;  for 'your  re- 
demption draweth  nigh. 

29  'And  he  spake  to  them  a  parable  :  Behold  the  fig 
tree,  and  all  the  trees  ; 

;-iO  When  they  now  shoot  forth,  ye  see  and  know  of 
your  own  selves  that  summer  is  now  nigh  at  hand. 

31  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  see  these  thiuigs  come  to 
pass,  know  ye  that  the  kingdom  of  Gud  is  uigh  at 
fiand. 

32  Verily  I  say  nnto  you.  This  generation  shall  not 
pass  away,  till  all  be  fultilled. 


27  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken.  And  then 
shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  a  cloud 

28  with  power  and  great  glory.  But  when  these  things 
begin  to  come  to  pass,  look  up,  and  lift  up  your 
heads;  because  your  reuemptiou  draweth  uigh. 

29  And  he  spake  to  them  a  parable:  Behold  the  fig 
3U  tree,  and  all  the  trees:  when  they  now  shoot  forth, 

ye  see  it  and  know   of  your  own   selves   that   the 

31  summer  is  now  nigh.  Even  so  ye  also,  when  ye  see 
these  things  coming  to  pass,  know  ye  that  the  kiug- 

32  dom  of  tiod  is  nigh.  Verily  1  say  unto  you,  This 
generation  shall  not  pass  away,  till  all  things  be 


a  nut.  U:  30 :  Bev.  1 :  7;  14:  li....6  Rani.8 :  19,  23....C  Matt.  24:  32;  Mark  13:  28. 


tions=Gentiles? — is  occasioned  by  their  per- 
plexity, or  inability  to  understand  tkeroaring 
of  the  sea,  etc.  These  com  motions  on  the 
earth  are  the  counterpart  to  the  celestial  won- 
ders just  spoken  of. 

26.  A  more  particular  statement  of  the  na- 
ture of  that  distress,  and  its  cause.  —  Men's 
hearts  failing  them  (or,  Men  fainting)  for 
fear — because  of  the  persuasion  raised  that 
some  dreadful  visitation  is  portended — and 
looking  after  (lit.,  expectation  of)  those 
things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth 
— world;  i.  e.,  the  inhabited  world  {oiKoviJ.€vf\). 
Fainting,  or  swooning,  is  more  true  to  the 
Greek,  which,  however,  is  stronger  yet,  as  the 
Revision  shows  in  the  margin;  "expiring," 
breathing  out  life.  Some  great  catastrophe 
is  certainly  at  hand. — For  the  powers  of 
heaven  (of  the  heaoens)  shall  be  shaken. 
This  is  given  as  the  ground  of  all  the  changes 
spoken  of  in  these  two  verses,  the  powers 
of  the  heavens  being  those  forces  and  laws 
which  hold  the  heavenly  bodies  in  their  places, 
and  maintain  the  visible  order  of  the  universe. 
These  are  so  disturbed,  to  the  Saviour's  view, 
that  it  is  as  if  all  nature  were  falling  into 
ruin.  Luke  avoids  all  decided  recognition  of 
the  popular  and  poetic  view  of  the  heavens, 
or  sky,  as  a  firm  canopy,  or  vault,  in  which 
the  heavenly  bodies  are  fixed,  or  under  which 
they  move.  In  the  Revelation  (ch.  6:  i3),  the 
stars  fall  out  of  it  upon  the  earth.  And 
in  Matthew  14:  29,  it  is  added  to  what  we 
have  here,  that  "the  stars  shall  fall  from 
heaven."  In  the  light  of  the  more  advanced 
science  of  modern  times,  such  views  may  be 
thought  childish,  as,  doubtless,  many  of  the 
most  advanced  scientific  views  now  seem  to 
perfect  knowledge;  but  to  the  simple  con- 
ception of  earlier  days,  nothing  could  be  more 
sublime  than  these  descriptions  of  general  col- 
lapse and  destruction. 
37.  And  then— in  the  midst  of  these  agita- 


tions, which  themselves  occur  suddenly — while 
the  framework  of  nature  is  breaking  up — shall 
they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  a 
cloud.  They  are  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
at  the  time,  saints  and  sinners. — In  a  cloud. 
So  the  Saviour  departed  from  the  earth,  and 
so,  it  is  promised,  that  he  shall  return  (Acts  i :  s-ii). 
Comp.  1  Tliess.  4:  16,  17.  The  cloud  is  his  ve- 
hicle— "who  inaketh  the  clouds  his  chariot" 
(Pa.  104:3). — With  power  and  great  glory. 
Expressive,  partly,  of  the  indescribable  maj- 
esty and  splendor  of  his  personal  appearance, 
partly,  of  the  imprcssiveness  of  his  attendant 

train.   (Matt.25:31;  1  Thess.  4:  16.) 

28.  And  when  these  things  begin  to 
come  to  pass.  The  emphasis  is  on  begin. 
That  state  of  things  will  not  long  continue. 
It  is  the  omen  of  an  imminent  revolution, 
which  will  be  to  the  disciples  a  glad  and  glo- 
rious deliverance.  It  is  a  time,  therefore,  that 
calls  for  prompt  action.  Ilonce,  the  Lord 
says:  Look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads. 
He  views  them  as  bowed  down  under  the 
trials  and  disappointments  of  the  long  waiting 
for  him  (ch.  17:22;  is :  s),  and  calls  to  them,  lit- 
erally, "Straighten  yourselves  up";  behold 
the  happy  change!  The  Lord  is  at  hand!  — 
For  your  redemption  draweth  nigh.  Re- 
demption is,  here,  deliverance  from  the  in- 
firmity, pains,  and  various  trials  of  the  mortal 
state,  and  introduction  into  the  perfect  holi- 
ness and  bliss  of  heaven. 

29-31.  A  parable.  The  word  is  used  in 
its  most  general  sense — an  illustrative  com- 
parison. The  sense  is  obvious:  As  surely  as 
you  know  from  the  fresh  shoots  of  the  trees  in 
spring  that  summer  is  at  hand,  so  surelj'  may 
you  understand,  when  the  things  of  which  I 
have  spoken  come  to  pass,  that  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  nigh,  in  its  completed  glory  and 
blessedness. 

32.  Verily  I  say  unto  yon,  This  genera- 
tion shall  not  pass  away,  till  all  be  ful- 


U 


306 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXI. 


33  <'■  Heaven    and   earth    shall  pass  away ;    but  my 
words  shall  not  pass  away. 


33  accomplished.    Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away  : 
but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away. 


filled.  This  generation — the  raoe  of  men 
now  living.  Their  term  of  life  was  then  esti- 
mated, a.s  now,  at  from  thirty  to  forty  years. 
The  term  might  be  fairly  extended,  if  there 
were  need,  to  sixty  or  seventy  years,  during 
which  some  portion  of  tliose  then  living  would 
continue.  But  this  does  not  seem  to  be  called 
for.  Doubtless  the  term  generation,  in  it- 
self considered,  might  apply  to  the  Jewish 
race,  or  to  the  perpetual  succession  of  be- 
lievers; but  the  propriety  of  such  reference 
in  this  case  is  not  apparent.  True,  the  declara- 
tion that  all  which  had  just  been  predicted 
would  come  to  pass  within  about  forty  years 
from  that  time  occasions  a  serious  difficulty, 
when  we  look  back  on  it  in  the  cool  light  of 
history,  and  can  see  that,  after  many  genera- 
tions, the  Son  of  man  has  not  come  in  his  final 
glory  yet.  There  are  three  obvious  ways  of 
diluting  the  difficulty: 

1.  The  discourse,  as  given  by  Luke,  or  by 
either  of  the  other  Synoptists,  is  abridged,  and 
demonstrably  not  given  in  the  actual  order 
of  its  delivery.  This  appears  from  the  fact  that 
each  differs,  in  points,  from  both  the  others. 
And  if  we  suppose  some  sentence  to  have 
been  spoken  which  is  not  recorded  for  us,  or 
the  present  sentence  to  have  been  spoken  with 
some  unrecorded  modification,  the  knowledge 
of  that  might  relieve  the  statement  of  all  ap- 
pearance of  discrepancy  with  later  facts. 

2.  Christ,  as  we  have  said  before,  is  speaking, 
in  all  this,  as  a  prophet.  Now  prophecy,  as  a 
rule,  takes  no  precise  note  of  elapsing  time. 
What  it  foresees,  it  foresees  as  passing  picto- 
rially  before  the  vision,  in  its  separate  acts,  or 
even  as  simultaneously  present,  with  no 
standard  to  measure,  or,  rather,  with  no  hint 
of  the  existence  of,  definite  intervals  of  time. 
On  this  view  of  prophecy,  see  Jahn,  Introduc- 
tion to  the  Old  Testament,  §  81 ;  Fairbairn, 
On  Prophecy,  ch.  v.,  ?  2;  Oehler,  Theology  of 
the  Old  Testament,  ??  210,  215,  f.  ;  Hengsten- 
berg,  Christology  of  the  Old  Testament,  iv., 
App.  vi. ;  and  the  same,  briefly.  Smith,  Dic- 
tionary of  the  Bible,  iii.,  p.  259  a.  If,  then, 
we  might  be  allowed  reverently  to  imagine 
that  our  Lord  now  beholds  all  down  to  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  as  one  moving  pic- 
ture, and  all  after  that  down   to  the  grand 


consummation  as  another,  then  all  [things) 
might  express  the  former,  which  would  take 
place  before  that  generation  should  have 
ceased  from  the  earth.  "The  times  of  the 
Gentiles,"  the  commotions  of  heaven  and 
earth,  and  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  ap- 
pear as  one  event,  accomplished  in  effect 
when  its  first  hour  struck;  following  the  "all 
things"  which  shall  have  been  fulfilled. 

3.  The  sentence  under  consideration  may 
have  early  become  misplaced  in  the  reports 
of  the  discourse.  We  see  frequently  verses 
and  whole  paragraphs,  of  the  same  contents, 
differently  situated  in  the  different  Gospels.' 
It  does  not  Seem  improbable  that,  if  another, 
a  verbatim,  report  had  been  brought  from  the 
very  lips  of  Jesus,  we  should  havefound  these 
words  somewhat  differently  connected  with 
the  preceding.  Such  variation  would  be  par- 
ticularly liable  to  occur  in  the  discourse  before 
us.  The  subject  was  mysterious  and  abstruse. 
The  two  ends,  that  of  Jerusalem  and  that  of 
the  world,  were  so  blended  in  the  prophecy, 
and  according  to  the  custom  of  prophecy, 
that,  to  the  apprehension  of  the  disciples,  they 
became  almost  entirely  identified.  We,  who' 
live  after  the  fulfillment  touching  the  one 
event,  find  it  difficult  to  distinguish  in  the 
oracle  what  related,  to  each  event.  How  im- 
possible must  it  have  been  for  the  disciples  to 
do  so  before  either  event !  They  would,  natu- 
rally, remember  the  discourse  as  one,  on 
one  theme,  and  did  notoriously  cherish  the 
belief  that  the  second  coming  might  take 
place  within  the  term  of  their  own  lives. 
There  would  thus  be  to  them  no  occasion  for 
minute  care  in  the  connection  of  this  sentence. 
It  seems,  therefore,  in  no  special  degree  im- 
probable that  some  change  of  its  position  had 
become  fixed  in  the  early  reports  of  the 
discourse.  That  it  was  allowed,  in  God's 
providence,  to  be  so  handed  down  to  us,  might 
be  (known  unto  God  are  his  own  reasons)  to 
give  the  most  effectual  proof  that  our  records 
of  the  Gospel  were  written  before  the  year 
70  A.  D.  —  a  proof  which  the  speculations  of 
these  last  days  have  shown  to  be  of  exceeding 
great  importance. 

33.  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away  ; 
but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away.    The 


Cn.  XXI.] 


LUKE. 


307 


34  TT  And«take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest  at  any  tiiue 
your  hearts  be  overcharged  with  siirleiting,  aud 
driiiikeiiuess,  and  cans  of  this  lite,  aud  so  that  day 
couie  upon  you  uuauares. 

'd't  VoT  'as  a  snare  shall  it  couie  on  all  them  that 
dwell  ou  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

3G  «  Watch  ye  therefore,  aud  "^pray  always,  that  ye 
may  be  accouuted  worthy  to  esc;i|>e  all  these  things 
that  shall  come  to  pass,  aud  '  to  sLaud  before  the  Sou 
of  uian. 


34  But  take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest  haply  your 
hearts  be  overcharjjed  with  surleitiug,  aud  druuk- 
euuess,  aud  cares  of  this  life,  aud  thai  day  come  ou 

35  you  suddenly  as  a  snare :  for  so  shall  it  couje  upon 
all   theiu   that  dwell  on  the  face  of  all  the  earth. 

36  Hut  watch  ye  at  every  season,  making  s  ipplicatiou, 
that  ye  luay  prevail  to  escape  all  these  tilings  that 
shall  couie  to  pass,  aud  to  stand  before  the  Sou  of 
niau. 


a  Rnm.  13:  U;  I  Thess.  S:C;  I  Feu  4:  7 6  1  Tbess.5:2;  2  Pet.  3 :  10;  Rev.  3:3;  16:  15....cUati.  H:  42;  2&:  13;  Mark  13:  Xi....dch. 

18:  1...  ePs.  1:6;  Epbes.  6:  13. 

strongest  possible  assertion  of  the  verity  and  i  Surfeiting,  is  the  effect  of  yesterday's  de- 
trustworthiness  of  his  prediction.  It  was  !  bauch. — Cares  of  this  life — rather,  "cares 
firmer  tlian  the  solid  earth,  more  enduring  pertaining  to  life,"  here  viewed  as  a  worldly, 
than  the  changeless  firmament.  They  might  self-indulgent  life,  a  luxiiridus  living. — And 
remove;  but  his  words,  never.  I  so  that  day  come   upon  you   unawares. 


MOUNT  OF  OLIVKS. 


34-36.  Warning  Against  Forgetful- 
NKss,  AND  Worldly  Inpulqf.nces.  Need 
OF  AVatohfulnf.ss  and  Prayf.r. 

34.  And  (But)  take  heed  to  yourselves, 
lest  at  any  time  (hnphj)  yonr  hearts  be 
overcharged,  etc.  It  gives  u.s  a  fresh  sense 
of  the  painful  apprehension  which  Christ  had 
of  the  instability  of  his  disciples,  that  he 
should,  under  these  circumstances,  intimate 
the  possibility  of  such  a  lapse  of  faith  and  pa- 
tience on  their  part.  Comp.  18:  8;  17:  27,  28. 
How  soon  his  faithful  messengers  found  it 
necessary  to  utter  like  admonitions,  may  be 
seen   in   Eom.  13:   12-14;   Heb.  10:  35-39.— 


The  Greek  word  for  unawares  is  used  to  de- 
note the  suddenness  of  the  da^'  of  the  Lord 
(i  The««.5:  3).  It  IS  properly  translated  in  the 
Revision  sudde)ily,  and,  according  to  the  best 
authorit  es,  as  a  snare  follows  immediately 
upon  it,  instetid  of  going  into  the  next  verse. 
It  is  this  suddenness  which  makes  it  overtake 
one  "unawares."  As  the  springing  of  a  trap 
on  the  game,  will  be  the  ruin  of  those  found 
unprepared. 

35.  None  in  all  the  earth  but  those  who 
are  waiting  for  their  Lord,  at  his  coming,  will 
escape  an  a%vful  surprise. 

36.  Watch  ye  therefore  (But  watch  ye) — 


308 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


37  "And  in  the  day  time  he  was  teaching  in  the 
temple;  aud' at  night  he  went  out,  and  abode  in  the 
mount  that  is  called  the  inutint  of  Olives. 

a8  And  all  the  jjeople  came  early  in  the  morning  to 
him  in  the  temple,  tor  to  hear  him. 


37  And  every  day  he  was  teaching  in  the  temple ; 
and  every  night   he   went  out,  and   lodged  in  the 

38  mount  tliat  is  called  Olivet.  And  all  the  people 
came  early  in  the  morning  to  him  in  the  temple,  to 
hear  him. 


N 


OW  "the  feast  of   unleavened  bread   drew  nigh, 
which  is  called  the  Passover. 


CHAPTEK    XXII. 

1      Now  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  drew  nigh. 


a  JolinS:  1,2 b  ch.  2'2  :  39....C  Mt.tt.  26  :  -l;  Mark  U:  1. 


be  wide  awake,  having  your  faculties  all  in  due 
exercise,  and  tit  for  serious  service — always  {at 
every  season) — by  day  and  by  night,  wliether 
he  come  in  the  second  watch,  or  in  the  third. 
— And  pray — rather,  Making  supplication. 
This  precept  su;:>poses  tiiat,  beyond  all  vigi- 
lance and  fidelity  on  their  part,  they  needed 
divine  care  and  help.— That  ye  may  be  ac- 
counted Avorthy  (the  more  probable  reading 
is,  may  prevail — have  strength) — to  escape 
all  these  things— these  faults  and  iniquities 
(ver. 34);  probably,  also,  the  calamities  and 
punishments  implied  in  that  day  (ver.  34) — 
and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man. 
Stand=take  your  stand,  as  in  ch.  18:  11 ;  see 
note  ch.  19  :  8.  It  implies  a  certain  stateliness, 
and  consciousness  of  dignity  and  right.  This 
is  more  conformable  to  usage  of  the  verb  form 
than  Meyer's  "be  placed";  that  is,  by  the 
angels.  So  to  stand  before  the  Lord,  at  his 
coming,  requiresthat  one  should  have  watched 
and  prayed,  and  faithfully  done  a  servant's 
part. 

37,  38.  Luke  closes  his  narrative  of  Christ's 
labors  and  teachings  during  the  last  three  days 
of  his  public  activity,  by  a  particular  state- 
ment of  how  he  spent  the  time.  The  days  in 
the  temple,  from  the  Sunday  on  which  he 
arrived  there;  his  nights  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  probably  at  the  house  of  his  friends  in 
Bethany.  The  first  night  he  spent  there;  the 
more  general  expression  h«re,  allows  us  to 
think  that  he  may  have  changed  his  location, 
as  prudence  required.  Abode=/,or;r3rec/ — 
passed  the  night.  In  classic  Greek,  the  verb 
often  signifies  "to  lodge  in  the  open  air"; 
but  probably  not  so  here.  Early  in  the 
morning— strictly,  at  the  dawn,  as  the  cus- 
tom was  to  be  stirring  very  early.  His  nights 
were  without  ease,  and  his  days  diligently 
devoted  to  his  Father's  business. 


Ch.  22,    1-6.  Judas     Bargains    -with 

THE   EULERS   TO    BeTRAY   JeSUS. 

The  work  of  our  Lord  on  earth  was  done. 


"Wednesday  (most  of  Thursday  also)  appears 
to  have  been  spent  in  a  seclusion,  the  expe- 
riences of  which  are  completely  hidden  from 
us.  According  to  the  Jewish  custom  at  that 
time,  of  beginning  the  day  at  sundown,  and 
reckoning  the  hours  which  followed,  to  the 
next  daj',  the  discourse  in  chapter  21,  be- 
longed to  the  eve  of  Wednesday.  But  ex- 
cept one  pathetic  sentence  in  Matthew  (26:2) 
we  have  no  further  information  concern- 
ing him  during  all  that  day.  When  we  re- 
member how  often,  during  his  previous  life, 
the  Master,  in  great  emergencies,  retired  for 
special  prayer  and  communion  with  his 
Father,  we  may  well  suppose  that  he  vnis 
thus  engaged  on  this  critical  day.  The  ten- 
derness of  his  address  to  the  disciples  (ver.  u  et.), 
breathes  something  of  the  spirit  of  Geth- 
semane,  and  may  well  imply  hours  of  pre- 
vious converse  with  God,  concerning  his  ap- 
proaching sufferings,  and  the  peril  and  dis- 
consolateness  of  his  brethren. 

1.  Now  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread 
drew^  nigh,  which  is  called  the  Passover. 
Feast  of  unleavened  bread— so  called  be- 
cause all  leaven,  through  the  entire  week, 
and  part  of  the  preceding  day,  must  be  care- 
fully banished  from  their  houses.  "The 
Passover"  and  "the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread,"  were  often  entirely  synonj'mous  ex- 
pressions, to  name  the  period  of  seven  (or 
eight)  days,  set  apart  in  Exodus,  (chapters  12, 
13),  as  a  per])etual  memorial  of  the  deliver- 
ance of  the  people  out  of  captivity  in  Egypt. 
It  properly  began  on  the  eve  of  the  15th  of 
the  first  month  (now  called  Nisan),  or,  as  we 
should  say,  on  the  evening  of  the  14th,  and 
extended  through  the  21st.  But  the  four- 
teenth, as  a  preparation  day,  was  often  reck- 
oned with  it.  From  Matthew  and  Mark,  we 
learn  more  definitely  that  the  Passover  was 
now  two  days  oflT.  The  time  is  accordingly 
some  point  in  the  13th  of  the  month.  All 
attempts  to  identify  the  day  with  the  pre- 
cisely corresponding  one  in  the  Roman  Calen- 


Ch.  XXII.] 


LUKE. 


309 


2  \n(l  "the  chief  priests  oud  scribes  soiiulit  how 
thi-v  lui'ht  kill  him  ;  l<>r  they  feared  the  people. 

;\V"The"  '^"t^'r^^d  «"''"'  '"'"  •'"^'"  s..rnamed 
Iscariot   lii^ini;  of  the  number  ol  the  twelve. 

4  V  I  he  went  his  wav,  a.id  communed  with  the 
Chief  priests  au.l  captains,  how  he  might  betray  him 

"'.5^  AndThey  were  glad,  and  c  covenanted  to  give  him 
money. 


2  which  is  called  the  Passover.  And  the  chief  priests 
and  the  scrilwjs  sought  how  they  might  put  him  to 
death;  for  they  feared  the  people. 

3  And   Satan   entered   into  Judas  who   was  called 

4  Iscariot,  being  of  the  number  of  the  twelve.  And 
he  went  away, and  communed  with  the  chici  priests 
and  captains,  how  he  might  deliver  him  unto  them. 

5  And  they  were  glad,  and  covenanted  to  give  him 


.  Ps.  2:  2;  Johu  11  :  47  ;  Aotsi:  27.. ..4  M.tt.  26:  14;  M.rK  U:  10;  John  13 :  2,  27.. ..c  Z«»ch.U:12. 


dar,  and  so  with  our  own,  are  frustrated  by  I 
the  uncertainty  as  to  what  year  it  was  of  the 
buiklinnj  of  Rome.  | 

2.  And  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  i 
sought— more  exactly,  were  seeking— ^ow  \ 
they  might  kill  him— in  what  possible  way 
they  might  be  able  to  do  that  which,  in  some 
way,  they  had  determined  should  be  done. 
For  they  feared  the  people.  This  is  a 
reason  for  their  having  to  seek  how  they 
might  do  it  without  harm  to  themselves. 

3,  At  the    nick  of  time  for  them,  comes 
Judas  with  a  plan  which  meets  their  need. 
Then  (And)  entered  Satan   into   Judas. 
^nci— associates  this  event  with   their  "seek- 
ing how  they  might  destroy  him,"  so  as  to 
show  that  the   treachery  of   Judas   relieved 
their    perplexity.     That   Satan  entered   into 
Judas,  means  that  the  devil,  to  accomplish 
his  malignant  purposes  against  our  Lord,  took 
advantage   of   the   wickedness    of   Judas,   to 
direct  him  as  a  serviceable  tool.     Many  other 
psychological  explanations  of  the  act  of  the 
traitor  have  been  ingeniously  attempted  ;  but 
to  carry  them   through  without  the  supposi- 
tion of^  Satanic  agency  has  proved  a  sea  of 
difficulty  in  which  all  have  floundered— none 
swum.     John  (i*:  ')  informs  us  that  at  a  feast 
in    Bethany,  on  the  previous    Sabbath   eve, 
(ver.    1,    "six    days    before  the   Passover"), 
Jesus  had  rebuked  Judas  for  his  complaint 
on  account  of  the  waste  of  costly  ointment  by 
Mary,  in  testimony  of  her  affection  for  the 
Lord.     Matthew  (26=  •♦)  and  Mark  (i4:  »o)  con- 
nect the  action  of  Judas  here  with  that  same 
feast,   and  imply,  though  they  do  not  state, 
that  he  took  oflTence  at  the  Master's  remark. 
In  the  rebuke  which  Jesus  there  administered 
to  the  false  disciple  (John  12;  7),  they  appear  to 
find  the   motive  to  the  now  ripened  crime. 
Luke    omits   that    episode.     Being    of   the 
number  of  the  twelve.    This  adds  a  pa- 
thetic touch   to  the   description   of   our  Sa- 
viour's fate,  while   it  shows  how  acceptable 
such   co-operation  would  be  to  themselves, 


and  fixes  a  blacker  stain  on  the  treachery 
of  Judas. 

4.  And  he  went  his  Avay  (literally,  away), 
and  communed  with  the  chief  priests  and 

captains— heads  of  the  Levitical  force  of 
temple  guards — how — on  what  terms,  at  what 
time,  in  what  manner— he  might  betray  (lit- 
erally, deliver)  him  unto  them. 

5.  And    they  were    glad  — as    well    they 
might   be,    at   a   proposition   to   do   the  very 
thing  they  desired,  even  "during  the  feast " 
(comp.  Matt.  26:5),  and  from  such  a  source  — and 
covenanted    to    give    him     money.     The 
sum  mentioned  by  Matthew  was  thirty  pieces, 
shekel.^  doubtless,  containing  each  'J70  grains 
of  silver.     The  authorities  differ  considerably 
concerning  the   value   of   the   shekel  in   the 
period  now  before  us.     Some  put  it  as  low  as 
48     cents,     (Gesenius,    Hebrew     Wbrterbuch, 
8th  ed.,  s.  v.  Shekel;  two-thirds  of  a  Prussian 
thaler,  although  the  data  there  given  lead  nat- 
urally to  a  different  result);   others,  as  high  as 
74cents(Prideaux,  Conne.ri.ons,  i.,  117,  Wheel- 
er's ed.,  three  English  shillings).  The  most  def- 
inite fact  in  the  case  is  that  Josephus  (Antiq- 
uities, iii.,  8,  2)  states  the  value  of  the  shekel 
as  equal  to  the  Attic  tetradrachmon,   which 
contained  270  grains  of  silver.     This  is  ascer- 
tained partly  from  theoretical  statements,  and 
partly  from  the  weight  of  existing  specimens. 
Thus  it  would  now  be  worth  somewhat  more 
than  57  cents  of  coin  silver;  much  more  in  our 
nominal  silver  dollar.     See,  on  the  weight  of 
the  Attic  didrachm,  R.  S.  Poole,  in  Smith's 
Dictionary  of  the   Bible,  p.  3496  a;  McClin- 
tock    and    Crook's    Theological    Cycloptrdia, 
article  Money,  p.  044;  Madden's  Jewish  Coin- 
age.    It  must  always  be  understood,  however, 
that  a  given  weight  of  the  precious  metals  was 
then  several  times  more  valuable,  relatively 
to  the  necessaries  of  life,  than  it  is  at  present. 
Less  than  twenty  dollars,  therefore,  in   our 
money,  was  what  they  weighed  to  Judas  as 
the  price  of  his  Master's  life.     Whether  he 
distinctly  understoood  that  he  was  selling  that 


310 


LUKE. 


[Cn.  XXII. 


6  And  he  promised,  and  sought  opportunity  to  be- 
tray him  unto  them  in  the  absence  of  the  multitude. 

7  1[  ""  Then  came  the  day  of  unleavened  bread,  when 
the  passover  must  be  killed. 


money.    And  he  consented,  and  sought  opportunity 
to  deliver  him  unto  them  i  in  the  absence  of  the 
multitude. 
And  the  day  of  unleavened  bread  came,  on  which 


a  Matt.  26:  17;  Mark  14:  12. 1  Or,  viithout  tumuU. 


life,  appears  questionable,  from  the  compunc- 
tion which  he  manifested  when  it  became  clear 
(Miitt. 27:3, 4)  that  such  was  likely  to  prove  the 
fact.  Eighteen  or  nineteen  dollars  they 
offered  to  give. 

6.  And  he  promised  =  agreed  to  it.  To 
appreciate  fully  the  mental  process  of  the 
traitor,  is,  as  we  before  remariied,  almost 
hopelessly  difficult.  Certain  facts  are  obvious, 
and  certain  inferences  are  natural ;  but  we 
have  still  left  ample  scope  for  the  influence  of 
Satan  in  the  result.  He  was  a  hard,  avaricious 
man,  with  no  sentiment  that  could  stand 
against  his  greed  for  gain.  "He  had  the 
bag,  and  bare  what  was  put  therein," 
(johni2:6.) — is  best  uuderstood  to  mean 
"he  took  for  himself  from  the  bag."  He 
even  stole  contributions  that  were  made  to 
the  support  of  Jesus.  At  the  same  time,  he 
may  have  shared  the  gross  ideasof  his  genera- 
tion concerning  the  temporal  advantages  that 
were  to  come  through  the  Messiah  to  those 
who  should  join  themselves  to  him.  As  treas- 
urer of  the  Lord  and  his  company,  he  would 
naturally  calculate  on  some  corresponding 
honor  in  his  manifested  kingdom.  From  re- 
cent discourses  he  might  have  noticed  indica- 
tions that  the  manifestation  was  yet  remote, 
and  that  an  interval  of  want,  and  trial,  and 
danger,  and  shame,  was  to  precede  it.  The 
course  of  Jesus  in  the  matter  of  the  three  hun- 
dred pence  worth  of  spikenard  perfume  would, 
of  course,  reveal  to  him  the  profound  want  of 
sympathy  between  the  Master  and  himself. 
The  pomp  and  enthusiasm  of  Palm  Sunday 
might  well  revive  his  expectation  of  a  speedy 
assumption  by  Jesus  of  royal  dominion;  but 
this  was  soon  blasted  by  the  failure  to  take 
advantage  of  the  popular  favor,  and  by  the 
explicit  predictions  of  Tuesday  evening,  on 
Olivet.  Disappointment,  vexation,  overmas- 
tering covetousness,  combined  to  prepare  him 
to  fall  under  the  influence  of  Satan.  The 
latter  was  said  above  to  have  entered  into  him, 
possessed  him,  not  so  as  to  relieve  him  of  the 
guilt  of  his  conduct,  but,  rather,  so  as  to  make 
it  the  heavier,  in  that  he  voluntarily  opened 
the  way  to  such  a  possession. — And  sought 
opportunity  to   betray  (deliver)  him  unto 


them  in  the  absence  of  the  (a)  multitude. 

They  had  not  contemplated  the  possibility 
(Matt. 26:5)  of  putting  Jesus  out  of  the  way 
"during  the  feast,"  simply  because  the  as- 
sembled crowd,  largely  from  Galilee,  would 
endanger  insurrection.  But  Judas'  plan  of 
seizing  him  in  the  night,  when  he  could 
guide  thenij  obviated  that  objection.  But  he 
still  had  to  seek  opportunity,  as  not  knowing 
the  place,  perhaps  not  even  the  time,  when 
Christ  would  observe  the  Passover. 
7-13.  Preparation  for  the  Passover. 
(Thursday  evening;  eve  of  Friday.) 
7.  Then  came,  etc.;  better,  And  the  day 
of  unleavened  bread  came  when — on 
which — the  passover  must  be — in  com- 
pliance with  the  law — killetl  or,  sacrificed. 
Before  (ver.  i)  it  was  drawing  nigh  ;  now  it  has 
come.  This  Any  was  the  14th  of  Ni.san,  before 
noon  of  which  all  leaven  must  be  put  away 
from  the  houses;  and  in  the  afternoon  the 
paschal  lamb  must  be  slain.  On  this  account, 
it  appears  also  to  have  been  called  "the  prep- 
aration of=for,  the  Passover."  (Johnisiu). 
But  with  what  day  of  the  week  did  this  14th 
day  of  Nisan  coincide  that  year?  If  we 
knew  certainly  what  year  it  was  of  the  Ro- 
man era,  chronologers  could  easily  determine 
the  question.  As  it  is,  we  are  turned  to 
another  question.  On  what  day  of  the  month 
was  Christ  crucified?  That  the  day  of  the 
week  was  a  Friday,  scarcely  is  or  can  be  dis- 
puted.       (Oh.  23:54;  John  19:  31).        Could     WC     add 

that  it  was  the  15th  of  Nisan,  then  we  should 
know  at  once  that  the  14th  was  Thursday, 
beginning  at  about  6  p.  M.  on  Wednesday. 
If  we  suppose  now  that  the  day  mentioned  in 
our  verse  was  Thursday,  the  natural  inference 
would  be  that  the  Passover  would  be  killed 
in  the  afternoon,  after  about  three  o'clock, 
and  the  supper  eaten  by  the  disciples  that 
evening,  after  Friday,  the  15th,  had  begun, 
when  the  whole  nation  were  doing  the  same. 
Ths  same  impression  is  made  by  the  other 
Synoptic  Evangelists  (Matt.  26:  n),  especially 
Mark  14:  12,  and  from  every  mention  of  the 
meal  as  a  "  Passover."  Indeed,  from  the  chief 
indications  of  date  in  these  Gospels  no  doubt 
would    probably   ever  have  arisen,  that   the 


Ch.  XXII.] 


LUKE. 


311 


8  And  he  sent  Peter  and  John,  saying,  Go  and  pre- 
pare us  the  passover,  that  we  may  eat. 

!)  And  they  said  uuto  hiiu.  Where  wilt  thou  that  we 
prepare .' 


8  the  passover  must  be  sacrificed.    And  he  sent  Peter 
and  John,  saying,  Go  and  make  ready  for  us  the 

9  passover,  tlia't   we  may  eat.    And   tliey   said  unto 


Last  Supper  of  our  Lord  took  place  simulta- 
neously with  the  Passover  meal  of  the  Jews 
generally.  But  when  one  goes  with  unbiased 
mind  to  the  Gospel  of  John,  he  finds  the 
leading  indications  of  time  pointing  to  a 
different  hour.  The  "supper"  spoken  of 
(John  13:  2)  is  corrcctly  regarded  as  identical 
with  that  of  the  Passover  in  our  chapter; 
hut  it  is  said  (ver.  i)  to  have  taken  place  "be- 
fore the  Passover."  Again  in  ver.  29,  when 
Judas  went  out,  some  thought  he  had  gone 
to  buy  the  things  which  they  needed  for 
the  feast;  as  if  the  feast  was  yet  to  come,  and 
there  was  free  opportunity'  to  make  any  pur- 
chases. This,  many  think,  could  hardly  have 
been  supposable  on  the  Passover  evening. 
In  John  18:  28,  the  rulers,  on  the  morning  of 
the  crucifixion,  were  careful  against  defiling 
themselves,  that  "they  might  eat  the  Pass- 
over." In  ch.  19  :  31,  the  Jews,  because  it  was 
"the  preparation,"  that  the  bodies  should  not 
remain  upon  the  cross  on  the  Sabbath  (for  the 
day  of  that  Sabbath  was  a  high  day  [as  it 
would  be  if  also  the  day  of  the  Passover  sup- 
per] )  besought  Pilate,  etc.  On  the  basis  of 
these  diverging  representations,  the  judgment 
of  Christian  scholars  has  always  been  divided  as 
to  whether  Jesus  then  celebrated  the  Passover 
with  his  disciples,  according  to  the  common 
usage,  and  at  the  regular  ^^ime,  or  instituted  a 
new  observance,  ''thin  Passover"^"  our  Pass- 
over," on  the  evening  before,  and  was  him- 
self put  to  death  at  the  hour  when  the  Jew- 
ish lambs  were  superfluously  bleeding,  at  the 
temple.  Those  who  are  controlled  hy  the 
obvious  sense  of  John's  narrative,  suppose 
that  Saturday  (the  Sabbatli)  was  the  proper 
Passover  day,  the  15th  of  Nisan;  that  the 
lambs  were  sacrificed  on  Friday  afternoon, 
and  the  supper  eaten  that  evening,  after  the 
Sabbath  had  begun.  The  early  Christian 
writers  generally  appear  to  have  taken  this 
view,  as  have  several  of  the  most  eminent 
scholars  recently,  especially  those  who  have 
treated  John's  Gospel  by  itself.  The  preva- 
lent view,  however,  has  been  that  to  which 
the  Synoptical  narrative  would  most  natu- 
rally lead — that  Friday  was  the  true  Passover 
day,  and  Thursday  evening  the  hour  of  the 
Passover   meal.      We   do    not  undertake   to 


decide  the  question,  which  would  involve  too 
much  of  the  interpretation  of  John's  Gospel. 
The  fact  that  the  most  eminent  expositors 
have  differed  in  their  judgment  in  the  matter, 
through  all  periods  of  independent  exegesis 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  never  more  so 
than  within  the  past  twenty-five  years,  shows 
that  the  probabilities  are  pretty  evenly  bal- 
anced. Whichever  conclusion  a  nam  may 
have  reached,  he  will  be  more  likely,  in  pro- 
portion as  he  has  investigated  most  tiioroughly, 
to  see  how  another  may  have  come  to  a  dif- 
ferent result  from  the  same  data.  A  breath 
may  seem  sufficient  to  have  turned  the  scales. 
We  shall  proce(;d  to  develop  what  saliently 
presents  itself  as  the  view  of  our  Evangelist. 
The  day  of  unleavened  bread  was  Thurs- 
day, beginning  at  sundown,  or,  at  that  season, 
about  6  P.  M.  on  Wednesday.  Must  be 
killed,  properly,  sacrificed.  Not  merely 
killed,  or  slaughtered,  but  the  use  was  re- 
garded as  a  sacrifice,  commemorative  of  the 
birth  of  the  people  into  a  nation  at  their 
deliverance  from  Egypt,  the  house  of  bond- 
age, and  typical  of  the  "Lamb  slain  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world."  Here,  how- 
ever, we  need  think  only  of  the  day,  after 
the  night  was  past.  Must  be — because  the 
law  so  required.  Many  changes  in  the 
mode  of  celebrating  the  Passover  distin- 
guished the  now  existing  practice  from  that 
first  prescribed,  but  onlj'  as  they  had  been 
found  necessary,  or  helpful.  The  usages  will 
be  found  described  in  any  of  the  better  Bible 
Dictionaries. 

8.  And  he  sent — probablv  from  Bethany — 
Peter  and  John,  saying,  (io  and  prepare 
us  the  passover,  that  Ave  may  eat.  This 
direction  may  have  been  issued  in  the  fore- 
noon of  the  day,  or  even  early  in  the  after- 
noon. Luke  alone  gives  the  names  of  the 
"two  of  his  disciples"  (Mark  u;  1.1)  who  were  to 
find  and  suitablv  furnish  the  needed  room,  to 
select  the  lamb,  and  have  it  slain  and  roasted, 
and  to  provide  the  other  viands  required  for 
the  meal. 

9,  10.  The  Lord's  answer  to  their  question, 
where  they  should  eat  the  supper,  maj'  have 
been  given  designedly  in  such  a  way  as  to 
keep  the  knowledge  of  the  place  from  Judas, 


312 


LUKE. 


[Cii.  XXII. 


10  And  he  said  unto  them,  Behold,  when  ye  are 
entered  into  the  city,  there  shall  a  man  meet  you, 
bearing  a  pitcher  ot  water;  follow  him  into  the  house 
where  he  entereth  in. 

11  And  ye  shall  say  unto  the  goodman  of  the  house, 
The  Master  saith  unto  thee,  Where  is  the  guestcham- 
ber,  where  1  shall  eat  the  passover  with  my  disciples  ? 

12  And  he  shall  shew  you  a  large  upper  room  fur- 
nished :  there  make  ready. 

\.i  And  they  went,  and  found  as  he  had  said  unto 
them  :  and  they  made  ready  the  passover. 

14  "And  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  down,  and 
the  twelve  apostles  with  him. 


10  him.  Where  wilt  thou  that  we  make  ready?  And 
he  said  unto  them.  Behold,  when  ye  are  entered 
into  the  city,  there  shall  meet  you  a  man  bearing  a 
pitcher  of  water;  follow  him  into  the  house  whtre- 

11  into  he  goeth.  And  ye  shall  say  unto  the  goodman 
of  the  house.  The  i  Master  saith  unto  thee.  Where  is 
the  guest-chamber,  where  1  shall  eat  the  passover 

12  with  my  disciples?    And  he  will  shew  you  a  large 

13  upper  room  furnished;  there  make  ready.  And 
they  went,  and  found  as  he  had  said  unto  them: 
and  they  made  ready  the  passover. 

14  And  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  down,  and 


a  Matt.  26:  20;  Mark  14:  17. 1  Or,  Teacher. 


for  the  present.  That  a  man  should  be  car- 
rying water  in  the  street,  was  remarkable, 
since  that  was  the  task  of  women,  and  would 
imply  that  he  was  of  a  servile  condition.  This 
is  implied  also  in  the  Greek  word  for  man  ap- 
plied to  him  (ar^pcoTTos),  and,  more  plainly,  by 
the  distinction  between  him  and  the  house- 
holder, of  the  next  verse.  It  is  said  there  was 
a  custom  that  the  head  of  each  family  should 
bring  water  from  a  certain  spring,  with  which 
to  wet  up  the  unleavened  bread  for  the  Pass- 
over. But  this  man  was  not  head  of  the 
house;  nor  does  it  appear  how,  among  the 
thousands  that  would  be  carrying  water  at  the 
same  time,  on  that  supposition,  the  incident 
could  have  served  as  a  sign. 

11.  The  Master  (Teacher)  saith  unto 
thee,  Where  is  the  guest-chamber?  etc. 
The  man  must  probably  have  been  an  adher- 
ent of  Jesus,  with  whom  there  had  been  an 
understanding  that  the  Teacher  should  have 
the  use  of  his  chamber,  or  attic.  It  was  re- 
garded as  a  duty  that  householders  in  Jeru- 
salem, and  the  suburbs,  within  which  the  sac- 
rificial Passover  might  be  eaten,  should  grant 
any  spare  room  for  the  use  of  vi.siting  wor- 
shipers at  the  feast. 

12.  A  large  upper  room  furnished.  It 
would  need  to  be  of  a  good  size  to  accommo- 
date thirteen  men  at  table.  Nothing  is  certain 
as  to  whose  house  it  was.  Some  have  ingeni-. 
ously  fixed  on  that  of  the  mother  of  John  Mark, 
author  of  the  Second  Gospel,  in  which  the  dis- 
ciples were  gathered  at  Acts  12:  12,  as  if  it 
were  a  usual  thing.  In  Acts  1 :  13,  the  disci- 
ples had  also  met  in  a  large  "upper-chamber," 
and  this,  it  is  said,  may  have  been  understood 
as  connecting  the  other  two  instances.  The 
argument  is  not  so  strong  as  a  spider's  thread. 
Furnished  —  properlj^,  spread — having  ref- 
erence, primarily,  to  rugs  and  cushions,  but 
including,  doubtless,  the  table,  dishes,  and 
other  necessary  articles.     The  simple  earthen 


dishes  were  usually  supplied  by  the  company  ; 
and  these,  with  the  skin  of  the  sacrificial  vic- 
tim, were  left  as  remuneration  to  the  proprietor 
of  the  house. 

13.  The  correspondence  of  the  facts  with  so 
unusual  an  announcement,  was  calculated  to 
confirm  their  faith  in  the  divine  mission  of 
their  Master,  at  a  time  when  sui^h  confirma- 
tion was  needed. 

14-18.  The  Passover  Meal. 

14.  And  when  the  hour  was  come,  he 
sat  down — reclined  at  table — and  the  twelve 
apostles  with  him.  The  word  twelve  is 
omitted  by  the  best  editors.  The  hour  for 
commencing  the  meal  was  not  definitely  pre- 
scribed. The  roasting  of  the  lamb  would  not 
begin  till  after  sundown,  and  at  anj'  time  after 
that  was  finished  they  might  proceed  to  the 
table.  The  posture  at  the  table  was  the  usual 
one,  at  that  time,  of  reclining  on  couches,  ex- 
tended nearly  at  full  length.  A  figure  repre- 
senting to  the  eye  a  formal  banquet  scene,  of 
the  later  classical  period,  may  be  seen  in 
Smith's  Diet,  of  the  Bib.,  Art.  Meal,  and  in 
others.  We  must  divest  the  Last  Supper  of  all 
the  luxury  and  parade  of  such  pictures,  and 
think  only  of  the  recumbent  posture  about  a 
plain  table,  possibly  so  arranged  as  to  form 
three  sides  of  a  square.  This  may  be  com- 
pared with  a  family  scene  in  our  time ;  that 
picture,  more  to  the  formality'  of  our  public 
banquets.  To  the  list  of  Greek  verbs  signi- 
fying this  reclining  posture,  given  in  Smith's 
Diet,  of  the  Bih.,  p.  1843,  should  have  been 
added  the  verb  used  here  (ivamnTuj).  The 
apostles  were  all  with  him,  certainly  at  the 
paschal  meal,  at  least,  yet  the  word  twelve 
was  probably  added  to  the  text  much  later. 
Whj'  no  other  disciples,  men  or  women,  were 
joined  with  the  twelve,  we  n\i\y  conjecture. 
Evidently,  not  many  could  be  drawn  into  one 
Passover  company  ("not  less  than  ten,  nor 
more  than  twenty" — Josephus);   and,  besides 


Cii.  XXII.] 


LUKE. 


313 


15  And  he  said  unto  them,  With  desire  I  have  de- 
sirod  to  eat  tliis  passover  with  you  before  I  sulior : 

IG  For  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  any  nmre  eat  there- 
of, "until  it  be  t'lilhlled  in  the  l<ingiloni  of  tiod. 

17  And  he  took  the  eup  and  gave  thanks,  and  said, 
Take  this,  and  divide  it  among  yourselves: 


15  the   apostles  with    him.     And   he  said   unto   them, 
With  desire  I  have  desired  to  eat  this  iiassover  wiiU 

16  you  before  I  sulfer:    for  1  say  unto  yi.u,  1  shall  not 
eat  it,  until  it  be  fulfilled   in   tlie  kingdom  oi  Uod. 

17  And   he   received  a  cup,  and   when    he   had   given 
thanks,   he  said,  Take  this,  and   divide   it  among 


cli.  14:  15;  Acts  lU:  41  ;  Kev.  Itf:  >). 


the  need  of  a  strictly  private  opportunity  with 
the  apostles,  he  could  not  prudently  make 
selections  out  of  the  general  body  of  his  fol- 
lowers. Other  reasons  are  obvious  why  he 
should  not  summon  a  crowd  to  th^i  prepara- 
tory rxie,  which  he  inteiided  to  institute. 

15.  With  desire  I  have  desired  to  eat 
this  passover  with  yoii  before  I  suffer. 
Compare  "  blessing  I  will  bless,"  "  hearing  ye 
shall  hear,  and  seeing  ye  shiill  see,"  a  Hebrew 
way  of  expressing  certainty  of  assertion,  or 
intensity  of  emotion.  It  is  with  the  shadow 
of  Calvary  already  casting  its  solemnity*  over 
his  spirit — before  I  suffer — that  our  Lord 
opens  his  tender  address.  That  would  be  one 
reason  why  he  should  earnestly  desire  to  eat 
this  Passover — it  was  his  last.  In  it  were 
represented  the  most  sacred  memories  of  his 
nation,  some  of  his  own  cherished  religious 
associations  since  he  was  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  the  most  affecting  truths  of  the  ancestral 
r(;ligion.  That  he  should  choose  to  associate 
its  observance  so  closely  with  his  last  hours  on 
the  earth,  was  most  natural.  To  eat  it  with 
the  ap(»stle3 — with  you — would  peculiarly 
hallow  their  intercourse,  and  afford  him  op- 
]iortunity  to  intimate  to  them,  most  impress- 
ively, the  cessation  of  the  old  ordinance,  by 
its  passing  over  into  the  antitypical  observance 
which  was  to  distinguish  the  new  kingdom  to 
the  end  of  the  world.  Being  his  last,  this  was 
to  be  the  last  Passover  of  the  system  of  types 
and  shadows,  and  to  merge  in  that  simple  rite 
which  would  commemorate  the  origin  of  the 
new  spiritual  society  on  etirth. 

16.  For  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  any 
more  eat  thereof  (or,  iO,  until  it  be  ful- 
filled in  the  kingdom  of  God.  This  con- 
firms and  exi)lains  the  "desire"  of  the  pre- 
ceding verse,  by  showing  that  this  is  his  last 
Passover.— Any  more,  which  is  omitted  in  the 
llevision,  has  respectable  evidence  in  its  favor, 
but  was  perhaps  only  a  natural  supplement 
to  till  out  the  obvious  sense. — Will  not  is  a 
strong  negative  ="  certainly  shall  not."  — 
Until  it  be  fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
This  meant  "never  again  in  our  earthly  rela- 
tion to  each  other"  ;  but  that  he  would  join 


them  in  celebrating  a  feast  of  analogous  sig- 
nificance in  that  glorious  relation  which  he 
should  afterward  sustain  to  them,  and  to  which 
this  was  leading.  It  is  not  so  certain  that  he 
did  not  here  look  forward  to  the  communion 
of  his  saints  with  himself  and  with  each 
other  in  "the  breaking  of  bread,"  under  the 
Dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  as  Godot,  on  the 
passage,  assumes.  Comp.ch.  14:  30,  35;  Acts 
10:  41.  But,  surely,  the  full  sense  of  it 
cannot  exclude  the  heavenly  banquet,  at 
which  they  shall  come  from  the  east  and 
west,  from  the  north  and  south,  and  shall 
sit  down  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  (cu.  i3:  iv-,  u-.  ib-zi; 
Matt.  8:  11;  Rev.  I'j:  9.  ).  That  ccrcmony  would  be 
fulfilled  in  that  which  it  signified,  the  bless- 
edness of  complete  salvation.  This  blessed- 
ness is  compared  to  the  joys  of  a  banquet. 

17.  And  he  took  the  cup  (better,  receiveda 
cup),  and  gave  thanks,  and  said.  Each  of 
the  Four  Evangelists  has  his  own  order  of  nar- 
mtiiig  the  incidents  connected  with  this  metil, 
although  Miitthewand  Mark  nearly  coincide, 
and  Luke  and  John  each  relate  much  which 
the  others  do  not  speak  of.  To  make  out  of 
the  four  different,  but  consistent,  accounts  the 
actual  order  of  proceeding,  is  the  task  of  the 
harmonist.  "We  may  notice  that  all  assume 
the  Jewish  meal  to  have  gone  on,  to  a  more 
or  less  full  completion,  before  the  Last  Supper 
was  instituted.  Thus,  here,  the  cup  was  one 
of  the  drinking  cups,  filled  with  diluted 
wine,  which  were  required  in  the  process  of 
the  Passover.  Farmr,  on  the  passage,  briefly 
indicates  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  in  observing 
the  Passover,  as  follows:  "(1.)  Each  drinks  a 
cup  of  wine — 'the  cup  of  consecration  ' — over 
which  the  master  of  the  house  pronounces  a 
blessing.  (2.)  Hands  are  washed,  and  a  table 
carried  in,  on  which  are  placed  bitter  herbs, 
cakes  of  unleavened  bread,  the  charoaeth  (a 
dish  made  of  dates,  raisins,  and  vinegar),  the 
paschal  lamb,  and  the  flesh  of  the  chnfjifjah,  or 
feast  offering.  (3. )  The  father  dips  a  morsel  of 
unleavened  bread  and  bitter  herbs,  about  the 
size  of  an  olive,  in  the  charoseth,  with  a  bene- 
diction, and  distributes  a  similar   "sop"   to 


314 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


18  For  "I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine,  until  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  come. 

19  lI'And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and 
brake  it,  and  gave  unto  them,  saying.  This  is  my  body 
which  is  given  for  you:  "this  do  in  remembrance  of 
me. 


18  yourselves:  for  I  say  unto  you,  I  shall  not  drink 
irom  henceforth  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  the 

19  kingdom  of  God  shall  come.  And  he  took  i  bread, 
and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it,  and 
gave  to  them,  saying,  This  is  my  body  2  which  is 


a  Mait.  26:  21»;  Mark  14:  25.... 6  Matt.  26:  26  ;  Mark  U:  22 c  1    Cor.  11 :  24. 1  Or.  aloaf 2  Some  ancieot  authorities  omit,  which  is 

given  for  you  .  .  .  which  is  poured  out  for  you. 


all  present.  (4.)  A  second  cup  of  wine  is 
poured  out,  and  the  youngest  present  asks  the 
iiieauiiig  of  the  service,  to  which  the  father 
replies.  (5.)  The  first  part  of  the  Hallel  (Psa. 
107-114)  is  sung.  (6. )  Grace  is  said,  and  a  ben- 
ediction again  pronounced ;  after  which  the 
father  distributes  bitter  herbs  and  unleavened 
bread  dipped  in  the  charoseth.  (7.)  The  pas- 
clial  lamb  is  eaten  and  a  third  cup  of  wine  is 
handed  round.  (8.)  After  another  thanks- 
giving, a  fourth  cup  —  the  cup  of  joy  —  is 
drunk.  (9.)  The  rest  of  the  Hallel  (Psa.  115- 
118)  is  sung."  It  will  be  noticed  how  often 
"blessing,"  "benediction,"  all  being  of  the 
nature  of  thanksgiving  to  God,  is  mentioned 
here,  showing  the  joyful,  eucharistic  nature 
of  the  feast.  To  which  "cup,"  as  mentioned 
in  this  series,  the  cup  in  our  text  refers,  is 
not  certain  ;  but  probably  the  first.  It  ap- 
pears to  have  been  handed  to  the  head  of  the 
table  by  some  attendant,  from  whom  he  re- 
ceived it.  It  should  be  observed  that  our 
minute  accounts  of  Jewish  usage,  in  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Passover,  are  all  modern,  com- 
pared with  the  time  of  Christ;  and,  while  we 
know  that  some  changes  have  resulted  from 
the  cessation  of  the  sacrifices,  we  cannot  be 
sure  how  far  what  is  now  done  resembles  the 
original  practice.'— Divide  it  among  your- 
selves. Share  ye  tlie  contents  of  the  one 
cup, either  by  drinking  out  of  it  in  turn,  or  by 
pouring  out  a  portion  into  each  one's  cup. 
This  does  not  preclude  the  idea  of  Christ 
drinking  a  portion  of  the  wine  also.  But  this 
occasion  is  to  be  the  last. 

18.  I  say  unto  you — a  solemn  assertion — 
I  will  not— as  in  ver.  16— drink  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine.  Some  have  inferred,  from  this 
way  of  speaking,  that  Jesus,  here  and  in  ver. 
16,  declared  that  he  would  not  eat  this  Pass- 
over, nor  drink  of  the  wine  which  he  offered 
them.  From  henceforth,  as  in  the  Kevision, 
which  is,  by  general  consent,  the  true  reading 
in  this  verse  (whether  "any  more"  stand  in 
ver.  16  or  not),  forbids  that  conclusion.     Be- 


sides, he  had  just  said  (ver.  15)  that  he  had 
longed  for  that  privilege,  and  not  to  "eat  and 
drink"  would  be  to  treat  the  solemn  ordi- 
nance with  disrespect,  in  the  absenceof  known 
justifying  reasons. — Fruit  of  the  vine=wine. 
There  is  supposed  to  be  an  allusion  to  the 
formula  of  praise  and  blessing  just  used  at 
the  consecration  of  the  cup,  which  is  said  to 
have  included  the  sentence,  "  Blessed  be  thou, 
O  Lord,  our  God,  who  hast  created  the  fruit 
of  the  vine." 

19,  20.  Institution  of  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

19.  And  he  took  bread — a  loaf,  or  flat 
cake  (like  our  sea-biscuit)  of  the  unleavened 
bread — and  gave  thanks.  This  may  have 
come  in  where,  according  to  the  usual  prac- 
tice, the  lamb  had  been  eaten,  and  the  re- 
quirements of  the  original  law  fulfilled.  We 
may  suppose  the  Saviour  to  have  explained 
to  his  disciples  the  abrogation  of  the  cere- 
mony which  they  had  just  concluded;  how 
the  typical  significance  of  that  lamb  was  to 
be  fulfilled  in  him  ;  and  that  the  breaking  of 
this  loaf,  often  repeated,  would  keep  them  in 
remembrance  of  him  as  the  source  of  their 
spiritual  life,  and  of  the  formal  establishment 
of  a  new  spiritual  society,  founded  on  faith 
and  love  to  him.  What  was  essential  to  be  re- 
corded is  reported  to  us;  but  we  cannot  sup- 
pose that  so  important  an  event  would  take 
place  without  much  explanation.  And 
brake  it,  and  gave  unto  them.  As  to  the 
manner  of  doing  it,  we  are  left  in  the  dark  ; 
whether  he  himself  distributed  a  portion  to 
all,  or  simply  broke  the  loaf  in  two,  and  left 
each  one  to  break  off  a  piece  for  himself,  or 
effected  the  object  in  some  other  way.  Each 
Christian  will  be  likely  to  think  the  mode  to 
which  he  is  used  the  original  one;  and  hap- 
pily, it  is  quite  immaterial  whether  it  be  so  or 
not.  Saying,  This  is  my  body  which  is 
given — not — has  been  given,  but,  "is  in  the 
act  of  being  given" — for  you.  For  the 
metaphorical  use  of  is,  in  the  phrase  •*  this 


1  We  may  now  refer  to  the  full  and  specially  learned  account  of  Passover  customs  in  Edersheim's  Life  and 
Times  of  Jesus.    Book  v.,  ch.  10. 


Ch 

XXIL] 

LU 

K] 

E. 

315 

20 
cup 
for  y 

Likewise  also  the  cup 
■v  tlic  new  testament 
ou. 

after  supper 
in  uiy  blood, 

saying 
wliieh 

""This 

s  shed 

20 

give 
the 
cup 

n  for  you :  this  do  in  remembrance  of 
cup  in  like  manner  alter  supper,  saj 
is   the   new  covenant   in   my    blood,' 

nie. 
■ing 

And 

This 
thai 

a  1  Cor 

10: 

16. 

is  my  body,"  compare  John  10 :  7  ;  15 :  1 ;  1 

Cor.  10:  4.  Recall  also  how  often,  in  the  Old 
Testament,  God  is  said  to  be  a  shepherd,  for- 
tress, high  tower,  rock,  shield,  etc.,  etc.  That 
the  language  could  ever  have  been  supposed 
to  assert  the  actual  identity  of  the  loaf  with 
the  body  in  which  he  was  then  active  before 
them,  is  one  of  the  greatest  marvels  of  intel- 
lectual subtilty  and  pcrverseness.  But  still 
greater  is  the  fancy  that,  even  if  such  a  thing 
could  have  boon  true  in  that  case,  bread,  or 
semblance  of  bread  in  the  hands  of  any  one 
of  millions  of  the  professed  tninisters  of  Christ 
(Romish  or  other  priests)  would  become  every 
moment  anew,  in  a  thousand  places,  the  veri- 
table body  of  the  Lord.  And  greatest  wonder 
of  all  is,  that  belief  in  the  truth  of  such  delu- 
sions, should  be  pronounced  essential  to  salva- 
tion by  those  assuming  to  be  rational  stewards 
of  Christ's  household.  Probably,  body  is  used 
by  synedoche  for  the  person,  as  in  Rom.  2:  1, 
because  it  is  in  relation  to  the  body  that  his  per- 
son, slain  in  founding  the  new  economy  of  sal- 
vation, is  viewed.  My  body  which  is  [being) 
given  for  you,  should  be  taken  in  connection 
with— as  represented  by  the  bread.  Not  his 
body  absolutely,  but  his  body  so  situated  and 
regarded.  Thus  the  metaphor  may  be  roughly 
paraphrased:  "In  this  broken  loaf  you  may 
see  me,  giving  myself  to  death,  through  the 
rending  of  my  body,  as  your  Redeemer  from 
sin  and  all  misery."  However  little  the  dis- 
ciples may  have  then  apprehended  the  full 
significance  of  his  words,  we  may  be  sure  that 
they  swelled  in  the  soul  of  Jesus  into  a  full- 
ness of  mt^aning  which  it  is  our  wisdom  to 
ponder  rather  than  discuss,  or  try  in  other 
words  to  explain.  They  were  spirit  and  they 
were  life.  The  disciples  must  have  delighted 
afterward  to  reflect  how,  not  in  anger  or 
complaint,  but  with  the  tenderness  of  yearn- 
ing love,  he  said  :  Which  is  being  given  for 
you.  AVhat  a  gift!  This  do  in  reme-n- 
brance  of  me.  Here  we  have,  as  in  1  Cor. 
11 :  24,  in  the  same  words,  the  direction  to  the 
disciples  to  repeat  the  act  which  he  was  per- 
forming, after  he  was  gone.  From  Paul's 
account  (which  he  had  "received  of  the 
Lord")  (iCor.n:23),  we  learn  also(ver.26)  that 


the  usage  was  to  be  kept  up  till  the  return  of 
the  Saviour.  This  do,  viz. — break  a  loaf, 
and  distribute  to  each  other.  How  often,  is 
left  to  their  judgment,  as  they  should  ascer- 
tain in  their  practical  need.  In  remem- 
brance of  me.  Observe  that  he  does  not 
say.  In  perpetual  view  of  me,  as  materially 
present.  Not,  henceforth,  primarily  in  com- 
memoration of  the  salvation  out  of  Egypt, 
but  in  remembrance  of  redemption  wrought 
through  me.  Observe,  he  does  not  say  "of 
my  death,"  but  of  me,  who,  through  my 
earthly  life  and  death  have  wrought  out  your 
salvation  from  sin  and  eternal  death.  [But 
compare  1  Cor.  11:  26,  Revision.  For  as 
often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  the  cup, 
yeproclaim  the  Lord' s  death  till  he  come;  and 
the  language  of  Christ  in  John  6 :  53,  54.  These 
passages  certainly  suggest  that  it  is  the  Sa- 
viour as  crucified  who  is  to  be  remembered  at 
the  Holy  Supper.— A.  H.]  The  Supper  was 
thus,  all  its  oircumstances  considered,  ap- 
pointed to  be  a  feast  commemorative  of  the 
Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith,  who, 
through  death,  destroyed  him  that  hath  the 
power  of  death.  (Hob.2:i4).  It  would  aid 
them  to  think  of  him  as  he  that  "liveth  and 
wa.s  rfmr^"— sad  necessity!  wonderful  con- 
descension !— and  behold  he  is  alive,  and 
liveth  forevermore.  (Rev.  i:  is).  "We  cannot 
fail  to  see  that  through  the  Acts  and  Epistles. 
even  in  the  Revelation,  the  suffering,  humilia- 
tion, death,  in  which,  on  the  part  of  Christ, 
redemption  began,  is  prevailingly  swallowed 
up,  to  the  thought  of  his  disciples,  in  life,  ex- 
altation, and  glory. 

20.  Likewise  also  the  cup,  etc.— (better, 
Atid  the  cup  in  like  7nanner)—ihiit  is,  he  took, 
giving  thanks,  and  gave  to  them— after  (the) 
supper.  We  may  see  that  after  the  preceding 
incident  had  broken  in  upon  and  superseded 
the  progress  of  the  Passover  meal,  conversa- 
tion had  gone  on,  as  they  were  wont  to  pro- 
long the  customary  feast;  and  that  when  the 
time  arrived  for  closing  the  service,  Jesus 
completed  the  new  rite  by  this  addition.  So 
is  it  well  where  his  disciples,  in  this  feast,  join 
with  the  use  of  the  symbolical  emblems  of 
their  Lord's  body,  edifying  converse  of  their 


816 

LUKE. 

[Ch. 

XXII. 

21  U  "But,  behold,  the  hand  of  h 
me  is  with  uie  on  the  table. 

LIU 

that 

betrayeth  1  21  which 
1        of  him 

is  poured  out  fo 
that  betrayeth 

r  you.     But 
uje  is  with 

behold 
me  on 

,  the  hand 
the  table 

a  Fa. 

41 

9  ;   Matt.  -Jti :  il,  M  ;   Mark  14 

;  18; 

John  13  :  21,  '^6. 

Lord,  and  of  their  progress  in  the  divine  life. 
He  took  the  cup— that,  namely,  in  which  he 
had  them  drink  the  Passover  wine.  Mat- 
thew and  Mark  make  no  mention  of  that; 
hence  they  say  here,  "a  cup."  From  this,  we 
may  gather  that  there  were  several  cups  on 
the  table,  doubtless  one  for  each  guest,  as 
there  was  a  loaf  for  each ;  but  that  Jesus  chose 
to  have  them  drink  also  of  one  and  the  same 
cup,  and  to  eat  of  one  and  the  same  loaf.  Luke, 
irtdeed,  does  not  expressly  mention  the  eating 
and  drinking— only  implies  it;  but  Matthew 
repeats  the  injunction  to  eat  and  drink,  and 
Mark  mentions  the  fact  that  they  drank.  The 
symbolical  significance  of  this  act  is  fully  as 
important  as  that  of  the  eletnents  themselves. 
Thelikenessof  our  Redeemer's  flesh  and  blood 
is  not  set  before  us  in  this  ordinance  merely 
for  contemplation  ;  not  as  an  object  lesson,  to 
present  to  us  through  the  eye  what  we  have 
already  seen  and  heard ;  but  as  the  food  of 
spiritual  sustenance,  to  be  appropriated  by 
us,  ever  anew,  in  that  peculiar  exercise  of 
faith  and  love  which  we  have,  through  sym- 
pathy of  brethren  and  joint  participation  with 
them,  in  the  very  nature  of  Christ.  This,  and 
nothing  less,  is  to  eat  that  bread  and  drink 
that  cup.— vSaying,  This  cup  is  the  new 
testament  {covenant)  in  my  blood.  Here 
there  would  be  the  same  room,  as  above,  with 
the  "bread  and  body,"  to  assert  that  the  cup 
was,  actually  and  materially,  the  new  cove- 
nant. The  word  is,  though  in  the  Greek  not 
expressed,  is  there  in  effect.  There  is  really  a 
double  figure:  the  cup  for  its  contents,  the 
red  wine;  and  the  wine  for  the  blood  by 
•which  the  covenant  was  ratified  and  sealed. 
The  word  frequently  translated  testament  in 
the  Common  Version,  meaning,  widely,  an 
arrangement  or  disposition  of  affairs,  specifi- 
cally by  will  or  testament,  is  generally  used 
in  Scripture  in  the  sense  of  bargain,  league, 
covenant ;  and  especially  of  that  arrangement 
entered  into  between  God  and  the  Hebrew 
nation,  at  Sinai,  according  to  the  condi- 
tions of  which  he  was  to  be  their  God,  and 
they  his  people.  That  covenant  was  consum- 
mated and  ratified  by  the  sacrificial  use  of 

blood  (F,x.  24:  8;  Lev.  17:  ll!  Heb.  9:  19,  20).      That  hav- 
ing, after  long  trial,  failed  to  produce  its  in- 


tended results,  in  a  people  worthy  of  God, 
Jeremiah  (si :  si)  declared  that  a  new  cove- 
nant should  be  established  in  its  place.  This 
new  covenant,  we  learn  from  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  was  established  through  the  me- 
diation of  Christ    (oh.8:6,8-10;10:16ff.).      Toitthc 

Saviour  refers  in  our  verse,  saying,  in  eflfect, 
that  the  cup,  by  its  red  wine,  showed  the  es- 
tablishment, through  his  blood,  of  that  new 
relation  between  God  and  men,  in  the  gospel, 
such  that,  by  virtue  of  the  expiation  efl^ected 
by  that  blood,  faith  in  him  would  secure  par- 
don, friendship  with  God,  holiness  of  spirit, 
and  true  salvation. — Which  is  {be.ing)  shed 
=poured  oiit^ior  you.  The  blood  has  not 
been  shed  yet;  but,  as  is  said  in  Mattliew  and 
Mark,  also,  is  in  the  act  of  being  poured  out. 
The  atoning  work  is  conceived  of  as  already 
begun. — For  you — as  individuals  who  need 
and  are  benefited  by  it,  and  as  representing 
the  whole  needy  race  of  men. 

21-23.  Treachery  of  Judas  Exposed. 

Matthew  and  Mark  mention  this  incident 
prior  to  their  account  of  the  Last  Supper,  but 
without  saying  when  Judas  went  out.  In 
John,  it  is  less  easy  to  make  out  its  relation 
to  the  other  events.  The  question  is  inter- 
esting simply  from  its  bearing  on  another, 
namely:  Was  Judas  present  at  the  Lord's 
Supper?  Tlie  narrative  before  us  proceeds 
as  if  he  was.  John,  who  does  not  mention  the 
institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  places  the 
departure  of  Judas  at  some  point  of  the  pre- 
liminary meal — "after  the  sop,"  or  morsel, 
dipped  in  that  sauce  called  charoseth.  See 
on  verse  17.  The  other  Synoptics  easily  admit 
the  supposition  that  he  left  the  table  before 
the  institution  of  the  Supper. 

21.  But,  behold,  the  hand  of  him  that 
betrayeth  me — delivers  me  njt — is  Avith  me 
on  the  table.  The  but  here  is,  rather,  "ex- 
cept," "only,"  or  "nevertheless."  "Is  6c- 
ing  shed  for  you  ;  nevertheless  one  of  you  is 
planning  to  put  me  to  death."  The  hand 
being  on  the  table  is  simply  an  incident  of  the 
close  relation  of  friendship  which  it  implied. 
The  thought  was  much  in  the  mind  of  Jesus 
through  the  evening,  as  we  may  judge  from 
John's  narrative. 


Cii.  XXIL] 


LUKE. 


317 


22  <•  And  truly  the  Son  of  man  goeth,  »as  it  was  de- 
terniiued:  but  woe  inilo  that  mau  by  wboiu  he  is  be- 
trayed ! 

23  'And  they  began  to  inquire  among  themselves, 
which  ol'thom'it  was  that  should  do  this  ihinj,'. 

24  II  ■'  And  there  was  also  a  strile  among  them,  which 
of  them  should  be  accounted  the  grealtsl. 

25  'And  he  said  unto  them,  The  Icings  of  the  Gen- 
tiles exercise  lordship  over  them;  and  they  that  exer- 
cise authority  upon  them  are  called  l>euelaet   rs. 

2i>  /Hut  yex/in//  not  In'  so:  abut  he  that  is  greatest 
among  you,  let  him  be  as  the  younger;  and  he  that  is 
chief,  a-s  he  that  doth  serve. 

27  A  for  wlicther  i.v  greater,  he  that  sitteth  at  meat, 
or  he  that  serveth?  ix  nut  he  that  sitteth  at  meat?  but 
•  I  am  among  you  as  he  that  serveth. 


22  For  the  Sun  of  mau  indeed  goeth,  as  it  hath  been 
determined:  but  woe  unto  that  man  ihnmgli  wliom 

23  he  is  betrayed:  And  tliey  began  to  qUL-stiou  aiiioug 
themselves,  which  of  lli'em  il  was  thai  should  ilo 
this  thing. 

24  And  there  arose  also  a  contention  among  them, 
2o  which  of  \hem  was  accounted  to  be  'greausi.     And 

he  said  unto  them. 'Ihe  kings  of  the  (.euulcs  ha\e 
lordship  over  them;   and  they  that  have  aulhorny 

26  over  them  arc  called  Benefaclors.  But  ye  nficl!  m.'t 
he  so:  but  he  that  is  the  greater  among  you,  lei  him 
become  as  the  younger;  and  he  that  is  chiel,  as  be 

27  that  doth  serve.  I'or  whether  is  greater,  he  that 
^sitteth  at  meat,  or  he  that  serveth  .'  is  not  he  that 
2  sitteth  at  meat '.'  but  i  am  in  the  midst  of  you  as  he 


a  M:at.  26:  24  ...h  Acts  2  :  2.1;  4:  28.  ...e  Matt.  26;  22 d  John  13:  22.  25....e  Mark  9:  34;  ch.  9:  46...^  Mutt.  20:  26;  Mark  11:  42.... 

Mait.  20:26;  lPet.6:  3 g  ch.9:48 A  cli.  12  :  .17 >  Matt.  20:  2S  ;  Jobo  13  :  13,  14;  Pbll.  2  :  T. 1  Gr.  greatar 2  Ur.  rectinefk. 


22.  And  truly  the  Son  of  man  goeth,  as 

it  was  (or,  hath  been)  determined,  viz.,  by 
the  eternal  counsel  of  God.  The  crime  of 
Judas  would  not  of  itself  necessitate  the  death 
of  hi3  Miistcr — that  was  already  bound  to  be. — 
But — again=ncvortheless  —  woe  unto  that 
man  by  whom  he  is  betrayed,  or,  delivered 
vp.  Tlie  f;ict  ti)at  conduct  is  overruled  by 
God  for  the  furtlicrance  of  his  plans,  does  not 
clear  the  iigont  of  any  particle  of  his  respon- 
sbility  for  the  iniquity  of  his  acts.  Comp. 
Acts  2:  28;  4:  27,  28. 

23.  How  earnest  and  sad  their  inquiries, 
may  be  read  in  John  13:  22flF'. 

24-30.  Amhition  of  the  Apostles 
AOAIN    CoRRKtrrKD. 

It  is,  doubtless,  :<trange  to  find  the  apostles, 
at  this  point  of  such  an  occasion,  comparing 
views  as  to  the  estimation  in  which  they  were 
respectively  held  a.v  apostles;  but  to  change  the 
order  of  the  section  to  an  earlier  hour  of  the 
evening,  on  that  account,  is  very  precarious. 
Here,  agiiin,  our  Gospel  appetirs  plainly  to  look 
back  to  what  has  immediately  preceded. 

24.  And  there  was  (arose)  also — besides 
the  inquiry  of  the  preceding  verse,  or,  more 
probabJN',  besides  the  strange  incident  con- 
cerning .Judas — a  strife — emulation,  rivalry 
— among  them,  which  of  thorn  should  be 
(rather,  is) — now,  after  the  experience  had  of 
them,  and  when,  it  seems,  great  responsibil- 
ities are  to  come  upon  them — accounted  the 
greatest  (lit.,  greater).  On  the  Greek  use  of 
the  compiirative  where  we  should  expect  the 
superlative  adjective,  see  on  9:  40.  Ac- 
counted— in  whose  judgment?  Perhaps  in 
that  of  the  body  ;  perhaps,  in  the  Master's ;  or, 
more  generally,  in  everbody's.  If  we  may 
suppose  the  difference  to  have  arisen  at  their 
roming  together,  it  might  relate  to  position  at 


the  table,  to  be  determined  by  their  Lord's 
estimation. 

25.  Such  peculiarly  untimely  ambition 
must  have  grieved  the  heart  <>f  Jesus,  but  ilid 
not  affect  his  temper.  Calmly  and  patiently 
he  set  himself  to  quell  strife,  hy  recalling  to 
them  the  true  idcji  of  disci|)leship  to  him. 
The  kings  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  (or, 
have)  lordship  over  them.  Their  noblest 
really  stiind  aV)oveand  control  the  rest. — And 
they  that  exercise  authority  upon  them 
are  called  benefactors.  The  siime  truth 
stated,  with  the  terms  inverted.  Thev  that 
exercise  authority=have  lordship;  bene- 
factors^kings.  Those  who  exercise  c<>ntn>l 
enjoy  the  honor  of  it.  The  title  henrfnctnr 
(Euepye'Ti)?),  al.so  of  Saviour  fSwr^p  ,  was  assumed 
by  several  Syrian  and  Egyptian  nionarchs  as 
their  officiiil  designation.  The  people,  in 
their  abjectness,  sometimes  bestowed  the  title 
— once  honorable — on  rulers  neither  worthy 
nor  helpful.  This  fact  makes  it  less  .strange 
that  the  disciples  should  have  made  the  mis- 
take. 

26.  But  ye  shall  not  be  so — as  members 
of  my  kingdom,  where  other  principles  i)re- 
vail. — Bnt  he  that  is  greatest  among  you, 
let  him  be  (hemmet  as  the  younger,  etc. 
Another  Hebrew-like  parallelism,  to  impress 
the  thought  by  repeating  it,  with  slight  vari- 
ation, in  carefully  balanced  phrsises.  The 
greatest  (lit.,  the  (/reafer)=^ho  that  is  chief; 
the  younger  (since  old  men  were  rather  to  be 
waited  on)=he  that  doth  serve.  The  law  here 
is.  that  honor  accrues  to  service;  he  that  hum- 
bleth  himself  shall  be  exalted.  Comp.  14: 
11;   18:  14. 

27.  He  enforces  his  lesson  by  reference  to 
his  own  example. — But  I  am  among  (or,  in 
the  midst  of)  you  as  he  that  serveth.     Re- 


318 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


28  Ye  are  they  which  have  continued  with  me  in 
"my  temptations. 

zy  And  'i  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,  as  my 
Father  hath  appointed  unto  me  ; 

3U  lliafye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my 
kingdom,  ''and  sit  on  thrones  judging  thetwelve  tribes 
of  Israel. 

61  ^  And  the  Lord  said,  Simon,  Simon,  behold, 
«  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may  /sift  you 
as  wheat : 

'62  But  f  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail 
not:  A  and  when  thou  art  converted,  strengthen  thy 
brethren. 


28  that  serveth.    But  ye  are  they  that  have  continued 

29  with  me  in  my  trials;  and  '1  appoint  unto  you  a 

30  kingdom,  even  as  my  Father  appointed  unto  me, 
that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  king- 
dom ;  aud  ye  shall  sit  on  thrones  judging  thetwelve 

31  tribes  of  Israel.   Simon,  Simon,  behold,  Satan  tasked 

32  to  have  you,  that  he  might  sift  you  as  wheat:  but  I 
made  supplication  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not : 
and  do  thou,  when  once  thou  hast  turned  again, 


a  neb.  i:  15....»  Matt.  24:  47;  ch.  12;  32;  2  Cor.  1  :  7;  2  Tiiu.  2:  12 c  Matt.  8  :  11;  ch.  14 :  15  ;  Rev.  19:  9.... d  Ps.  49:  14;  MaU.  19:  28; 

ICor.  6:2;  Eev.  8:21 e  1  Pet.  5:  8. . . ./ Amos  9 :  9 p  John  17:  9,  11,  15 h  Ps.  51 :  13;  John  21 :   15,  IC,  17. 1  Or,  I  appoint  unto 

you,  even  ax  my  Father  appointed  unto  me  a  kingdom,  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink,  etc.... 2  Or,  obtained  you  by  asking. 


versing  the  usage  of  this  world,  according  to 
which  a  master  sits  at  the  table  and  others 
wait  on  him,  I,  who  am  your  master,  place 
m^'self  in  relation  to  yt>u  as  a  servant.  (Comp. 
Matt.  20:28.)  He  refers  almost  certainly  to  the 
fact  of  his  washing  their  feet  that  evening. 
His  whole  course  had  been  full  of  the  mani- 
festations of  the  same  helpful  condescen.=ion. 
"  It  is  enough  for  the  di.sciple  that  he  be  as  his 
master,"  or,  teacher.   Matt.  10:  25,  Kevision. 

28.  (But)  Ye  are  they  which  have  con- 
tinued with  me  in  my  temptations.  The 
but  is  essential.  It  marks  strongly  the  passage 
of  the  Saviour's  thought  to  a  more  favorable 
view  of  their  case.  Your  present  low  ambition 
surprises  and  grieves  me;  but  I  remember  that, 
whilethousandshave  comeand  gone,  attracted 
for  the  moment  by  certain  aspects  of  my 
work,  and  repelled  by  the  first  glimpse  of  its 
unworldly  spirituality,  ye  have  continued 
with  me— remained  faithful  through  all. — 
In  my  temptations.  These  were  the  persecu- 
tions, trials,  and  dangers,  which,  with  still  in- 
creasing force,  appealed  to  him  to  turn  aside 
from  the  arduous  and  fatal  course  to  which  he 
had  been  api)ointed.  They  were  at  once  afflic- 
tions and  temptations,  trying  also  to  his  disci- 
ples ;  but  they  no  more  than  he  had  swerved. 

29.  And  I — I,  on  my  part,  in  return  for 
your  fidelity — appoint  unto  you  a  king- 
dom, (even)  as  my  Father  hath  appointed 
unto  me.  Your  relation  is  not  to  be  always 
one  of  inferiority,  service  merely,  carrying 
with  it  privation  and  reproach.  There  is 
rule,  dominion,  kingship,  for  you;  but,  like 
mine,  a  share  of  mine,  not  of  this  world,  not 
in  its  fruition  here. 

30.  That  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my 
table  in  my  kingdom.  This  is  mentioned 
as  the  object  of  appointing  to  them  a  kingdom, 
namely,  that  they  may  enjoy  closest  intimacy 
and  supreme  felicity  with  him.  (Ch.i9:  i7,i9;  Rom. 


8:17;  2 Tim. 2 :  12.)— And  sit  (rather,  ye  shall  sit) 
on  thrones  judging  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel.  (Mntt.  i9:28;  Rev. 3:21.)  Not  twelvc 
thrones,  as  in  Matthew.  Judas  is  no  longer 
of  them,  and  they  know  not  yet  how  his  place 
is  to  be  filled.  The  sitting  on  thrones  and  the 
number  twelve  are  a  part  of  the  drapery  of 
his  idea,  but  the  essence  of  it  is  that  in  the  day 
of  judgment  their  testimony  concerning  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  and  its  indispensable  power 
to  save  shall  condemn  the  mass  of  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews,  who  now  condemn  him  and 
them.  In  this  verse  is  the  only  instance  in 
which  Jesus  calls  the  "kingdom  of  God  "  and 
"ofheaven"  "mykingdom."  He  is  think- 
ing of  that  state  when  he  shall  appear  as  the 
King  indeed,     (comp.  Matt.  25:34, 40.) 

31-34.  Peter  Warned  and  Encour- 
aged. 

31.  Simon,  Simon,  behold,  Satan  hath 
desired  (rather,  asked)  to  have  you.  The 
abruptness  of  the  opening  suits  with  a  deeply 
moved  mind,  as  if  recalling  a  peril  which  had 
threatened  all  the  disciples  (you,  j)lural)  as 
well  as  Judas.  The  Saviour  is  aware  of  a 
specially  vehement  temptation  to  them  which 
the  adversary  had  planned,  probably  in  con- 
nection with  his  own  capture  and  death,  which 
he  represents  in  terms  drawn  from  Satan's 
appeal  against  Job.  (Jobi:9-ii;  2:  s-e.)  His 
eagerness  is  spoken  of  as  a  request  to  God 
that  the  disciples  might  be  given  into  his 
power.  That  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat. 
The  force  of  the  comparison  is  that  he  may 
toss  and  shake  you  up  and  down  ;  i.  e.,  alarm 
and  harass  you,  by  threats  and  aflSictions, 
until  you  lose  your  presence  of  mind,  and 
3H)ur  hold  of  the  promises,  and  so  fall  from 
the  faith,  as  the  chaff  and  dust  fall  from  the 
sieve  and  are  blown  away.  To  what  danger 
from  Satan  may  one  be  exposed  unawares! 

32.  But  I  have  prayed  (rather,  Imadesup- 


Ch.  XXIL] 


LUKE. 


319 


33  And  he  said  unto  him,  Lord,  I  am  ready  to  go 
with  thee,  both  into  prison,  and  to  death. 

34  "And  he  said,  I  tell  thee,  Peter,  the  cock  shall  not 
crow  this  day,  before  that  thou  shalt  thrice  deny  that 
thou  knowest  me. 

35  *  And  he  said  unto  them,  AVhen  I  sent  you  with- 
out purse,  and  scrip^  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  any  thing? 
And  they  said.  Nothing. 

36  Then  said  he  unto  them.  But  now,  he  that  hath  a 
purse,  let  him  take  il,txnd  likewise  his  scrip:  and  he 
that  hath  no  sword,  let  him  sell  his  garment,  and  buy 
one. 


33  stablish  thy  brethren.  And  he  said  unto  liim.  Lord, 
with  thee   I  am  ready  to  go   both  to  prison  and  to 

34  death.  And  he  said,  I  tell  thee,  I'eier,  the  cock 
shall  not  crow  this  day,  until  thou  shalt  thrice  deny 
that  thou  knowest  me. 

35  And  he  said  unto  them.  When  I  sent  you  forth 
without  purse,  and  wallet,  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  any 

36  thing?  And  they  said.  Nothing.  And  he  said  unto 
them.  But  now,  he  that  hath  a  purse,  let  him  take  it, 
and  likewise  a  wallet:  land  he  that  hath  none,  let 


a  Matt.  26 :  34 ;  Mark  14 :  30 :  John  13 :  38. 


.&  Matt.  10:  9;  cb9:  3;  10:  4.- 
buy  one. 


-1  Or,  and  he  thai  hath  no  sword,  let  him  tM  his  cloke,  and 


plication)  for  thee — offered  earnest,  longing 
prayer— that  thy  faith  fail  not.  This  was 
for  Peter  specially ;  for  thee,  thy  faith.  Why 
for  him  in  particular  of  all  the  disciples?  Be- 
cause he  was  a  leader  in  influence,  whose  stand- 
ing or  falling  would  largely  deterniine  that 
of  the  rest. — And  when  thou  art  converted 
(when  thou  o)ic.e  hast  turned  again),  strength- 
en thy  brethren.  Tamed ;  that  is,  from 
that  denial  of  his  Lord  which  Peter  was  soon 
to  make.  This  is  the  general  sense  of  the  verb 
translated  "to  be  converted,"  "to  turn 
again."  On  the  idea  of  strengthen,  see  Acts 
14;  22. 

33.  And  he  said  unto  him.  Lord,  I  am 
ready  to  go  with  thee,  both  into  prison, 
and  to  death.  The  order  of  tlie  Kevision  is, 
Lord,  with  thee,  etc.,  and  indicates  the  em- 
phasis on  with  thee.  Peter  felt  that  the 
blaster' s  language  implied  a  special  peril  to 
his  fidelity;  and,  with  characteristic  prompt- 
ness, protests  a  courage  and  constancy,  which 
it  must  have  pained  the  heart  that  knew  him 
better  than  he  knew  himself  to  hear. 

34.  And  he  said,  I  tell  thee,  Peter. 
The  honorable  name  (Matt.  i6:  is)  is  used,  for  the 
sentiment  is  honorable;  but  with  a  pathetic 
intimation  that  as  the  name  was  at  first  (M^tt. 
16;  Ti)  followed  by  "  Be  it  far  from  thee.  Lord," 
so  the  present  audacity  would  turn  to  shame- 
ful cowardice.— The  (a)  cock  shall  not  crow 
this  day  —  which  began  at  sundown  that 
evening  —  before  that  thou  shalt  thrice 
deny  that  thou  knowest  me.  All  three 
Synoptists  speak  of  a  three-fold  denial,  Mark 
of  the  cock  crowing  "twice."  Cock-crowing, 
here,  as  elsewhere,  is  a  synonym  for  earliest 
morning.  "Before  the  morning  light  fairly 
dawns  thou  wilt  deny,  not  once,  but  three 
times;  not  that  thou  art  a  disciple  of  mine, 
one  of  my  company,  a  sharer  of  mj'  aims,  but 
that  thou  even  knowest  who  I  am."  This  to 
him  who  had  once  said,  "  Thou  art  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God !  " 


35-38.  The  1)isciples  Forewarned  of 
Coming  Dangers. 

35.  And  he  said  unto  them.  When  I 
sent  you  without  purse,  and  scrip  (or  %oal- 
let),  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  anything?  Coinp. 
ch.  9:  1,  ff. ;  Matt.  10:  9,  10.  He  turns  their 
thoughts  back  to  that  comparatively  peace- 
ful time,  that  they  might  the  better  realize  the 
great  change  which  they  are  to  meet,  now 
that  the  power  of  his  enemies  is  about  to  re- 
move him,  and  to  operate  uncontrolled. 
They  were  able  to  answer,  Nothing.  The 
favor  in  which  Jesus  and  his  work  were  held 
in  Galilee,  secured  to  them  a  welcome  recep- 
tion, and  hospitable,  or,  at  least  sufficient,  en- 
tertainment. 

36.  But    now,  he   that    hath   a   purse, 
let  him  take  it— he  may  often  have  to  pay 
his  way— and  likewise  his  scrip  (or,  a  wal- 
let);—is,  store  of  provision  and  clotliing  will 
stand  him  in  hand,  when  otlier  resources  are 
not  available— and  he  that  hath  no  sword, 
let  him  sell  his  garment  [cloak)  and  buy 
one.     The  rendering  of  the  Revision,  whicli 
puts  the  word  sword,  as  in  the  Greek,  at  the 
end,  may  not  necessitate  a  different  meaning. 
"He  that  has  none" — meaninga  "sword" — 
"let  him  by  all  means  buy  a  sword."     But 
more  probably,  considering  the  marked  cor- 
relation   of    "he    that  hath"    (a  purse  and 
wallet)  and   "he  that  hath  not,"   we  are  to 
supply  to  the  latter  also  "  a  purse  and  wallet." 
Then  the  meaning  is :  if  one  hath  these,  let  him 
out  of  them,  with   money  or  extra  clothing, 
buy  a  sword  ;  but  if  not,  let  him  sell  even  the 
indispensable  outer  garment  for  that  purpose. 
Verse  38  shows  that  this  was  not  to  be  taken 
literall3',  and  the  whole  course  of  the  apostles, 
subsequently,  proves  that  they  did  not,  on  re- 
flection, so  understand  him.     It  was  an  im- 
pressive  way   of  saying  that  they   must  be 
careful  for  their  defence  and  preservation  by 
natural  means  against  opposition  and  dangers 
hitherto  strange. 


320 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


37  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  this  that  is  written  must 
yet  be  accomplished  in  me,  "And  he  was  reckoned 
among  the  transgressors:  lor  the  things  concerning 
me  have  an  end. 

:ii  And  they  said,  Lord,  behold,  here  are  ^wo  swords. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  It  is  enough. 

39  1[  'And  he  came  out,  and  <:  went,  as  he  was  wont, 
to  the  mount  of  Olives;  and  his  disciples  also  followed 
bim. 

40  "^And  when  he  was  at  the  place,  he  said  unto 
them,  Pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation. 


37  him  sell  his  cloak,  and  buy  a  sword.  For  I  say  unto 
you,  that  this  which  is  written  must  be  fulfilled  in 
me,  And  he  was  reckoned  with  transgressors:   lor 

38  that  which  concerneih  me  huth  ^  fulhlmeut.  And 
they  said.  Lord,  behold,  here  are  two  swords.  And 
he  said  unto  them,  It  is  enough. 

39  And  he  came  out,  and  went,  as  his  custom  was, 
unto  the  mount  of  Olives;  and  the  disciples  also  fol- 

40  lowed  him.  And  when  he  was  at  the  place,  he  said 
unto  them,  Pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation. 


a  I>a.  b'd:  12  ;  Mai-k  15 


37.  For — as  y^  cannot  expect  more  favor- 
able treatment  than  I,  your  Lord— I  say 
unto  you,  that  this  that  is  written  must 
yet  be  accomplished  in  me  :  And  he  was 
reckoned  among  (with)  the  transgressors. 
The  quotation  is  substantially  from  Isa.  53: 
12.  What  was  there  said  of  the  faithful  and 
suffering  servant  of  Jehovah,  Jesus  declares 
must,  according  to  the  divine  intention,  be 
fulfilled  in  his  experience.  He  should  be 
treated  as  a  trangressor;  as  such  should  suffer 
death.  Similar  treatment  they  must  expect 
to  receive,  (ch. 21 :  12,16.)  For  the  things, 
etc. ;  rather,  that  which  concerneih  me  hath 
an  end=Avci?,  reached  its  end.  The  time  for 
the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecj'  has  come. 
All  this  goes  to  emphasize  the  truth  that  each 
one  should,  metaphorically,  have  a  sword. 

38.  The  disciples  had  taken  him  literally. 
And  they  said,  L,ord,  behold,  here  are 
two  swords.  They  had  found,  on  examina- 
tion, that  there  were  among  them  tvs'o  such 
weapons; — Peter  had  one  of  them  (ver.  50) — how 
obtained,  or  for  what  use,  we  can  onlj' 
guess — and  probably  desired  to  know  whether 
those  would  suffice.  They  must  have  felt  how 
stupid  they  had  been  in  supposing  that  Jesus 
really  advised  them  to  use  such  carnal 
weapons  against  a  hostile  world,  when  they 
perceived  the  tone  of  compassionate  irony  in 
which  he  said,  It  is  enough. 

39-46.  The  Agony  in  the  Garden. 
■  39.  And  he  came  out,  and  went,  as  he 
was  wont,  to  the  mount  of  Olives.  The 
Supper  was  ended,  with  its  attendant  dis- 
courses, including  some  at  least  of  the  long 
series  in  John  14-17.  A  part  of  these  may 
have  been  spoken  while  on  the  way  out  of  the 
city,  across  the  ravine  of  Kidron,  or  even 
after  they  had  reached  the  scene  of  the  fol- 
lowing incident.  From  our  narrative  we 
might  judge  that  the  movement  was  made 
simply  to  reach  the  usual  lodging  place  of 
these   nights   (ch.  21:37),   the  Mount  of  Olives. 


On  the  relation  of  this  mountain  to  Jerusalem, 
see  again  on  ch.  19:  37,  and  the  Bible  Dic- 
tionaries. And  his  (rather,  the)  disciples 
also  followed  him,  as  they  were  wont, 
probably,  although  it  may  be  meant  that  he 
preceded  them,  and  that  they  followed  in 
fear,  as  at  Mark  10 :  32. 

40.  And  when  he  was  at  the  place.  This 
may  mean,  consistently  with  the  preceding 
verse,  the  place  to  which  he  was  wont  to  go; 
and  thus  it  would  countenance  the  supposition 
broached  above,  on  ch.  21 :  37,  that  he  did  not 
go  always  at  night  to  Bethany,  but  may  have 
lodged  privately  at  some  other  place  on  that 
mountain.  More  probably,  it  means  the  place 
for  which  he  had  set  out  that  evening.  Luke 
does  not  name,  or  even  describe  it.  From 
John  (18 :  1),  we  learn  that  it  was  "a  garden^ 
pleasure-ground,  park.  The  particular  word 
translated  "place,"  in  Matt.  26:  36;  Mark  14: 
32,  would  lead  us  rather  to  think  of  a  private 
property — a  place,  or  cjuntry-seat — into  which 
visitors  had  liberty  to  enter.  It  was  named 
Gethsemane=oil-press,  as  the  spot  where  the 
olives  which  grew  abundantly,  at  that  time, 
in  the  neighborhood,  were  pressed  for  their 
oil.  Near  the  foot  of  Mount  Olivet,  as  it 
slopes  toward  Jerusalem,  and  about  250  yards 
from  the  Golden  Gate,  .stands  an  ancient 
church,  bearing  a  name  in  Arabic,  evidently 
derived  from  Gethsemane.  In  close  prox- 
imity, a  walled  enclosure  shuts  in  a  few  (eight) 
very  old  olive-trees,  which  eminent  botanists 
have  supposed  to  be  2,000  years  old.  (Eitter 
iv.,  169).  Tradition  affirms  that  they  were 
there  in  the  fourth  century.  That  this  is  the 
veritable  scene  which  heard  the  prayers  and 
groans  of  our  Saviour,  is  as  likely  as  any  of 
the  unsupported  traditions  of  great  antiquity. 
The  most  competent  modern  observers,  how- 
ever, are  here,  also,  much  divided  in  opinion. 
See  Caspari,  Chron.  a.nd  Geog.  Introd.  to  the 
Life  of  Christ,  p.  222.— He  said  unto  them, 
Pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation. 


Ch.  XXII.] 


LUKE. 


321 


41  "And  he  was  withdrawn  i'roiu  them  about  a 
stone's  cast,  and  kneeled  down,  and  prayeU, 

42  Saying,  Father,  if  thou  be  willin;',  remove  this 
cup  from  me :  nevertheless  '  not  my  will,  but  thine,  be 
done. 


41  And  he  was  parted  from  them  about  a  stone's  oast: 

42  and  he  kneeled  down  and  prayed,  saying,  l-ather,  ii 
thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup  Irom  me:   oever- 


a  Mali.  26:  Si);  Mu-kUiSS i  Jalia&:30;  fi:38. 


Luke  is  brief  in  his  account  of  the  scene, 
although  he  alone  mentions  the  assisting  angel 
(ver.  43),  and  the  bloody  sweat  (ver.  44).  He  says 
nothing  of  the  preliminary  selection  of  the 
three  chief  apostles;  of  Christ's  peculiar  dis- 
tress of  tnind;  of  his  withdrawing  from  the 
three  selected  companions;  of  the  three-fold 


41.  And  he  was  withdrawn  from  them 
about  a  stone's  cast.  The  passive  form, 
"was  withdraw'n,"  "separated,"  is  noticeable, 
as  if  it  was  by  some  influence  exerted  upon 
him  that  he  removed.  He  was  not  so  removed 
but  that  he  could  have  the  sense  of  their  pres- 
ence and  sympathy,  and  that  they,  sunic  of 


«ETII.<EMANE. 


repetition  of  his  prayer;  of  his  gradual  res- 
toration to  serenity  of  mind,  as  he  pra^'ed ; 
of  the  somnolence  of  the  disciples,  renewed 
again  and  again  ;  and  of  his  apology  for  them. 


them,  could  be  aware  of  what  ho  experienced 
in  that  dark  hour. —  And  kneeled  down, 
and  prayed.  While  Luke,  as  we  have  said, 
does  not  mention  the  thrice-repeated  petition. 


We  can  only  explain  this  bj'^  supposing  that  |  he  uses  a  form  of  the  verb  which  distinctly 
our  Gospel  follows  an  account  of  the  scene    shows  that  it  was  not  a  single  request,  but  a 


which  aimed  to  give  only  the  substance  of  the 
transaction.  This  it  does,  in  full  harmony 
with  the  othei  accounts,  with  the  particulars 
of  which  Luke  was,  possibly,  not  acquainted. 
Pray — continue  in  prayer— that  ye  enter 
not  into  temptation.  This  was  to  be  the 
matter  of  their  constant  desire  toward  God, 
that  they  might  not,  in  the  trying  circum- 
stances before  them,  be  found  off  their  guard 
so  that  these  should  prove  sufficient  to  turn 
them  from  their  discipleship. 


continued     supplication  =  wtis    engaged     in 
prayer,  or,  kept  praj'ing. 

42.  Father.  In  this  hour  of  overwhelm- 
ing distress  through  the  carrying  forward  of 
God's  plan  concerning  him,  he  still  looks  up 
with  filial  confidence  to  him  as  his  Father. — 
If  thon  be  {art)  willing — if  thou  canst  con- 
sent— find  it  consistent  with  thy  pleasure — 
remove  this  cup  from  me.  Cup,  by  met- 
onymy, for  its  contents,  which,  again,  is  the 
measured  experience  of  joy  or  sorrow  allotted 


322 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


43  And  there  appeared  » an  augel  unto  him  from 
heaven,  strengthening  him. 

44  'And  being  in  an  agony  he  prayed  more  earn- 
estly :  and  his  sweat  was  as'  it  were  great  drops  of 
blood  falling  down  to  the  ground. 


43  theless  not  my  will,  but  thine,  be  done.    'And  there 
appeared  uulo  him  an  angel  from  heaven,  strcngth- 

44  euiug  him.     And  being  in  an  agony  he  prayed  more 
earnestly :    and  his  sweat  became  as  it  were  great 


a  Matt.  4  :  11 6  John  12  :  27  ;  Heb.  5  :  7. 1  Man;  ancient  antlioriiies  oniii  ver.  43.  44. 


to  one  as  his  portion  by  God.  This  was  a 
common  way,  in  Hebrew,  of  naming  one's  di- 
vinely appointed  fortune,  especially  when 
regarded  in  the  light  of  a  retribution  (H3.23:  s; 

T5:8;Isa.  51;17;E2ek.  22;31.).     ReiHOVe.     The  Greek 

verb  was  employed  by  classical  writers  to  de- 
note the  act  of  a  servant  in  taking  dishes  off 
the  table.  (Grimm,  Clavis,  s.  v.).  Thus, 
Christ  prays  that,  if  it  please  God,  that  expe- 
rience of  pain,  and  shame,  and  death  with 
torture,  which  was  now  beginning,  might  be 
removed  from  before  him.  The  combined 
statements  of  the  three  Evangelists  open  to 
our  view  a  mystery  of  agony  which  no  other 
being  on  earth,  not  the  most  exquisitely  tor- 
tured of  martyrs,  ever  knew.  The  perfect 
humanity  of  Jesus,  instead  of  rendering  him 
less  susceptible  to  pain,  and  grief,  and  sorrow, 
would  render  him  the  more  capacious  of  all 
these,  through  its  identification  with  the  di- 
vine nature,  which  made  him  properly  the 
Son  of  God.  Beyond  the  susceptibility  to 
agony  arising  from  the  obvious  circumstances 
of  our  Saviour,  natural,  as  we  may  say,  to  such 
a  being,  and  capable  of  being  imagined  by 
us,  there  was  that  infinite  volume  of  experi- 
ence connected  with  his  propitiatory  function, 
about  which  we  may  inquire  and  wonder,  but 
not  dogmatize.  If  it  seem  strange  to  us  that 
he  should  even  conceive  the  po-ssibility  of 
his  now  escaping  that  end,  to  which  his  whole 
earthly  mission  had  pointed,  we  perhaps  do 
injustice  to  the  unique  perfection  of  his  hu- 
manity. The  sympathy  which  he  himself 
gave  to  John  the  Baptist,  in  an  analogous,  but 
infinitely  less  trying  case,  we  may  well  accord 
to  him.  For  he,  too,  was  a  man  (iTim.2:5). 
Deity  lay  involved  ever  in  that  "form  of  a 
servant,"  not  so  as  to  hinder  at  all  that  be 
should  act  as  one  "found  in  fashion  as  a  man." 
Hence,  we  need  not  wonder  that  a  human 
shrinking  from  unspeakable  distress  should, 
for  a  moment,  have  made  him  quail.  Luke 
beautifullj'  makes  this  phase  of  his  feeling  a 
transient  outburst;  as,  indeed,  the  other  Gos- 
pels also  represent  it  as  passing  away  in  a 
moment.  For  the  sentence  of  which  we  are 
speaking  ends  with  :  Nevertheless — whether 


it  may  be  removed  or  not — not  my  will,  but 
thine,  be  done.  This,  which  is  the  essence 
of  all  true  prayer,  repeats  with  emphasis  the 
"if  thou  art  willing,"  and,  with  the  previous 
request,  condenses  the  Pater  Noster  into  a 
single  sentence.  Who  can  ever  require  such 
faith  to  say,  "Father,  thy  will  be  done,"  as 
Jesus  needed  and  exercised  at  that  moment? 
The  prayer  can  never  fail  of  fulfillment,  and 
that  the  best  possible  fulfillment,  "even  thy 
will,  O  my  Father." 

43.  In  our  Saviour's  case  it  was  fulfilled, 
as  with  the  prayer  of  Paul  that  his  thorn  in  the 
flesh  should  be  taken  away,  by  giving  the  re- 
quisite support  that  God's  will  might  be  en- 
dured.— And  there  appeared  an  angel  un- 
to him  from  heaven,  strengthening  him. 
It  is  uncertain  whether  the  angel  would  have 
been  visible  to  other  eyes,  if  others  had  been 
present.  He  is  not  said  to  have  come,  but  he 
appeared  unto=was  seen  by  the  Saviour. 
In  some  way  this  proof  of  the  presence  and 
sympathy  of  celestial  beings  gave  him  in- 
creased ability  to  bear  what  he  had  taken 
upon  him  with  the  approbation  of  his  Father. 
We  cannot  so  well  comprehend  this  as  the 
benefit  of  that  earlier  angel-ministry,  after  his 
temptation  (Man. 4:n);  but  the  help  was, 
doubtless,  equally  real  to  him.  And  so  the 
terrible  conflict  might  go  on. 

44.  And  being  in  an  agony,  he  prayed 
more  earnestly.  The  participle  is  of  the 
Greek  verb  "to  become,"  and  means,  here, 
"getting  to  be  in  an  agony";  so  that  the 
thought  is  that,  after  he  had  pniyed,  and  had 
received  angelic  succor,  the  distress  was  al- 
lowed to  increase,  and,  with  it,  his  prayer 
grew  more  intense.  Even  the  sympathy  of 
his  Father,  manifested  through  his  angel,  did 
not  prevent  his  anguish  from  reaching  such  a 
pitch  that  it  forced  the  sweat  through  his 
pores — and  his  sweat  was  (i.e.,  became)  as 
it  were  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down 
to  the  ground.  This  phenomenon  was 
neither  sweat  alone  nor  blood  alone.  The 
latter  is  forbidden  by  the  as  if,  the  former  by 
the  fact  that  there  would  be  little  force  in 
comparing  sweat  to  blood,  in  respect  merely 


Ch.  XXII.] 


LUKE. 


323 


45  Aud  when  he  rose  uf  from  prayer,  and  was  come     45  drops  of  blood  falling  down  upon  the  ground.    And 
to  his  discijiles,  he  found  theui  sleeping  for  sorrow,  i        when  he  ro.se  up  from  his  prayer,  he  came  unto  the 

4G  And   said    unto   them,    Why   sleep  ye?   rise  and  '  46  disciples,  and  found  them  sleeping  for  sorrow,  and 
«  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation.  j        said  unto  them.  Why  sleep  ye'.'  rise  and  pray,  that 

47  «I  And  while  he  yet  spake,  'behold  a  multitude,  I        ye  enter  not  into  temptation, 
and  he  that  was  called  Juda.s,  one  of  the  twelve,  went  j  47       While  he  yet  spake,  behold,  a  multitude,  and  he 
before  them,  and  drew  near  unto  Jesus  to  kiss  him.  that  was  called  Judas,  one  uf  the  twelve,  went  be- 

I        fore  them;   and  be  drew  near  unto  Jesus  to  kiss 

avei.tO b  Malt.  ?6  :  47  ;  Mark  14  :  43  ;  JohD  18  :  3. 


to  its  form  as  drops,  or  as  to  their  size.  It  is 
the  color,  also,  caused  by  blood  oozing  forth 
through  the  skin,  and  coagulating  as  such, 
so  that  the  sweat  was  like  blood-clots  (flpoM/Soi), 
not  mere  drops,  rolling  ofl'  on  the  ground. 
Aristotle  (//is<.  Anim.,  iii.,  19)  is  cited  as  au- 
tiiority  for  the  occurrence  of  this  bloody  sweat 
in  abnormal  experiences  of  men.  He  says 
tliat  in  certain  extraordinary  states  the  blood 
becomes  very  much  liquified  —  and  flows 
througli  in  such  a  manner  that  scmie  have 
perspired  blood.  (Other  references  in  Wet- 
stein,  Liglitfoot,  Exercit.  in  loci.  Me3-er. ) 
Gethseinane  thus  appears  a  prelude  and  epit- 
ome of  Calvary,  wanting  only  the  physical 
distress  and  actual  death  to  complete  the 
experience.  Alone  with  God,  he  faces  the 
final  agony,  feels  it  by  anticipation  over- 
whelming him, — all  that  was  involved  in 
being  made  sin  for  sinners;  shrinks  from  it, 
receives  strength,  rather,  to  endure  it  still 
further;  then  becomes  calm  and  self-pos- 
sessed, so  as  to  be  ready  for  the  public  sacrifice 
of  himself,  wliich  he  goes  forth  to  meet. 

45.  And  when  he  rose  up  from  prayer 
— having  been  bowed  down  to  the  ground 
(Matt. -26 ;  39) — and  was  come  (better,  /le  came)  to 
his  disciples,  he  found  them  sleeping  for 
sorrow.  We  liave  thus  condensed,  in  Luke, 
the  three-fi>ld  return  to  the  three  chosen  dis- 
ciples in  Matthew  and  Mark,  and  their  thrice 
renewed  drowsiness.  Here,  as  no  mention  has 
been  made  of  the  selected  three,  all  the  eleven 
are  assumed  to  have  fallen  asleep.  That  any 
of  them  should  have  fallen  asleep  in  such  cir- 
cumstances is  naturally,  to  our  thought,  mon- 
strous, es()ecially  after  the  injunction  in  ver. 
40.  It  certainly  shows  us  that  thej'  were  far, 
even  yet,  from  comprehending  the  seriousness 
of  the  crisis  in  which  they  stood.  That  the 
Saviour,  deeply  grieved  as  he  was,  should 
still  find  some  apology  for  them,  in  the  weak- 
ness of  the  flesh  (.Matt.  26: 4i),  may  lead  us  to 
judge  them  lenientlj'.  They  had  begun  the 
previous  day  early ;  it  was  now  certainly 
after  midnight.     They  were  in  the  habit  of 


going  early  to  rest.  The  Saviour  had  tarried 
long  in  his  agony,  the  night  was  chilly,  and 
the  sorrow  which  they  felt,  from  even  their 
dim  apprehension  of  their  Master's  trouble, 
would  predispose  them  to  sleep.  This  efl^ect 
has  been  not  unfrequently  experienced  in 
cases  of  grief  and  sorrow,  and  that  it  iiad  been 
noticed  in  early  times  is  evident  from  the 
more  or  less  appropriate  citations  in  Wetstein 
on  this  passage. 

46.  And  said  unto  them— as  he  waked 
them— Why  sleep  ye  '.—"  Wiiat,  could  ye 
not  watch  with  me  one  hour?  "  ( Ma  t.  26 :  40. ) 
Rise  and  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  tempta- 
tion. Rise=rou.se yourselves.  The  direction 
to  pray  must  have  painfully  reminded  them 
how  they  had  heeded  the  same  given  to 
them  an  hour  or  two  before.  The  same,  yet 
not  exactly.  The  Greek  allows  us  at  least 
to  question  whether  the  former  did  not  pre- 
scribe what  they  were  to  pray  for,  namely, 
■'not  to  come  into  temptation  ' ;  and  this 
why  they  should  pray,  namely,  in  order  that 
they  might  not  come  into  temptation.  It  is 
not  certain  that  such  a  dittVrence  was  in- 
tended. Rise  expresses  here,  as  just  said, 
the  notion  of  "stand  promptly  up,"  and  im- 
plies their  urgent  need  of  faith  and  courage: 
and  keep  praying  that  you  ma3'  not  find  your 
trials  a  temptation. 

47-53.  The  Arrest. 

Everything  is  now  ready  for  the  sacrifice. 
AVe  see  no  more  reluctance  on  the  part  of 
the  Lamb  of  God  The  experience  of  the 
garden,  while  it  has  shown  the  inevitable- 
ne.ss  of  the  long  foreseen  issue,  has  given 
something  of  a  foretaste  of  its  pains.  It  has 
shown,  also,  that,  however  appalling,  Heaven 
will  give  strength  to  bear  them  to  the  end. 
Calm  resignation  to  the  lot  which  has  been 
appointed  to  him,  explainable  only  from  a 
clear  perception  of  what  is  involved  in  his 
mediatorial  office,  is  what  we  notice  in  him 
henceforth  to  the  end. 

47.  While  he  yet  spake,  behold,  a  mal* 


824 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


48  But  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Judas,  betrayest  thou  the 
Son  of  man  with  a  kiss '! 

49  When  they  which  were  about  him  saw  what 
would  follow,  they  said  unto  him.  Lord,  shall  we  smite 
■with  the  sword  ? 

50  ^  And  "one  of  them  smote  the  servant  of  the  high 
priest,  and  cut  oil'  his  right  ear. 

51  And  Jesus  answered  and  said.  Suffer  ye  thus  far. 
And  he  touched  his  ear,  and  healed  him. 

52  'Then  Jesus  said  unto  the  chief  priests,  and  cap- 
tains of  the  temple,  and  the  elders,  which  were  come  to 
him.  Be  ye  come  out,  as  against  a  thief,  with  swords 
and  staves  ? 


4S  him.    But  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Judas,  betrayest 

49  thou  the  Son  of  man  with  a  kiss?  And  when  they 
that  were  about  'bim  saw  what  would  follow,  they 

50  said.  Lord,  shall  we  smite  with  the  sword  /  And  a 
certain  one  of  them  smote  the  '  servant  of  the  high 

51  priest,  and  struck  off  his  right  ear.  But  Jesus  an- 
swered and  said, Suffer  ye  thus  far.   And  he  touched 

52  his  ear,  and  healed  him.  And  Jesus  said  unto  the 
chief  priests,  and  captains  of  the  temple,  and  elders, 
that  were  come  against  him.  Are  ye  come  out,  as 


a  Matt.  26 :  51  ;  Mark  U :  47  ;  John  18  :  10 6  Matt.  26  :  55  ;  Mark  14  :  48. 1  Gr.  bondservant. 


titude,  and  he  that  was    called  Judas, 

etc.  The  compositit)n  of  the  multitude  is 
described  in  John  18:  3.  It  included  a  band 
of  the  Koman  garrison  near  the  temple  en- 
closure, as  well  as  a  number  of  the  Hebrew 
rulers  and  their  minions.  They  were  guided 
by  Judas,  as  he  had  bargained,  (ver.  e.)  The 
clear  indications  at  the  table  (ver.  21)  that 
Jesus  was  aware  of  his  treachery  had  de- 
cided him,  if  not  already  so  intending,  to 
take  the  moment  of  the  feast  for  carrying 
out  his  purpose.  Knowing  the  habit  of  his 
Master  to  resort  to  this  mountain  at  night, 
he  would,  if  he  found  that  the  company 
had  left  the  upper  room,  proceed 
thither  at  once.— And  he  drew  near  unto 
Jesus,  to  kiss  him,  and  did  actually  kiss 
him  (Matt.  26:  49;  Mark  14:  45),  and  that  with  a 
show  of  affection,  as  the  form  of  verb  there 
used  shows  =  kissed  him  tenderly.  The  kiss 
was  a  common  expression  of  greeting  among 
friends,  of  men  toward  each  other ;  and 
Christ  submitted  to  it  now,  that  the  will  of 
God  might  be  accomplished. 

48.  Jesus  makes  no  resistance,  as  their 
formidable  array  of  men,  and  weapons,  and 
torches,  indicated  a  belief  that  he  would; 
he  interpo.se^  no  supernatural  obstruction, 
as  they  probably  supposed  he  might.  By 
his  simple  question,  Judas,  betrayest  thou 
the  Son  of  man  with  a  kiss  ?  he  proves 
that  he  is  aware  of  the  secret  intention  of 
that  salute  (M.att.  26:  48),  and  rebukes  the  traitor 
for  so  much  superfluous  hypocrisy.  With  a 
kiss  betrayest  thou  me,  dishonoring  that 
sacred  sign  of  love,  when  simply  to  have 
pointed  a  finger  would  have  been  enough  ? 
The  Son  of  man,  and,  as  such,  Son  of 
God,  and  divinely  attested  Messiah. 

49.  It  might  have  been  what  Jesus  had  said 
in  the  upper  room  about  the  need  of  swords, 
which  led  his  followers  now  to  think  of 
physical  resistance.    Perhaps  Calvin' s  thought 


that  it  was  a  special  temptation  of  the  devil, 
here,  as  in  their  recent  sleep,  which  confused 
them,  is  not  without  probability. 

50.  Without  waiting  for  Christ's  answer, 
Peter  (see  John  18:  loj  drcw  one  of  the  two  swords 
which  were  among  them,  and  smote  the 
servant — slave — of  the  high  priest— Mal- 
chus  by  name — and  cut  off  his  right  ear. 
The  right  ear  is  mentioned  simply  because 
the  report  included  that  little  circumstance. 
When  and  where  the  Synoptic  accounts  were 
framed,  it  might  not  have  been  safe  to  men- 
tion the  name  of  him  who  struck  this  blow; 
when  and  where  John  wrote,  there  could  be 
no  danger. 

51.  And  (rather,  But)  Jesus  answered — to 
their  question  in  verse  49 — and  said,  Suffer 
ye  thus  far.  He  addresses  the  disciples,  and 
says  in  effect,  "No.  do  not  smite"  (but' the 
deed  was  done,  even  as  he  spoke);  "rather 
suffer  even  this,  namely,  that  with  wicked 
hands  they  should  take  and  slay  me."  Other 
expositions — some  very  far  fetched,  some 
trivial — have  been  given  to  thus  far.  The 
Greek — "even  unto  this,"  implies  that  it  was 
a  great  concession  which  he  asked  of  them  ;  as 
indeed  it  was.  To  repair  the  injury  done  to 
Malchus,  which  standing  might  greatly  harm 
his  cause  (comp.  John  18: 36),  he  now  for  the  last 
time — and  probably  in  behalf  of  one  who  was 
most  forward  against  him — put  forth  that 
healing  touch  which  had  so  often  carried 
health  to  the  sick,  soundness  to  the  lame,  the 
leprous,  the  deaf,  the  blind,  and  life  to  the 
dead.  He  touched  his  ear,  and  healed 
him.  Whether  by  replacing  the  several 
pieces,  or  b^'  causing  its  equivalent  to  grow,  it 
is  vain  to  conjecture.  It  was  probably  at  this 
time  that  his  disciples  all  forsook  him  and 

fled.       (Matt.  26:  56.) 

52.  One  word  did  our  Lord  then  deign  to 
the  heads  of  the  different  sets  who  made  up 
the  "multitude "  of  his  pursuers.  Be  (or,  Ai-e) 


Ch.  XXIL] 


LUKE. 


325 


5;$  When  I  was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple,  ye 
stretched  I'orth  iid  hands  against  me:  "but  this  is  your 
hour,  and  tlii'  power  of  darkness. 

r)4  II  'Then  took  tliey  him,  and  led  him,  and  brought 
hiu)  into  the  high  priest's  house.  ■'And  I'eter  followed 
alar  olf. 

.").T  "^And  when  they  had  kindled  a  fire  in  the  midst 
of  the  hall,  and  were  set  down  together,  Peter  sat 
down  among  them. 

5(>  But  a  certain  maid  beheld  him  as  he  sat  by  the 
fire,  and  earnestly  looked  upon  him,  and  said,  This 
man  wa^  also  with  him. 


53  against  a  robber,  with  swords  and  staves?  When  I 
was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple,  ye  stretelR-d  not 
forth  your  hands  against  me:  but  this  is  your  hour, 
and  the  power  of  darkness. 

51  And  they  seized  him,  and  led  him  away,  and 
brought   him   into  the    high    priest's    hou.se.    But 

.55  Peter  followed  afar  oil'.  And  when  they  had  kin- 
dled a  lire  in  the  midst  of  the  court,  and  had  .sat 
down   together,   Peter   sat   in   the   midst   of   them. 

56  And  a  certain  maid  seeing  him  as  he  sat  in  the  light 
of  the  fire,  and  looking  stedfastly  upon  him,  said, 


John  12:  27 b  Matt.  26:  57 c  Malt.  26:  68;  John  18;  15 d  Matt.  26:  69;  Mark  14:  66;  John  18:  17,  18. 


ye  come  out  as  ap:ainst  a  thief —robber  ? 

Tlii.s  wa.s  indeed  to  be  reckoned  with  the  trans- 
gre.ssors,  and  seems  tu  have  most  keenly  stung 
the  pure  and  holy  soul  which  no  man  had 
ever  yet  convinced  of  sin. 

53.  When  I  was  with  you  daily  in  the 
temple,  ye  stretched  forth  no  hands 
against  me.  Had  1  been  a  criminal,  ye  might 
have  apprehended  me  on  any  day  of  my  life 
among  you.  No.  your  attack  is  directed 
against  a  man  whom  ye  know  to  be  innocent; 
and  for  the  capture  of  such  a  man  ye  take 
upon  you,  in  the  night,  the  task  t)f  the  lowest 
constable.  But  this  is  your  hour.  So  the 
Saviour  explains  their  conduct:  it  is  the  hour 
appointed  in  God's  counsel,  foretold  in  the 
prophets  (Matt. 26:  56),  for  you  to  work  your  un- 
hallowed will.  And  the  power  of  dark- 
ness— the  power  by  which  you  are  impelled 
is  that  which  darkness  gives  to  wicked  men 
to  perpetrate  evil  deeds  (Grimm,  Clavis,  s.  v. 
(TKOTos),  a  power  which  you  could  not  have  ex- 
ercised in  the  light  of  day,  when  I  was  among 
you.  The  word  darkness  inevitably  sug- 
gests also,  in  this  connection,  metaphorically, 
that  moral  empire  whose  rulers  were  "the 
powers  of  darkness."  (Coi.  i:i3).  But  the  ex- 
planation here  does  not  require  that. 

54-62.  He  is  Carried  a  Prisoner  to 
THE  High  Priest's  House.  Peter's 
Denial. 

54.  Then  took  they  (or,  A7id  they  seized) 
him,  and  led  him,  and  brought  him  into 
the  high  priest's  house.  The  high  priest 
at  this  time  was  Caiaphas  (Matt.  26:  57),  accord- 
ing to  the  api>ointment  of  the  Roman  power. 
His  father-in-law,  Annas,  however,  was  an 
ex-high  priest,  in  the  disordered  customs  of 
the  time,  and  considered  in  some  sense  as  in- 
vested with  the  oflSce  still  (see  on  chap;.'!:  1),  and 
from  John  18:  13.  we  learn  that  Jesus  was 
taken  first  to  his  house,  and  there  subjected  to 
a  preliminary  examination  (Johnis:  19-24.  Revision, 
ver.  24).     Anuas  is  there  (ver.  19)  called  the  high 


priest.  Of  this,  neither  of  the  Synoptics  takes 
any  account,  and,  although  it  actually  involved 
nearly  all  there  was  even  of  a  pretended  trial, 
it  was  of  no  decisive  importance  in  the  result. 
On  the  probable  succession  of  the  trials,  see 
on  verses  66-70. — And  Peter  followed  afar 
oil".  Interest  in  his  Master  struggled  in  him 
yet  with  moral  cowardice.  He  would  see 
what  became  of  him.  We  are  not  told  here 
how  he  got  into  the  court  of  the  high  priest's 
house,  but  John  supplies  the  information. 
John  himself  had  gone  in  with  the  crowd 
about  Jesus,  and  then,  through  some  acquaint- 
ance with  the  high  priest,  was  able  to  induce 
the  woman  who  kept  the  entrance  gate  to  let 
Peter  come  in  also.  See  John  18  :  15,  16.  But 
as  that  was  in  the  court  of  Annas,  while  what 
follows  here  took  place  in  the  court  of  Cai- 
aphas, it  seems  necessary  to  assume  that  both 
lived  in  different  parts  of  a  house  which  sur- 
rounded one  and  the  same  central  court.  As 
they  were  so  closely  related,  and  the  house  of 
the  wealthy  and  powerful  Anna?  would  be 
grand  and  spacious,  nothing  could  be  more 
natural  than  that  it  should  afford  habitation 
for  them  both.  The  sending  Jesus,  therefore, 
from  Annas  to  Caiaphas,  need  be  nothing  more 
than  having  him  taken  acro.ss  a  spacious  in- 
terior court  to  the  opposite  apartment. 

55.  Peterjoined  the  company  of  subordinate 
officers  and  servants,  who  had  kindled  a  fire  of 
charcoal  (John  is :  18)  in  the  midst  f>f  the  court, 
under  the  open  sky.  The  nights  there,  at  that 
season,  were  likely  to  be  quite  cr)ld. 

56.  But  (or.  And)  a  certain  maid  beheld 
him  as  he  .sat  by  the  fire  (rather,  toward 
the  light).  Fire  is  not  in  the  Greek,  though 
the  light  is  from  the  fire. — .\nd  earnestly — 
steadfast/;/ — looked  upon  him,  and  said, 
This  man  was  also— as  well  as  John— with 
him.  The  Revision  is  more  accurate  than 
the  Common  Version.  See  it  above.  The 
maid-servant  was  either  the  portress,  whom 
John  mentions  as  having  called  forth  one  de- 


326 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


57  And  he  denied  him,  saying.  Woman,  I  know  him 
not, 

58  "And  after  a  little  while  another  saw  him,  and 
said,  Thou  art  also  of  them.  And  Peter  said,  Man,  I 
am  not. 

59  ''And  about  the  space  of  one  hour  after  another 
confidently  attirmed,  saying,  Of  a  truth  thisfellow  also 
was  with  liiui :  lor  he  is  a  (jalilEean, 

60  And  Peter  said,  Man,  I  know  not  what  thou  say- 
est.  And  immediately,  while  he  yet  spake,  the  cock 
crew. 

61  And  the  Lord  turned,  and  looked  upon  Peter. 
"And  Peter  remembered  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  he 
had  said  unto  him, ''Before  the  cock  crow,  thou  shalt 
deny  me  thrice. 


57  This  man  also  was  with  him.    But  he  denied,  say- 

58  ing.  Woman,  I  know  him  not.  And  alter  a  little 
while  another  saw  him,  and  said,  Thou  also  ait  one 

59  of  them.  But  Peter  baid,  Man,  I  am  not.  And 
after  the  space  of  about  one  hour  another  confi- 
dently affirmed,  saying.  Of  a  truth  this  man  also 

60  was  with  him  •  for  he  is  a  GaliUean.  But  Peter 
said,  Man,  I  know  not  what  thou  sayest.    And  im- 

61  mediately,  while  he  yet  spake,  the  cock  crew.  And 
the  Lord  turned,  and  looked  upon  Peter.  And 
Peter  remembered  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  that 
he  said  unto  him,  Before  the  cock  crow  this  day. 


a  Matt.  26  :  71 ;  Mark  14  : 


nial  from  Peter,  or  some  one  who  may  have 
been  with  her  when  the  company  came  in. 

57.  And  (or,  But)  he  denied  him — him  is 
of  doubtful  autliority— saying.  Woman,  I 
know  him  not.  The  very  form  of  expression 
which  Jesus  had  predicted.  Why  should  he, 
more  than  John,  who  also  was  known,  and  by 
implication  ("this  man,  also"),  declared  to 
have  been  with  Jesus,  have  lied  to  shun  the 
charge  ? 

58.  Another— "man"  must  be  understood, 
as  the  word  man  in  Peter's  answer  shows. 
Moreover,  the  j)ronoun,  in  the  Greek,  is  mas- 
culine. 

59.  And  about  the  space  of  one  hour 
after  another— man— confidently  affirmed, 
etc.  This  appears  to  correspond  to  the  third 
denial,  'In  Matthew  and  Mark,  inasmuch  as 
they  all  find  the  proof  in  the  fact  that  Peter 
was  a  Galilean. 

60.  Man,  I  know  not  Avhat  thou  sayest : 
I  do  not  understand  whom  or  what  j'our  talk  is 
about.  This  completely  fulfilled  what  Christ 
had  predicted:  "Thou  wilt  deny  that  thou 
knowestme"  (ver.34).  The  different  reports  of 
Peter's  denials  present  the  agreements  and 
differences  natural  to  so  many  independent, 
triithful  accounts  of  the*same  series  of  ex- 
citing events,  in  which  numbers  have  partici- 
pated. They  all  speak  of  three  denials,  in  the 
courtyard  of  the  high  priest's  house,  or  in 
the  space  surrounding  it,  with  a  fire  burning 
in  the  midst  of  it.  The  persons  bringing  the 
charge  do  not  coincide  throughout.  In  the 
first  denial,  it  is  a  maid-servant  in  each  ac- 
count. In  the  second,  Luke  has  "another," 
in  the  masculine;  John  has  "they,"  the  com- 
pany. In  the  third,  Matthew  and  Mark  have 
"they  that  stood  by";  Luke,  "another"  mwn,- 
John,  "oneof  the  servants  of  the  high  priest." 
In  jregard  to  the  time,  all  make  the  three  to  have 


taken  place  before  a  cock  crew,  except  Mark, 
who  informs  us,  in  14:  30,  that  Jesus  had 
said,  "before  the  cock  crow  twice,"  and  who 
mentions  one  cock  crowing  after  the  first  de- 
nial. It  is  hard  to  see  how,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, three  truly  independent  narra- 
tives could  better  agree  in  everything  essentiiil 
to  a  true  report.  The  subject  is  fully  treated 
in  Andrews'  Life  of  our  Lord,  in  Robinson's, 
and  Gardiner's  Harmonies,  and  well,  suc- 
cinctly, by  Westcott,  Introd.  to  Gospels,  p. 
301,  note. — And  immediately,  while  he  yet 
spake,  the  cock  crew.  We  may  well  suj>- 
pose  that  in  the  state  of  mind  which  had 
racked  Peter  for  the  last  hour  or  two,  the 
sound  must  have  struck  him  as  a  death  knell. 
61.  And  the  Lord  turned,  and  looked 
upon  Peter.  Luke  alone  has  preserved  for 
us  this  touching  incident — one  of  the  most 
precious  items  of  knowledge  concerning  Christ 
which  wc  owe  to  his  Gospel.  In  any  of  the 
rooms  on  the  lower  floor  of  the  house,  all 
opening  out  through  the  porch  into  the  court, 
it  would,  naturally,  be  possible  for  the  Saviour 
to  see  Peter,  anywhere  within  the  light  of  the 
fire.  Probably,  Jesus,  absorbed  in  his  own 
cause,  had  paid  little  attention  to  him  before. 
It  is  almost  certain  that  Peter  could  have  paid 
little  attention  to  him.  But  now,  the  sound 
of  the  cock  drew  the  eyes  of  both  together, 
and  Peter  met  that  look.  In  it  were  mingled- 
sorrow,  admonition,  yearning  love,  beseech- 
ing appeal.  But  we  cannot  describe  it;  its 
quality  must  be  judged  from  what  we  previ- 
ously knew  of  the  parties,  and  from  its  pres- 
ent effect.  It  had  power  to  prevent  the  back- 
sliding of  Peter  from  hardening  into  the 
apostasy  of  Judas.  It  awakened  in  his  breast 
the  clear  memory  of  that  love  which  trembled 
in  the  tones  of  Jesus,  when  he  said,  "Before 
the  cock  crow,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice." 


Ch.  XXII.] 


Luke. 


327 


6"J  And  Peter  went  out,  anil  wept  bitterly. 

6;i  1[  «  And  tbe  men  that  held  Jesus  mocked  him,  and 
smote  hint. 

04  And  when  they  hatl  blindfolded  him,  they  struck 
him  on  the  lace,  and  asked  him,  saying.  Prophesy, 
who  is  it  that  smote  thee? 

65  .\nd  many  other  things  blasphemously  spake 
they  against  him. 

6i>  ^  '  And  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  =the  elders  of  the 
people  anil  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes  came  to- 
gether, and  led  hini  into  their  council,  saying, 

6'  ''.Vrt  thou  the  Christ?  tell  us.  Anil  he  said  unto 
them,  If  I  tell  you,  ye  will  not  believe: 


62  thou  Shalt  deny  me  thrice.  And  he  went  out,  and 
wept  bitterly. 

63  And  the  men  that  heVi'^  Jems  mix;ked  him,  and 

64  beat  him.  And  they  blindfolded  I  im,  and  asked 
him,  saying.  Prophesy:  who  is  he  that  struck  thee? 

65  And  many  other  things  spake  they  against  him,  re- 
viling him. 

OG  And  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  the  assembly  of  the 
elders  of  the  people  was  gathered  together,  both 
chief  priests  and  scribes;  and  they  led  him  away 
Into  their  council,  saying.  If  thou  art  the  Christ, 

67  tell  us.    But  he  said  unto  them,  If  1  tell  you,  ye 


aM*tt.26:  6T.  S8;  Mark  14:  65.... ft  Matt.  27  :  1....C  .' cu  4  : 


See  Acta  22 :  S. . .  .<f  Matt.  26 :  63 ;  Mark  14 :  61. 1  Or.  Aim. 


G3.  And  Peter  went  out,  and  wept  bit- 
terly. Oh,  could  he  have  confessed  his  sin  to 
his  Master  1  Could  he  have  heard  one  word  of 
pity  and  encouragement!  But  he  could  only 
weep  in  deep  repentance,  with  loud  and  bitter 
litiiicntation. 

03-85.  Mockery  of  Jesus  by  the 
Jewish  Captors. 

This  is  the  same  abuse  of  the  Saviour  whicn 
Matthew  and  Mark  report  at  the  ends  of  their 
account  of  the  preliminary  night  trial  before 
Caiaphas.  Luke  consistently'  places  it  here, 
as  he  does  not  notice  that  trial,  only  supposes 
it  going  on  through  the  time  of  Peter's  second 
and  third  denials.  The  chief  men  having 
brought  the  Lord  to  a  pretended  conviction 
of  blasphemj',  leave  him,  while  waiting  for 
the  morning  court,  to  the  contumely  of 
the  constables  and  other  Jews.  The  abuse 
was  to  be  repeated  afterward  by  the  Gentiles. 

(M:itt.  27:  27  ;  Mark  15;  16;  John  19:  2.). 

63,  64.  And  the  men  that  held  Jesus 
mocked  him — made  sport  of  him — and 
smote  him.  The  original  makes  the  par- 
ticular injuries  to  be  the  mockery,  thus: 
"  mocked  him,  beating  him  ;  and  blindfolding 
him,  they  asked  him,"  etc.  Into  the  hands 
of  what  men  had  he  fallen,  that  this  could  be 
sport  for  them?  The  "beating"  here  was 
such  as  properly  implies  the  use  of  rods  or 
scourges.  For  blindfolding,  McCloUan  has 
properly  "  muffling."  Prophesy — with  thy 
ej-es  bandaged,  tell  by  thy  prophetic  power — 
who  is  it  that  smote  (struck)  thee?  It  was 
the  peculiarly  Jewish  manifestation  of  hatred 
toward  the  Prophet  whom  Moses  had  fore- 
told for  them. 

65.  And  many  other  things  blasphe- 
mously spake  they — and  did — against  him. 
See  the  parallel  passages,  and  compare  Isa. 
60:  6. 

66-70.  The  Regular  Trial  Before 
THE  Full  Court  by  Daylight. 


All  the  Evangelists  make  much  of  the  case 
of  Peter,  from  the  point  when  he  came  into 
the  courtyard  of  Annas  and  Caiaphas,  until 
the  decisive  cock  crowing.  One,  two  or  three 
hours  may  have  elapsed.  Meantime,  Jesus, 
after  being  sent  over  from  Annas  to 
the  proper  high  priest  (Johu  18:24),  had  been 
questioned  by  Caiaphas  and  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  chief  court,  or  Sanhedrin,  with 
such  as  had  been  among  hi,s  captors,  or  were 
waiting  his  arrival,  in  hope  of  drawing  from 
him  something  that  might  serve  as  a  ground 
of  condemnation.  The  narrative  of  their 
persecution,  rather  than  examination,  may  be 
read  in  Matt.  26:  59-68;  Mark  14:  55-65. 
Neither  of  the  other  Gospels  mentions  this 
pretence  of  a  trial.  It  could  not  claim,  on 
their  own  principles,  to  be  a  regular  trial  on  a 
capital  charge,  for  they  were  now  forbidden 
to  condemn  any  man  to  death  in  the  night. 
(Sanhedrin,  9.  1).  But  they  made  it  serve  to 
bring  him  to  an  utterance  of  what  they,  with 
great  pretence  of  horror,  called  blasphemy, 
and  so  held  the  case  until  the  full  S:inbedrin 
(a  quasi  Sanhedrin)  could  be  formally  assem- 
bled. Of  the  decisive  inquest  held  in  the 
third  instance,  Luke  in  the  following  verses 
gives  the  only  account.— See  note  on  p.  355. 

66.  And  as  soon  as  it  was  day— as  soon> 
therefore,  as  it  would  be  lecfal,  and  lonir  before 
sunrise — the  elders  of  the  people  and  the 
chief  priests  and  the  scribes  came  to- 
gether. The  three  constituent  elements  of 
their  head  council  are  formally  narrated,  as 
they  were  at  ch.  20:  1.  "We  have  before  no- 
ticed the  absence  of  all  mention  of  the  Phar- 
isees in  connection  with  these  last  scenes. 
The  fact  is  considered  in  Farrar,  L.  of  C,  ii., 
332.— And  led  him  into  their  council.  The 
place  of  their  meeting  was,  probably,  no 
longer  the  office  in  one  front  of  the  high 
priest's  palace.     Comp.  Matt.  27:  5. 

or.  Art  thou  (Revision,  If  thou  art)  the 


328 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


68  And  if  I  also  ask  you,  ye  will  not  answer  me,  nor 
let  me  go. 

69  "  Hereafter  shall  the  Sou  of  man  sit  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  power  of  God. 

70  Then  said  they  all,  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of 
God?    And  he  said  unto  them,  *  Ye  say  that  I  am. 

71  "And  they  said,  What  need  we  any  further  wit- 
ness? for  we  ourselves  have  heard  of  his  own  mouth. 


68  will  not  believe:    and  if  I  ask  you,  ye  will  not 

69  answer.  But  from  henceforth  shall  the  Son  of  man 
be  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  the  power  of  God. 

70  And  they  all  said.  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of  God? 

71  And  he  said  unto  them,  i  Ye  say  il,  for  I  am.  And 
they  said,  What  further  need  have  we  of  witness? 
for  we  ourselves  have  heard  from  his  own  mouth. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

AND  ■*  the  whole  multitude  of  them  •  arose,  and  led  I    1      And  the  whole  company  of  them  rose  up,  and 
him  unto  Pilate.  I 


;  Matt.  '26:  64;  Mark  U:  62;  Heb.  1:3;  8:1 6  Matt.  26:  64:  Mark  U:  62 c  Mutt.  26:  65;  Mark  14:  63 d  Matt.  27  :  2  ;  Mark  15  :  1 ; 

John  18 :  28. 1  Or,  Ye  eay  that  I  am. 


Christ?  tell  us.  Their  object  was  to  draw 
from  him  here  what  he  had  previously  declared 
(Matt.26:64;MarkU:62),  that  they  might  base  for- 
mal action  upon  it.  The  attempt  to  convict 
him  of  any  secular  crime  appears  to  have 
broken  down  with  the  failure  of  the  cruel  and 
unprincipled  Annas.  Perhaps  they  thought 
they  might  use  his  claim  to  be  the  Messiah  as 
threatening  to  the  civil  government  estab- 
lished. Any  evidence  of  such  a  purpose 
might  leave  the  Saviour,  while  rot  at  all 
varying  from  his  previous  acknowledgment, 
to  repeat  it  now,  by  implication,  in  such  a 
way  as  to  give  not  the  slightest  color  to  a  sec- 
ular complaint.— If  I  tell  yon,  ye  will  not 
believe.  It  was  simply  to  turn  his  declara- 
tion into  a  weapon  against  him  that  they 
wanted  him  to  speak.  Former  professions  of 
his  Messiahship  (John  8: 58;  10:30)  had  Only  sharp- 
ened their  hatred  against  him. 

68.  And  if  I  also  ask  you — questions 
touching  the  Scripture  proof  of  my  Messiah- 
ship — ye  will  not  answer  me,  nor — when 
those  questions  indicate  my  innocence — let 
me  go.     The  last  clause  is  probably  spurious. 

69.  Hereafter  (rather,  from  henceforth) 
— from  now  on — shall  the  Son  of  man  sit 
(or,  be  seated)  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
power  of  God.  The  meaning  is,  although 
you  will  not  admit  my  title  as  Messiah,  your 
action  is  bringing  it  to  pass  that  I  shall  be 
recognized,  from  this  day,  if  not  on  earth, 
yet  in  my  seat  of  heavenly  majesty,  as  a 
sharer  of  God's  power. 

70.  They  saw  that  this  was  more  than  an 
assertion  of  Messiahship,  even  of  divinity. 
Then  said  they  all,  Art  thou  then  the  Son 
of  God? — as  thy  language  plainly  implies. — 
Ye  say  that  I  am.  A  Hebrew  way  of  saying, 
Yes;  I  am.  Comp.  Matt  26:64  with  Mark 
14:  62.  So  that  the  Lord  had  repeated  his 
confession,  but  without  saying  a  word  calcu- 


lated to  offend  the  Roman  power,  or  in  the 
slightest  degree  to  violate  any  law,  human  or 
divine. 

71.  And  they  said,  What  need  we  any 
further  Avitness?  Finding  it  impossible  to 
obtain  more,  they  must  content  themselves 
with  what  only  they  could  wrest  into  a  ground 
of  accusation.  What  they  had  heard  from 
him  might  be  misrepresented  as  blasphemy  ; 
but  this  would  have  little  weight  with  a  Ro- 
man judge. 

Ch.  23.  1-25.  Jesus  Before  Pilate. 

In  the  account  of  the  trial  before  the  Roman 
governor  we  may  recognize  in  Luke  throe 
distinct  stages— ver.  1-7,  8-12,  13-25.  Of  these 
the  second,  in  which  he  submits  the  prisoner 
to  Herod's  judgment,  is  peculiar  to  our 
Gospel ;  the  others  are  distinctly  marked  in 
all  the  rest.  The  outline  of  these,  as  given  in 
the  Sj'noptics,  must  be  filled  up  from  John's 
report. 

1-7.  First  stage  of  the  trial.  Summary  ac- 
quittal of  Jesus  by  the  Roman  authorit.y. 

1.  And  the  Avhole  multitude  of  them 
arose,  and  led  him  unto  Pilate.  The 
word  here  is  not  the  one  (oxAo?)  usually 
translated  multitude  in  the  Gospels; 
but,  as  this  Greek  also  (tfA^Sos)  distinctly 
denotes  a  full  number,  crowd,  or  throng, 
multitude  seems  more  appropriate  than 
"company."  (Revision.)  They  would  of 
themselves  constitute  a  numerous  bodj^ ; 
and  it  is  enough  to  suppose  that,  in  order  to 
command  compliance  with  their  desire,  they 
went  in  a  full  procession  and  official  array. 
How  many  of  the  "people"  (ver.  is)  had 
already  joined  the  "whole  council"  (Martti5:i) 
we  cannot  tell.  It  is  a  disputed  question 
whether  Pilate  now  lived,  when  at  Jerusalem, 
in  the  magnificent  palace  on  Zion,  left  by 
King  Herod,  or  in  the  Castle  Antonia,  where 


Ch.  XXIIL] 


LUKE. 


329 


2  And  they  began  to  accuse  hiui,  saying,  We  found 
this  ffllow  "  perverting  the  nation,  and  *  forbidding  to 
give  tribute  to  Cmsar,  saying,  'that  he  himself  is 
Christ  a  King. 

:i  '^  And  I'ilate  asked  hira,  saying.  Art  thou  the  King 
of  the  .lews'.'  And  he  answered  liini  and  said,  Thou 
sayest  il. 

4  Then  said  Pilate  to  the  chief  priests  and  to  the 
people,  'I  find  no  fault  in  this  man. 


2  brought  him  before  Pilate.  And  they  began  to 
accuse  him,  saying.  We  louiid  this  man  perverting 
our  nation,  and  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar, 

3  and  saying  that  he  himself  is  Christ  a  king.  And 
Pilate  asked  him,  saying,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the 
Jews'.'    And  he  answered  him  and  said.  Thou  say- 

4  est.    And  Pilate  said  unto  the  chief  priests  and  the 


a  Acts  17:  7....i  See  Matt.  17:27;  22:21;  Mark  12:  17.... c  John  19:  12.... d  Matt.  27 :  11;  1  Tim.  6 :  1.1 e  1  Pet.  2 :  •i2. 


the  Roman  garrison  was  quartered,  ju.st  off  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  temple.  The  hitter 
supposition  is  more  probable,  at  this  time, 
since  Herod  Antipas  being  in  the  city,  would 
more  likely  be  allowed  the  use  of  the  palace. 
There  was,  hmvever,  another  palace,  west  of 
the  temple  and  above  it  (Josepluis,  Antiquities, 
XX.,  8,  11),  which  Herod  might  have  occui)ied. 
A  proper  conception  of  Pilate  himself,  and  of 
his  relation  to  the  distribution  of  justice  at  Je- 
rusalem, is  necessary  to  a  right  ai)preciatioii 
of  this  narrative.  After  the  dethronement  of 
Archelaus,  son  of  Herod  the  Great,  Judea 
and  Samaria  were  put  under  the  control  of  im- 
l)erial  procurators,  who  governed  the  district 
in  behalf  of  the  Emperor.  Their  primary 
function  was  the  collection  of  the  r.  venues  ; 
but  they  also  had,  while  interfering  as  little 
as  possible  with  the  local  laws  and  customs,  to 
superintend  the  administration  of  justice. 
The  Roman  policy  was  careful,  in  particular, 
that  the  lives  of  the  provincials  should  not  be 
unjustly  sacrificed  under  a  pretence  of  jus- 
tice. In  Palestine,  on  what  occasion  is  not 
definitely  known,  the  authority  of  carr^-ing 
into  execution  a  sentence  of  death  had  been 
taken  away  from  the  Jewish  magistrates. 
(John  18:  31.)  Poutius  Pilatc  was  the  fifth  of  this 
series  of  Roman  governors  of  Palestine. 
(Derenbourg,  Histoire  de  la  Palestine,  p. 197, 
f )  He  had  been  appointed  by  Tiberius,  at 
the  instance  of  his  favorite,  the  crafty  and 
cruel  Sejanus,  whose  creature  Pilate  was.  He 
was  an  unprincipled  and  haughty  Roman 
knight,  who,  for  his  own  ease,  would  have 
liked  to  rule  over  Palestine  quietly;  but  who 
had  alrcad^^  blundered,  perhaps,  rather  than 
j)ushed  himself,  into  two  serious  conflicts  with 
tlie  Jewish  authorities  and  people.  Out  of 
these  he  had  come,  not  without  peril  to  him- 
self He  now  thoroughly  hated  and  despised 
that  people,  and  they  repaid  him  with  like 
sentiments.  To  this  man,  standing  in  this 
superior,  and  to  them  galling,  relation,  the 
proud    and    arrogant    Jewish   magnates  led 


Jesus  on  that  early  morning  of  the  Passover 
day.    They  led  him  unto  Pilate.   Compare 

the  particulars  in  John. 

2.  And  they  began  to  accuse  him,  say- 
ing, We  found  this  Tellow  (better,  man) 
perverting  the  (better  reading,  our)  nation, 
etc.  This  was  probably  after  they  had  at- 
tempted, as  in  John,  to  have  Pilate  condemn 
him  on  the  ground  simply  that  they  called 
him  a  malefactor.  The  present  charge  brcnight 
out  the  fact,  not  previously  apparent,  that  they 
wished  him  sentenced  to  death.  Even  he  could 
not  think  of  that  without  some  proper  proof. 
For  proof,  they  now  substitute  clamorous  and 
vague  accusations  that  he  was  ruining  the 
nation  by  teaching  the  people  political  here- 
sies. The  forbidding  to  pay  taxes  we  have 
seen  (ch.20:25)  to  be  precisely  the  opposite  to 
what  he  had  solemnly  taught  within  the 
week.  Pilate  may  have  had  some  general 
knowledge  of  the  Jewish  expectation  of  a 
Christ.  That  could  only  be  of  interest  to  him 
if  it  threatened  the  civil  welfare. 

3.  AVhen,  therefore,  he  heard  the  idea  king 
associated  with  him,  he  simjjlj-  asked  him, 
Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews?  strongly 
emphasizing  the  pronoun  thou,  so  incredible, 
not  to  say  absurd,  did  the  notion  seem. 
Christ's  calm  and  frank  afl^rmative.  Thou 
sayest  it,  would  be  the  best  proof  possible  to 
the  world-worn  Roman  that  his  prisoner  used 
the  word  king  in  some  unworldly  sense  (see 
this  fully  in  John),  and  would  rather  awaken 
awe  in  himself  than  apprehension  of  guilt  on 
the  part  of  Jesus.  The  skepticism  of  that  day 
was,  as  it  generally  is,  compatible  with  the 
profoundest  superstition. 

4.  This  process  of  accusation  and  investiga- 
tion, though  the  account  is  doubtless  greatly 
abridged,  took  but  a  short  time;  and,  as  the 
result,  Pilate  said— to  the  excited  throng  of 
accusers— I  find  no  fault  in  this  man.  This 
is  the  first  declaration  of  his  innocence,  from 
the  only  competent  —  even  approximately 
competent— and   impartial  tribunal.     It  car- 


330 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


5  And  they  were  the  more  fierce,  saying,  He  stirreth 
up  the  people,  teaching  throughout  all  Jewry,  begin- 
ning from  Galilee  to  this  place. 

6  When  Pilate  heard  of  Galilee,  he  asked  whether 
the  man  were  a  Galil*an. 

7  And  as  soon  as  he  knew  that  he  belonged  unto 
«  HercKl's  jurisdiction,  he  sent  him  to  Herod,  who  him- 
self also  was  at  Jerusalem  at  that  time. 

8  fAud  when  Herod  saw  Jesus,  he  was  exceeding 
glad  :  for  '  he  was  desirous  to  see  him  of  a  long  si'dson, 
because  '  he  had  heard  many  things  of  him  ;  and  he 
hoped  to  have  seen  some  miracle  done  by  him. 

y  Then  he  questioned  with  him  in  many  words  ;  but 
he  answered  him  nothing. 


5  multitudes,  I  find  no  fault  in  this  man.  But  they 
were  the  more  urgent,  saying.  He  stirreth  up  the 
people,  teaching  throughout  all  Judtea,  and  begin- 

6  ning  from  tialilee  even  unto  this  place.  But  when 
Pilate  heard  it,  he  asked  whether  the  man  were  a 

7  tialiltean.  And  when  he  knew  that  he  was  of 
Herod's  jurisdiction,  he  sent  him  unto  Herod,  who 
himself  also  was  at  Jerusalem  in  these  days. 

8  Now  when  Herod  saw  Jesus,  he  was  exceeding 
glad  :  for  he  was  of  a  long  time  desirous  to  see  him, 
because   he   had   heard    concerning    him ;    and   he 

9  hoped  to  see  some  2  miracle  done  by  him.  And  he 
questioned  him  in  many  words ;  but  he  answered 


ach.  3: 1 6  cli.  ! 


.  ,.c  Matt.  14:  1 ;  Mark  6:  14. 1  Gr.  sign. 


ried  with  it,  of  course,  that  he  would  not  con- 
sent to  the  harmless  man  being  put  to  death. 

5.  And  they  were  the  more  fierce  (or, 
urgent).  Was  their  so  nearly  won  success  to 
prove  a  failure,  after  all?  We  may  imagine 
what  the  urgency  of  an  Oriental  mob  would 
be,  in  the  fear  of  such  a  disappointment.  Still, 
they  have  nothing  to  add  to  their  complaint, 
except  to  substitute  stirreth  up  for  "per- 
verting," (vcr.  2),  and  to  state  the  extent  to 
which  his  agitation  had  reached — from  Gal- 
ilee to  (rather,*"!'?/?  unto)  this  place — i.e., over 
the  whole  land.  They  may  have  intended  to 
remind  Pilate  of  the  immense  excitement  of 
the  preceding  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the 
host  which  had  been  gathering,  from  Galilee 
thitherward,  had  thrown  the  whole  city  and 
environs  into  commotion, 

6,  7.  In  the  perplexity  of  Pilate,  balancing 
between  unwillingness  to  commit  a  great  ju- 
dicial outrage,  and  fear  to  provoke  the  hostility 
of  the  Jewish  leaders,  the  word  Galilee  struck 
his  ear  as  a  signal  of  relief  And  as  soon  as 
(or,  loken)  he  knew  that  he  belonged  unto 
(or,  tons  of)  Herod's  jurisdiction— Galilee 
and  Perea— he  sent  him  to  Herod,  etc.,  (lit., 
sent  him  tip  unto).  To  send  uj)  was  the  tech- 
nical term  for  "submit  to  a  superior  tribunal  " 
The  vileness  of  Herod's  character  and  life  did 
not  at  all  hinder  scrupulous  attention  on  his 
part  to  the  ceremonial  observances  of  the 
Jewish  religion.— Who  himself  also  was  at 
Jerusalem,  He  had  come  to  the  Passover 
with  the  rest.  He  had  no  authority  here, 
where  he  did  not  stand  fully  on  a  par  with  a 
Roman  knight,  with  whom  he  had  before 
quarreled.  It  would  be  good  policy,  how- 
ever, for  Pilate  to  stand  well  with  him,  and 
he  now  had  an  opportunity  to  show  him 
harmless  respect.  He  might,  also,  probably, 
get  help  toward  a  better  understanding  of 
what  was  becoming  to  him  a  terribly  embar- 


rassing question :  What  to  do  about  this 
Jesus?  Herod  would  be  likely  to  know  if  he 
were  a  criminal ;  and,  if  not,  his  decision 
would  countervail  the  demand  of  the  priests. 
The  first  stage  of  the  trial  had  resulted  in  a 
clear  declaration  of  the  innocence  of  Jesus. 

8-12.  Second  Stage  of  the  Trial. 
Jesus  Before  Herod. 

8.  And  when-Herod  saw  Jesus,  he  was 
exceeding  glad.  His  joy  was  in  the  gratifi- 
cation of  a  curiosity  like  that  which  he  had 
once  cherished  concerning  John  the  Baptist 
(Maik6:2o),  before  he  understood  him. — For  he 
was— had  been — desirous  to  see  him  of  a 
long  season  (thne) — ever  since  the  time  of 
ch.  9:  9,  AT. — because  he  had  heard  many 
things  of  him — {.  e.,  concerning  him.  3Iany 
things  is,  probablj',  not  part  of  the  text. 
This  was  enough  to  give  him  a  wish  to  see  the 
man  of  whom  so  much  was  said.  When  he 
used  to  hear  that  talk,  at  least,  at  one  period 
(»:  9),  he  was  in  a  very  different  state  of  mind 
from  the  present.  He  was  then  conscience- 
smitten,  and  afraid  that  Jesus  was  John,  risen 
from  the  dead.  Now  all  is  changed.  His 
conscience  no  longer  disturbs  him,  and  to  his 
earthly  soul,  a  man  in  chains  was  very  difl"er- 
ent  from  the  same  man  filling  all  Galilee  with 
the  rumor  of  his  might^^  works.  Still,  we  read 
that  he  hoped  to  have  seen  some  miracle 
done  by  him.  It  was  in  the  spirit  which  had 
led  the  Jews,  again  and  again,  to  demand  cf 
the  Lord  a  sign,  which,  from  the  time  of  Sa- 
tan's call,  that  he  should  throw  himself  down 
from  the  pinnacle,  he  would  never  give.  Had 
it  been  the  request  of  some  poor,  blind  one  for 
siglit,  or  of  some  leper  for  healing,  doubtless 
the  miracle  would  still  have  been  wrought. 
But  not  for  heartless  and  caviling  curiosity. 

9.  Then  (or,  And)  he  questioned  with 
him  (omit  with)  in  many  words— put  many 
forms  of  questions,   and  renewed  his  effort 


Ch.  XXIII.] 


LUKE. 


331 


10  And  tlie  chief  priests  aud  scribes  stood  aud  vehe- 
meutlv  accused  hiiu. 

11  "'And  Herod  with  his  meu  of  war  set  him  at 
Dou^'lit,  and  mocked  him,  aud  arrayed  him  iu  a  gor- 
geous robe,  and  sent  him  again  to  l-'ilate. 

12  If  Aud  the  same  day  ''Pilate  and  Ilerod  were 
made  friends  together :  for"  before  they  were  at  enmity 
between  themselves. 

l;{  i^And  Pilate,  when  he  had  called  together  the 
chief  priests  aud  tlie  rulers  and  the  people, 

14  Said  unto  them,  -^  Ve  have  brought  this  man  unto 
me,  as  one  that  pervert eth  the  people:  and,  behold,  «I, 
having  examined  him  before  you,  have  found  no  fault 
in  this  man  touching  those  things  whereof  ye  accuse 
him : 

15  No,  nor  yet  Herod:  for  I  sent  you  to  him;  and, 
lo,  nothing  worthy  of  death  is  done  unto  him. 


10  him  nothing.     And  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes 

11  stood,  vehemently  accusing  hiui.  Aud  Ilerod  wiih 
his  soldiers  set  him  at  nought,  aud  mocked  him, 
and   arraying   him    in    gorgeous  ap|)arel   seut    him 

12  back  to  Pilate.  Anil  Herod  and  Pilate  became 
friends  with  each  other  that  very  day:  lor  belore 
they  were  at  enmity  between  themseKes. 

i;i       And  I'ilate  called   together  the  chief  i>riests  and 

14  the  rulers  and  the  pccii)le,  and  .said  unto  them,  Ve 
brought  unto  me  this  man,  as  one  that  jierverteth 
the  people:  and  behold,  I;  having  examined  him 
before  you,  found   uo  fault  in  this  man    touching 

15  those  things  whereof  ye  accuse  him:  no,  nor  yet 
Herod:  for  i  he  sent  him  back  unto  us;  aud  behold, 


oIsa.53:3 6  Acts  4  ;  J? c  Matt. '^T  :  23  ;  .Markl5:U;  John  18:38;  19:  ♦ d  ver.  1  :  2 ever.  4. 1  Many  aucieot  nuitaorltlea 

reud,  /  stntyouto  him. 


again  and  again.  His  questions  aimed  prob- 
ably at  tile  siatisfaction  of  his  personal  and 
staiuliiig  de.sire  to  solve  the  mystery  of  his 
popular  influence,  more  than  at  a  determina- 
tion of  the  criminality  or  innocence  of  Jesus 
— the  point  now  at  issue.  But  he  answered 
him  nothing.  He  saw  the  utter  frivolity  of 
the  attempt  of  Herod,  before  whom  he  must 
have  felt  a  human  mortification  more  oppres- 
sive than  in  anything  else  connected  with  his 
passion.  And  while  against  his  persecutors 
no  words  could  avail  aught,  his  own  dignity 
was  best  preserved  by  silence.  Kecall  the 
Lord's  indignant  designation  of  him  as  "that 
fox." 

10.  Meanwhile,  impatient  for  the  condem- 
nation which  alone  they  desired,  the  chief 
priests  and  scribes  stood  and  vehemently 
accused  him.  They  thought  it  necessary  to 
rouse  Herod  lo  do  the  business  for  which  they 
visited  hiin. 

11.  And  Ilerod  Avith  his  men  of  war — 
i.  e.,  soldiers — who  were  only  a  body  guard 
there  in  Jerusalem— set  him  at  nought — 
treated  him  as  if  of  no  account— and  mocked 
him — treated  him  with  ridicule;  nothing 
liere  is  said  of  bodily  injury — and  arrayed 
him  in  a  gorgeous  robe  (rather,  in  gor- 
geous  ajjpnrel),  and  sent  him  again  to 
Pilate.  In  this  burlesquing  of  the  dress  of 
roj'alty  consisted  the  mockery.  As  to  the 
color  of  the  robe  we  can  determine  nothing, 
though  it  was  probably  purple,  the  imperial 
color,  although  the  Greek  marks  only  its 
splendor  (Kaixirpav).  We  are  not  told  that  he 
sent  any  word  with  Jesus,  as  indeed  he  could 
have  little  to  tell;  little  that  he  had  discov- 
ered. But  he  either  said,  or  his  act  implied, 
that   Pilate   must  take  the   responsibility  of 


I  deciding  his  case,  and  that  he  found  no  fault 
in  him  (ver.  la)  worthy  of  punishment. 

12.  And  the  same  day  Pilate  and 
Herod  were  made  friends  together:  for 
before,  etc.  Herod  was  won  by  the  respect 
that  Pilate  had  shown  in  submitting  so  im- 
portant a  prisoner  to  his  jurisdiction,  and 
Pilate  was  glad  to  be  at  peace  with  Herod, 
whose  ill-will  might  be  dangerous  to  him  at 
Rome.  We  can  hardly  say  that  the  mutual 
estrangement  melted  away  in  common  oppo- 
sition to  Jesus,  for  Pilate  has  shown  no  per- 
sonal enmity  to  him.  He  evidently  desired 
to  find  ground  for  setting  him  free,  without 
peril  to  himself.  This  second  stage  of  the  trial 
has  resulted  in  a  second  admission  of  our 
Lord's  innocence. 

13-25.  Third  Stage.  Fresh  Expedi- 
ents OF  Pilate  to  Avoid  a  Condemna- 
tion. 

13.  The  chief  priests  and  the  rulers 
and  the  people.  Notice  that  now,  for  the 
first  time,  Pilate  formally  calls  the  people 
into  the  consultation.  We  had  once  (ver.  ■•) 
mention  of  the  "people"  as  an  accidental 
thing.  Now  they  are  to  play  an  important 
part  in  the  transaction.  He  had  not  failed  to 
perceive  thtit  these  accusations  had  slight 
backing  from  the  respectable  masses,  and 
probably  knew  what  remarkable  zeal  for  this 
teacher  they  had  manifested  within  the  last 
few  days.  By  their  co-operation  he  might 
resist  the  demand  of  the  rulers  that  Jesus 
should  be  slain. 

14.  15.  Ye  have  brought  (have  is  to  be 
omitted)  this  man  unto  me,  etc.  The  eftect 
of  the  whole  declaration  is,  that  the  case 
stands  just  where  it  did  when  he  pronounced 
judgment  at  an  earlier  hour(v«r.  4).     Nay,  it 


332 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


16  "I  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and  release  him. 

17  '  (For  of  necessity  he  must  release  one  unto  them 
at  the  feast.) 

18  And  "they  cried   out   all  at  once,  saying,   Away 
with  this  man,  and  release  unto  us  barabbas: 

l-J  (Who  for  a  certain  sedition  made  in  the  city,  and 
for  murder,  was  cast  into  prison.) 


16  nothing  worthy  of  death  hath  been  done  by  him.    I 

18  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and  release  him.i    But 
they  cried  out  all  together,  saying,  Away  with  this 

19  man,  and  release  unto  us  Barabbas :  one  who  for  a 
certain  insurrection  made  in  the  city,  and  for  mur- 


a  Matt.  27  :  26  i  John  19:1 6  Matt.  27  :  15  ;  Mark  15  :  6  ;  John  18:39 c  Acts  3  :  14. 1  Many  ancient  authorities  insert  Ter.  IT,  Now 

he  must  needs  release  unto  them  at  the  feast  one  prisoner.    Others  aild  the  same  words  after  ver.  19. 


was  stronger  now  ;  for  Herod's  judgment  sup- 
ported his  own.  Whichever  of  the  two  read- 
ings in  verse  15  we  follow— I  sent  you  to  him 
(or,  he  .sent  him  up  unto  us) — the  main  sense  is 
the  same.  Herod  has  examined  him,  and 
finds  no  fault  in  him,  touching  those  things 
of  which  ye  accuse  him.  In  the  Common  Ver- 
sion, unto  him  applies  to  Herod :  it  is  decided 
that  Jesus  has  committed  no  capital  crime 
against  Herod,  under  whose  jurisdiction  he 
has  lived.  The  Greek  might  mean  "in  his 
(Herod's)  estimation."  In  the  Revision,  by 
him,  of  course,  refers  to  Christ. 

16.  I  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and 
release  him.  Notice  the  therefore.  What 
an  inference!  I  have  examined  him  and 
found  him  innocent.  Pilate,  who  is  most 
competent  to  judge,  has  examined  him,  and 
found  him  innocent.  The  charge  of  a  cap- 
ital crime  is  not  sustained ;  no  other  crime 
is  even  alleged.  Therefore  I  will  chastise 
him.  If  he  could  only  have  had  the  man- 
hood, the  decision,  of  an  honorable  judge, 
and  have  said  firmly  and  finally,  "therefore 
he  is  acquitted,"  he  would  not  have  stained 
his  hands  with  the  blood  of  "  that  just  man" 
(Matt.27:i9)  and  his  own  name  with  eternal 
infamy.  But  how,  then,  would  the  Scripture 
have  been  fulfilled,  and  the  eternal  counsel 
that  the  Christ  must  suff'er?  The  chastise- 
ment here  referred  to  was  that  awful  scourg- 
ing at  the  hands  of  Roman  soldiers  which 
often  preceded  crucifixion,  and  did  so  here. 
(Miitt.  27: 26.)  Pilate  now  wished  to  substitute 
this  for  a  proper  death  sentence.  He  might 
well  suppose  that  this  ought  to  satisfy 
even  the  Jewish  malice;  for  this  scourging 
sometimes  ended  in  death.  See,  once  for  all, 
the  tragic  description  in  Cicero,  Against 
Verres,  and  others.  They  are  quoted  in 
Wetstein  on  Matt.  27:  26.  The  details  are 
too  horrible  to  recite. 

17.  The  sentence  (in  the  Common  Ver- 
sion) here  put  in  parentheses  as  ver.  17  lacks 
support  of  the  most  decisive  documents,  and 
seems  to  have  been  a  gloss  from  Matt.  27  :  15, 


which  crept  into  the  text.  [It  is  wanting 
A,  B,  K,  L,  J,  H.— A.  H.]  It  was  intended 
to  explain  by  it  the  mention  of  Barabbas  in 
the  next  verse.  The  custom  alluded  to,  of 
releasing  a  prisoner  at  the  Passover  Feast,  is 
spoken  of  by  Matthew  and  John  as  obliga- 
tory on  the  governor.  Of  the  reason  for 
such  a  custom,  and  of  the  time  of  its  origin, 
nothing  is  known. 

18.  The  people  had  abundant  evidence  of 
the  wavering  state  of  Pilate's  mind,  and, 
finding  that  he  had  begun  to  yield,  had  all 
encouragement  to  persevere.  They  knew, 
indeed,  that  they  had  no  basis  of  argument, 
but  they  knew  also  the  virtue  of  uproar. — 
And  they  cried  out  all  at  once,  saying. 
Away  Avith  this  man,  and  release  unto 
us  Barabbas.  We  maj'  imagine  a  clamor 
(like  that  at  Ephesus,  Acts  19:  28-34)  in  which 
nothing  was  heard,  for  a  length  of  time,  but 
"Away  with  him!  Give  us  Barabbas!" 
They  had  once  before  extorted  a  great  conces- 
sion from  Pilate  in  this  manner.  Josephus 
tells  us  (Antiquities,  xviii.,  3,  1),  that  when 
Pilate  had  offended  the  people,  by  placing  the 
effigies  of  the  Emperor  on  the  military  en- 
signs in  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  they  went  to 
Cesarea  and  surrounded  his  palace  with  their 
importunities  day  and  night,  holding  out 
against  threats  of  instant  death,  which  were 
backed  up  by  the  presence  of  Roman  troops, 
until  the  procurator  was  obliged  to  yield,  and 
order  the  images  removed. 

19.  The  verse  explains  the  mention  of 
Barabbas  in  the  preceding  verse.  Earabbas 
^Bar-Aba,  signifies,  probably,  son  of  a 
father,  or  Rabbi.  (Comp.  Bartim^us,  Bar- 
Jonah.)  Nothing  at  all  is  known  concerning 
him  except  what  is  told  in  the  Gospels  at  this 
place.  The  Greek  pronoun  who  (o(rTts)^"a 
man  of  such  sort  that"  indicate.'*  the  feeling 
of  the  writer.  It  appears  that  he  had  been 
concerned,  probably  as  a  leader,  in  one  of 
those  tumultuary  outbreaks  which  marked 
that  time — in  the  course  of  which  he  had 
committed  murder.     He  was  thus  in  prison, 


Ch.  XXIIL] 


LUKE. 


333 


20  Pilate  therefore,  willing  to  release  Jesus,  spake 
again  tu  them. 

21  Hut  they  cried,  saying,  Crucify  him,  crucify  him. 

22  And  he'said  unto  them  the  third  time.  Why,  what 
evil  hath  he  done?  I  have  found  no  cause  of  death  in 
him:  I  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and  let  fiiin  go. 

23  And  they  were  instant  with  loud  voices,  requiring 
that  he  might  he  crucified.  And  the  voices  of  them 
and  of  the  chief  priests  prevailed. 

2i  And  o  I'ilate  gave  sentence  that  it  should  be  as 
they  required. 

2o  And  he  released  unto  them  him  that  fi  r  sedition 
and  murder  was  cast  into  prison,  whom  they  had  de- 
sired: but  he  delivered  Jesus  to  their  will. 


20  der,  was  cast  into  prison.     And  Pilate  spake  unto 

21  theiu   again,  desiring  to   release   Jesus;    but   they 

22  shouted,  saying,  (,  rucify,  crucily  him.  And  he  said 
unto  them  the  third  time.  Why,  what  evil  hath  this 
uiau  done?  I  have  found  no  cause  of  death  in 
him:  I  will  therefore  chastise  him  and  relea.se  him. 

2;i  Hut  they  were  urgent  with  loud  voices,  asking  that 
he  might  be  crucified.  And  their  voices  prevailed. 
24  And  Pilate  gave  sentence  that  what  they  asked  for 
2.*j  should  be  done.  And  he  released  him  that  for  in- 
surrection and  murder  had  been  cast  into  prison, 
whom  they  asked  for  ;  but  Jesus  he  delivered  up  to 
their  will. 


a  Matt.  27  :  2!} ;  Murk  15 :  15  ;  Joliu  19  :  16. 


ready  to  be  punished  with  death.  Being  of 
better  parentage,  his  guilt  would  be  the 
greater;  and  it  was  probably  because  Pilate 
supposed  hiin  to  be  thought  so  very  bad  tiiat  lie 
suggested  to  them  (Matthew  and  Mark)  that 
he  would  let  loose  upon  thein  Barabbas,  if  he 
condemned  Christ.  Luke  siinjjly  assumes 
tliat  Piliite  had  proposed  to  release  Jesus  and 
keep  Barabbas.  The  others  tell  us  that  his 
suggestion  was  encouraged  by  his  knowing 
that  the  persecution  of  Jestis  arose  not  from 
ill-will  of  the  people,  but  from  the  envy 
of  the  chief  priests,  lest  the  influence  of 
Jesus  sliould  supersede  theirs.  Not  only  did 
he  not  find  the  people  falling  in  with 
tliat,  but  the  influence  of  the  leaders  was 
effectually  used  (Matt.  27:20)  to  enlist  an  obstrep- 
erous detntmdof  the  multitude  that  the  insur- 
gent murderer  should  be  released,  and  Jesus 
put  out  of  the  way.  There  may  well  have 
been  many  among  them  who  kept  aloof  from 
jiny  such  demonstration.  They  were  silent; 
iind  that  so  large  a  proportion  of  a  crowd 
which,  in  great  part,  unquestionably,  joined 
in  the  applause  and  adoration  of  Jesus  as  tlie 
Messiah  on  the  preceding  Sunday,  now  joined 
in  the  cry,  is  a  sad  illustration  of  the  pro- 
verbial fickleness  of  popular  favor. 

20.  Pilate  (omit  therefore),  willing 
{desirous)  to  release  Jesus,  spake  again 
(called  aloud)  to  them.  This  was  in  the 
midst  of  their  shouting,  when  it  would  be 
hard  to  make  himself  heard.  What  he 
wanted  to  say  was  in  the  strain  of  further 
protestation  against  wrong  to  an  innocent 
man. 

21.  It  was  of  no  use.  But  they — insti- 
gated by  the  priests,  and  many  of  them  now 
rid  of  their  transient  and  superfici.il  faith  in 
Jesus — cried  (shouted)^  ....  Crucify  him, 
crucify  him.  It  was  the  first  mention  of  this 
awful   mode  of  execution,  and  showed  how  I 


their  fury  rose  as  they  gave  it  breath,  and 
how  their  demand  of  Pilate  increased  as  they 
saw  more  clearly  that  they  could  get  what 
they  would  have. 

22.  The  judge  who  had  lost  the  oppor- 
tunity oi deciding  the  case,  by  parleying  with 
tlie  perverters  of  justice,  wastes  his  brcatii  in 
repeating  a.ssertions  of  the  innocence  of  their 
victim,  and  pro]ioses  anew  the  already  re- 
jected substitute  for  death. 

23.  And  (or.  But)  they  were  instant 
—  urgently  insisted  —  with  loud  voices, 
requiring  {nsking)  that  he  might  be  cru- 
cified. Requiring,  in  the  .sense  of  demand- 
ing, would  seem  the  appropriate  designation 
of  their  act,  but  is  not  the  natural  sense  of  the 
Greek  verb.— And  the  voices  of  them  and 
of  the  chief  priests  prevailed.  And  ot 
the  chief  priests  is  left  out  by  the  best 
authorities.  Against  reason  and  justice,  noise 
carried  the  day.  They  got,  by  sheer  pressure 
of  voices,  what  they  had  neither  argument 
for  nor  any  particle  of  proof 

24.  And  Pilate  gave  sentence  that  it 
should  be  as  they  required  (lit.,  that  mhnt 
they  asked  for  should  he  done).  A  sad  and 
shameful  verdict.  It  seemed  toourEvangeli.st 
so  perver.se  a  decision,  that  we  plainly  di.scover 
the  melancholy  interest  with  which  he  viewed 
it,  in  the  comment  of  the  next  verse. 

25.  And  he  released  unto  them  him 
that  for  sedition  (or,  insurrerfioji)  and 
murder  was  cast  into  prison,  whom  they 
had  desired;  but  he  delivered  Jesus  to 
their  will.  The  Revision  gives  the  emphatic 
arrangement  of  the  Greek:  But  Jesus  he  de- 
livered to  their  will.  And  their  will  was  Mc 
cross.  Mon.strous  preference!  to  keep  a  mur- 
derer and  destroyer  of  the  public  peace,  while 
sending  to  torture  and  death  the  Saviour  of 
human  souls— even  theirs— the  Lord  of  life 
and  glory.      At  an  early  period,  as  early  as 


334 


LUKE 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


26  "  And  as  they  led  him  away,  they  laid  hold  upon 
one  Simon,  a  Cyreuian,  coming  out  ot  the  country,  and 
on  him  they  laid  the  cross,  that  he  might  bear  it  alter 
Jesus. 

27  And  there  followed  him  a  great  company  of 
people,  and  of  women,  which  also  bewailed  and  la- 
mented him. 


And  when  they  led  him  away,  they  laid  hold  upon 
one  .Simon  of  (Jyrene,  coming  from  the  country,  and 
laid  on  him  the  cross,  to  bear  it  after  Jesus. 

And  there  followed  him  a  great  multitude  of  the 
people,  and  of  women  who  bewailed  and  lamented 


a  Matt.  27:  32;  Mark  15:  21.    See  John  19:  17. 


■Origen's  time,  there  were  copies  of  Matthew's 
Gospel,  which  had,  in  27:  17,  the  word  "Je- 
sus" before  Barabbas:  "Jesus  Barabbas,  or 
Jesus  which  is  called  the  Christ."  It  was  a 
curious  mistake,  which,  having  once  crept  into 
the  text,  presented  the  alternative  so  forcibly: 
Will  ye  have  Jesus  (the  Saviour)  Barabbas, 
or  Jesus  (the  Saviour)  that  is  called  the  Christ? 
and  would  be  so  rich  in  homiletical  sugges- 
tions that  it  naturally  became  quite  common. 
Meyer,  following  Fritsche,  and  some  other 
respectable  critics,  supposes  that  to  have  been 
the  original  reading ;  but  see  "VVestcott  and 
Hort  (Appendi.x,  p.  20),  twid  Tregelles  on  the 
passage,  who  give  ample  reasons  for  regarding 
it  as  an  interpolation.  The  events  of  this 
chapter,  hitherto,  must  have  busily  occupied 
the  time  from  5  a.  m.,  or  earlier,  until  about 
8  A.  M.  During  a  considerable  part  of  it, 
amid  all  the  movements  to  and  fro,  the  rib- 
aldry and  violence,  the  clamor  and  uproar, 
of  which  he  was  the  subject,  the  Divine  Suf- 
ferer has  not  uttered  one  recorded  word.  "As 
a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he 
•openeth  not  bis  mouth."  But  what  thoughts 
must  have  passed  through  his  mind  !  What 
feelings  must  have  torn  his  heart!  He  had 
not  closed  bis  eyes  in  sleep  during  the  pre- 
ceding night.  His  experience,  from  the  mo- 
ment ho  entered  the  garden,  had  been  of  a 
kind  most  exhausting  to  body  and  soul,  closing 
■with  that  terrible  scourging  which  Luke  alone, 
of  all  the  Evangelists,  has  left  under  the  veil 
of  silence. 

26-3*2.  The  Way  to  the  Cross. 

26.  And  as  they  led  him  away— from  the 
scene  of  the  trial  to  the  place  of  crucifixion. 
That  place  was  doubtless  the  usual  one  for  the 
execution  of  criminals,  in  which  character, 
merely,  these  who  now  had  to  deal  with  Jesus 
would  regard  him.  They  laid  hold  upon 
one  Simon,  a  Cyrenian,  coming  out  of 
the  country,  and  on  him  they  laid  the 
cross,  that  he  might  (or  to)  bear  it  after 
Jesus.  They  started  with  Jesus  bearing  his 
cross  himself  (J"hn  19:  17),  according  to  the  cus- 
tom usual  with  those  who  were  on  the  way  to 


crucifixion.  We  need  not  think  of  the  cross 
as  being  so  large  and  heavy  a  structure  as  it 
is  often  represented  in  the  pictures.  The 
scarcity  of  timber  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Jerusalem  would  hardly  allow  that,  at  least 
for  the  numbers  of  Jews  that  were  crucified 
there  sometimes  by  the  Romans.  (Jos.  Ant., 
xvii.  10,  10;  Wars  ii.  14,  9).  It  would 
contain  no  more  material  than  enough,  whe:! 
set  in  the  earth,  to  raise  a  man  clear  of  the 
ground,  and  to  support  his  weight.  It  is  not 
unlikely  that  the  perpendicular  posts  may 
have  remained  permanentlj'  fixed  in  the  place 
of  death,  and  only  the  rude  cross  timber  have 
to  be  carried  thither.  (Farrar,  L.  of  C,  ii., 
393).  But  in  the  state  of  weakness  to  which 
we  have  just  seen  the  Saviour  reduced,  even 
this  may  naturally  have  overpowered  him 
before  he  had  gone  far.  At  the  point  where 
he  was  ready  to  sink,  thej'  meet  Simon,  a 
Cyrenian — from  Cyrene,  a  country  stretch- 
ing along  the  northern  coast  of  Africa.  That 
he  was  coming  out  of  the  country,  proves 
nothing  as  to  whether  be  was  first  coming  into 
the  city,  or  was  resident  there  for  a  shorter 
time  (as  for  the  Passover),  or  for  a  longer 
period.  Whether  he  was  then  a  disciple  we 
•know  not,  but  from  the  familiar  way  in  which 
Mark  (is:  21)  speaks  of  hini  as  the  father  of 
Alexander  and  Rufus  (compare  for  the  latter, 
Rom.  16:  13),  we  judge  that  he  was  afterward 
known  as  such;  possibly  as  converted  at  this 
time.  The  names  were  too  common,  how- 
ever, to  afford  any  certainty  that  Alexander 
and  Rufus,  occurring  later  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, designate  the  same  men.  Him  the  cen- 
turion, sparing  the  citizens  of  Jerusalem, 
impressed  into  service  for  relieving  Jesus  of 
the  burden  of  the  cross. 

27.  The  great  multitude  which  followed 
probably  included,  besides  those  men  who 
gloated  over  his  sufferings,  and  would  feast 
their  eyes  with  his  death,  many  also  that 
shared  only  in  the  popular  curiosity  tha-t 
always  attends  an  execution,  modified  in  this 
case  by  wonder  as  to  what  might  happen  with 
ohe  who  had  so  lately  received  the  general 


Ch.  XXIIl.] 


LUKE. 


335 


28  But  Jesus  turning  to  tbem  said,  Daugliters  of 
Jerusalem,  weep  not  lor  lue,  bul  weep  for  yourselves, 
and  for  your  children. 

2i)  "For,  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  in  the  which 
they  shall  say.  Blessed  (iir  the  barren,  and  the  wombs 
that  never  bare,  and  the  paps  which  never  gave  suck. 

30  'Then  shall  they  begin  to  say  to  the  niouutains. 
Fall  on  us;  and  to  the  hills.  Cover  us. 

31  "For  if  they  do  these  things  in  a  green  tree,  what 
shall  be  done  in  "the  dry  ? 

32  ''Anil  thefe  were  also  two  others,  malefactors,  led 
with  him  to  be  put  to  death. 

33  And  'when  they  were  come  to  the  place,  which  is 
called  Calvary,  there  they  crucified  him,  and  the  male- 
factors, one  on  the  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  the 
left. 


28  him.  But  Jesus  turning  unto  them  said,  Daughters 
of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me,  but  weep  lor  your- 

29  selves,  and  for  ywn-  children.  For  Udiold,  the  days 
are  coming,  iu  which  they  shall  .say,  Isle.ssed  are  the 
barren,  and  the   wombs  that    never   bare,  and   the 

30  breasts  that  never  gave  suck.  Then  shall  ibey  be- 
gin to  say  to  the  mountains.  Fall  on  us  ;  and  lo  the 

31  hills.  Cover  us.  For  if  they  do  these  things  in  the 
green  tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  drv? 

32  And  there  were  also  two  others,  malefactors,  led 
with  him  to  be  put  to  death. 

33  And  when  they  came  unto  the  place  which  is 
called  '  The  skull,  there  they  crucified  him,  and  the 
malefactors,  one  on  the  right  hand  and  the  other  ou 


a  Matt.  24:  19;  ch.  21 :  23 6  I  a.  2  :  19  ;  Hosea  10:  8;  Rev.  6:  16;  9:6 c  Prov.  11 :  .11  ;  Jer.  25:  29;  Ezek.  20:  47;  21 :  3,  4  ;  1  Pel.  4:  17 

(i  Isn.  i>3:  12;  Matt.  27  :  38 eMati. 27:33;  Mark  15 :  22 ;  Jolin  19 :  17,  18. 1  According  to  (be  Latiu,  Calvary,  wbicb  lias  the  smme 

mcaniug. 


wor-sliip.  Some  at  least  must  have  felt 
sympathy  and  amazement  at  the  .strange 
fortune  through  which  their  beloved  and 
trusted  leader  was  now  passing.  But 
what  was  remembered  as  worthy  of  record 
was  the  outspoken  grief  of  women  in  the 
company,  who  bewailed— with  vehement 
gestures  of  woo — and  lamented  him.  They 
are  addressed  afterward  as  daughters  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  but  this  does  not,  from  Old  Testament 
usage,  hinder  our  supposing  tliere  were  among 
them  some  of  those  who  came  with  him  from 
Perea  and  Galilee. 

28.  This  manifestation  of  interest  in  his 
suffering,  bold  even  in  its  weakness,  had 
power  to  unseal  the  closed  lips  of  Jesus,  and 
draw  forth  a  response,  which  Luke  alone  has 
preserved  for  us,  from  the  incidents  of  that 
hour.  Weep  not  for  me,  but  weep  for 
yourselves,  and  for  your  children.  I  am 
not  to  be  pitied.  Great  as  are  my  appointed 
pains,  they  have  a  great  end  in  view;  they 
are  transient  also,  and  will  end  in  glory  and 
joy.  (Heb.  12:  2.)  But  woeful,  indeed,  is  the 
experience  which  I  foresee  for  you  and  the 
next  generation  of  this  people. 

29.  Blessed  are  the  barren,  etc.  Those 
tenderest  relations  of  parentage,  which  should 
naturally  be  an  occasion  of  the  richest  blessing, 
will,  in  the  times  of  starvation  and  slaughter 
that  are  coming,  till  life  with  anxiety',  and 
mourning,  and  horror,  and  inflict  a  sharper 
pang  on  mothers,  fiimished,  or  dying  of  vio- 
lence, as  they  think  of  the  woes  of  their 
children  left  behind. 

30.  An  application  of  the  prophecy  in 
Hosea  10:  8.  Comp.  Isa.  2:  19;  Rev.  6:  16; 
9:  6.  It  was  originally  intended  to  picture 
the  helplessness  and  despair  of  God's  enemies, 
when   they   find  the  threats  of  punishment 


which  they  have  despised  now  receiving  ful- 
fillment, perhaps  in  the  caves  and  recesses  of 
the  mountains,  to  which  tliey  liave  fled  for  un- 
availing slielter.  All  tliis  would  be  eminently 
fulfilled  in  tlie  near  history  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion ;  and  the  more  dreadfully,  by  rea.<on  of 
this  crowning  crime  of  crucifying  their  Mes- 
siah. 

31.  The  aim  of  this  obscure  verse  is  evi- 
dently— for — to  confirm  the  prediction  just  ut- 
tered. The  green  tree  represents  the  innocent 
and  holy  Saviour  in  the  spirituality  and  vigor 
of  his  life ;  the  dry  tree,  the  morally  dead  and 
sapless  people,  typified  by  the  fig-tree,- bla.sted 
by  his  word,  four  days  ago.  The  figure  in- 
volved in  the  verse,  lies  in  the  comparative 
facility  with  which  fire,  the  .symbol  of  wnith, 
kindles  upon  a  dry  tree  and  a  green.  If  they, 
these  wicked  rulers,  so  easily  vent  their  wrath 
on  me,  what  will  be  done  to  them  by  God ! 

3  2.  It  is  probable  that  Pilate,  having  two 
criminals  awaiting  execution,  took  this  (Oppor- 
tunity to  put  them  to  death,  as  much  to  sig- 
nif3'  his  contempt  for  the  Jews  and  their 
.solemn  feast-day,  as  for  the  convenience  of 
disposing  of  three  cases  at  once.  He  was,  un- 
consciously, fulfilling  the  prophecy:  "And  he 
made  his  grave  with  the  wicked,"  "And  he 
was  numbered  with  the  transgressors."  (i«a. 53: 
912).  It  has,  not  without  some  force,  been 
urged  by  those  who  hold  this  Friday  to  have 
been  only  the  preparation  for  the  Pas.sover, 
that  the  scribes,  however  ready  to  allow  the 
death  of  Jesus  to  be  perpetrated,  would  not, 
without  remonstrance,  have  suffered  the  great 
Paschal  Sabbath  to  be  defiled  by  ordinary  ex- 
ecutions. 

33-38.  Jesu.s  Raised  Upon  the  Cross, 
AND  Again  Mocked. 

33.  And  when  they  were  come  to  the 


336 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


place,  which  is  called  Calvary  (or,  The 
skull).  The  local  and  vernacular  name  was 
Golgotha,  as  given  in  the  other  Gospels.  This 
signified,  in  the  Aramaean  tongue,  a  skull, 
the  Greek  word  for  which  was  naturally  used 
by  Luke.  That  was  the  meaning  of  the  Latin 
word  Gdoaria,  also,  which  served  to  translate 
the  Greek  in  the  earl^^  Latin  versions,  and  so 
came  into  the  early  English  versions  from  the 
Latin.  Tlie  name  was  probably  applied  to  the 
place  before  us  from  some  resemblance  of  form 
to  that  of  the  crown  of  the  skull.  If  so,  that  is 
the  only  intimation  of  any  "hill"  there — 
(•'hill  of  Calvary") — even  of  the  slightest  ele- 
vation. We  can  say  nothing  further  concern- 
ing the  locality  than  what  the  Scripture  itself 
aftbrds  us,  with  any  certaint3' whatever.  From 
Hebrews  18:  12,  we  infer  that  it  was  "  without 
the  gate,"  and  John  19:  20  tells  us  that  "the 
place  where  Jesus  was  crucified  was  nigh  to 
the  city."  That  is  all  we  can  know  as  to 
its  distance  from,  or  its  relations  to,  the 
city.  In  that  locality,  there  was  a  gar- 
den, and  in  the  garden,  a  tomb  (John i9: 41). 
Accordingly,  we  find  in  the  present  city  of 
Jerusalem  a  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre, 
which  conveniently  shows  under  its  one  roof 
the  cave  of  the  entombment,  and  the  place 
where  the  cross  stood.  The  evidence  in  favor 
of  that  being  the  place  is  as  trustworthy  as  that 
which  abounds  in  Koman  Catholic  churches  in 
favor  of  the  genuineness  of  pieces  of  the  "true 
cross,"  or  of  a  bone  of  John  the  Baptist.  The 
arguments  pro  and  con  may  be  seen  balanced 
in  Smith,  Diet,  of  Bib.,  Art.  Palestine;  Rob- 
inson's Bib.  Geography ;  and  Ritter's  Geog.  of 
Pnl.,  Gage's  Translation. — There  they  cru- 
cified him — meaning  here,  precisely,  raised 
him  upon  the  cros.s.  It  is  well,  once  for  all,  to 
consult  a  full  description  of  the  punishment  by 
the  cross,  in  any  good  Bible  Dictionary,  or  in 
a  work  on  Jewish  Antiquities,  as  Jahn's 
Arehceology.  It  was  not,  properly,  a  Jewish 
practice,  but,  derived  from  the  East,  and  from 
the  Semites  of  Northern  Africa,  it  had  be- 
come common  through  the  Macedonian  and 
Roman  Empires.  It  was  employed  only  in 
the  case  of  the  most  desperate  criminals,  and 
of  slaves.  The  cross  was,  as  we  have  described 
it  on  verse  26;  yet  some  report  that,  instead  of 
the  single  cross-piece,  on  which  the  arms  were 
stretched,  two  pieces  were  sometimes  used,  so 
fitted  to  the  post  that  the  arms  extended  ob- 
liquely forward.     See  Geikie,  Life  of  Christ, 


ii.,  558.  In  the  middle  of  the  upright  stick 
was  fixed  a  stout  peg,  astride  of  which  the  suf- 
ferer was  relieved  of  a  part  of  the  excruciating 
burden  upon  his  hands.  Sometimes,  as  it  ap- 
pears, he  was  attached  to  the  cross  before  that 
was  set  in  the  ground;  but,  usually,  not  till 
afterward.  The  hands  were  nailed  to  the 
cross  bar,  the  feet  (whether  separately?)  to 
the  upright  below.  Wmer,  Realworterbuch, 
Art.  Kreuzzigung,  strongly  maintains,  how- 
ever, that  the  feet  were  not,  ordinarily,  pinned, 
but  only  bound.  His  citations  should  be  crit- 
ically compared  with  those  of  John.  In  the 
case  of  strong  men,  in  full  vitality,  death 
might  not  follow  from  this  infliction  for  sev- 
eral days;  not,  indeed,  until  hunger  produced 
it.  From  the  first  moment,  however,  the  pain 
of  the  lacerated  limbs;  the  impeded  circula- 
tion through  the  whole  distorted  frame;  the 
fever,  and  naked  exposure  to  -the  weather, — 
were  trials  such  as  to  make  death  seem  a  bless- 
ing, and  to  insure  its  arrival,  in  most  cases,  in 
two  or  three  days.  It  is  a  truly  horrible  fate 
to  think  of,  in  the  case  even  of  malefactors, 
such  as  those  who  were  to  sufl'er  on  either  side 
of  Jesus,  and  supposing  them  to  have  been 
the  worst  wretches  that  ever  ravaged  human 
society.  "When  we  would  mention  it  in  con- 
nection with  our  gracious  Lord,  whose  whole 
life  was  one  of  stainless  innocence,  of  perfect 
righteousness,  of  self-sacrificing  kindness  to- 
ward all  men,  the  pen  refuses  to  complete  the 
description.  Yet  it  is  well,  sometimes,  to 
dwell  upon  the  facts  which  are  intimated  in 
the  trite  phrase,  "the  sufl^'erings  of  Christ," 
and  when  we  say  we  believe  that  "he  suf- 
fered under  Pontius  Pilate."  Suffered — what? 
Happily,  we  need  not  and  cannot  comprehend 
it  all  ;  but  we  may  profitably  remember  that, 
with  all  that  infinite  physical  anguish,  the 
holy  soul  of  our  Saviour  grieved  at  a  fate  so 
contrary  to  his  proper  desert — almost  forsaken 
by  friends,  the  laughing  stock  of  his  foes,  and 
under  that  unimaginable  consciousness  that  he 
was  enduring  it  all  as  the  representative  of  a 
sinful  race,  even  of  those  who  were  putting 
him  to  death — dying  thus  himself,  that  they 
might  not  eternally  die.  One  touch  of  mercy 
seems  to  have  been  given  to  the  Crucifixion  by 
the  Romans,  or,  possibly,  by  Jewish  compas- 
sion, but  of  which  Jesus  chose  not  to  share  the 
intended  advantage.  They  were  accustomed 
to  give  to  the  condemned  person  a  stupefying 
potion  before  he  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  that 


Ch.  XXIII.] 


LUKE. 


337 


.14  Then  said  Jesus,  Father,  "forgive  theiu;  for  they  34  the  left.  >Anil  .lesus  .said,  Father,  lort;ive  them;  for 
know  not  wliat  they  Jo.  And  'they  parted  his  raiment,  >  tliey  know  not  wliat  they  do.  And  ]iartin){  liis'(;ar- 
and  cast  lot.s.  ;  :}5  nient.s  amonK  them,  tln.-v  exst  loi.s.     .Vnd  the  [H-iiple 

Vi  And  "tliepeoplestood  heholdinj;.    And  the ''rulers  i        sioimI  beholding.    And  the  riders  also  >cotled  ai  h>i 


also  with  tluni  derided  A/zh,  saying.'He  saved  others 
let  him  save  hiniself,  if  he  be  Christ,  the  chosen  of  (iod. 
M  And  the  .soldiers  also  mucked  him,  coming  tu  him, 
and  oflferiug  him  vinegar, 


saying.  He  saved   others;    let  him  save  hlin>ell',  l/ 
36  this  is  the  C  hrist  of  t.od,  his  chosen.     And  the  si  I- 
diers  aUu  mocked  him,  coming  to  him,  oileriug  liiiu 


a  Matt.  5:  44;  Act«  7 :  60 ;  1  C>'r.  4 :  12 b  Acts  3 :  17 c  Mart.  27  :  35;  Mark  15:  24;  John  19;  23 d  Pn.  22;  17;  Z«ch.  12:  10 a  Matt. 

27  :  39 ;  Mark  15  ;  i9. 1  Sume  ancient  auihiiritien  oiuii,  And  Jetut  said,  Father,  /orgivt  them  ;  for  they  know  not  icAa(  they  do. 


liis  susceptibility  to  pain  might  be  diminished. 
It  WHS  a  mixture  of  the  juice  or  extract  of 
some  bitter  herb  with  myrrh,  in  wine;  and 
tliis,  according  to  Matthew  and  Marie,  was 
ottered  to  Jesus  the  first  thing,  but  refused  by 
him.  lie  would  pass  through  his  appointed 
trial  with  faculties  clear,  and  all  his  powers  in 
full  exercise. 

34.  Then  said  Josiis,  Father,  forgive 
them;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do. 
This  was  probably  sj)oken  at  the  moment 
when  they  began  their  horrid  task  of  torture. 
He  must  have  had  reference,  not  to  the  Koman 
soldiers,  who  wereactutilly  inflicting  the  pain, 
but  to  those  Jewish  scribes  and  priests  who 
were  virtually  doing  it,  as  they  were  actually 
gloating  over  it.  That  Jesus  should,  even  in 
that  extreme  agony,  pray  for  those  who  were 
j)ersecuting  him  unto  the  death,  is  a  sublime, 
but  not  iimazing,  exhibition  of  the  spirit 
which    he   ever    inculcated  on    his   followers 

(M.itt.  5:  44;   compare  Isa.  53:  12);    but  it  haS  iu  all  ageS 

seemed  strange  to  many  that  he  could  stiy 
they  knew  not  what  they  were  doing.  Yet 
Peter,  addressing  a  part  of  this  same  com- 
pany (Acts 3.  17),  said,  "I  wot  that  through 
ignorance  ye  did  it,  as  did  also  your  rulers." 
In  neither  case  was  the  statement  intended  to 
clear  them  from  blame.  It  purported  only 
that,  blinded  by  prejudice  and  self-interest, 
or,  naturally  influenced  by  leaders  who  were 
so,  they  understood  not  clearly  that  they  were 
murdering  their  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God. 
This  was  the  first  of  the  seven  "words"  or 


John  (19:23.24)  gives  the  detail  of  their  pro- 
ceedings. Luke  summarily  says  that  they  dis- 
tributed all  by  lot. 

35.  And  the  people  stood  beholding. 
They  are  not  said  to  have  derided  him.  More 
humane  and  sympathetic,  apparently,  than 
the  cla.ss  above  them,  they  looked  on  with 
wonder,  and  many,  we  may  be  assured,  with 
grief;  contrasting  this  end  with  what  their 
crude  hopes  had  promised  five  days  before. 
And  the  rnlcrs  also  (omit  with  them)  de- 
rided him — as  well  as  looked  with  the  peo- 
ple. Derided — ^jeered;  the  Greek  denotes 
the  most  intense  mockery.  See  on  ch.  10:  14. 
They  added  to  derisive  looks  and  gestures, 
taunting  words;  saying,  He  saved  others; 
let  him  save  himself,  if  he  be  Christ, 
the  chosen  of  God.  The  Ki'-vision  reads 
properly,  "The  Christ  of  God,  his  chosen." 
The  he  was  ironically  emphatic.  Saved— in 
the  mouths  of  these  people— meant  no  more 
than  deliverance  from  pains  and  bodily  evils. 
In  that  view  there  was  it  certain  point  in  their 
ridicule.  Little  did  they  imagine  that  only 
hy  thus  suffering  unto  death  could  their  inno- 
cent victim  become,  in  the  highest  sense,  a 
Saviour,  "the  authorof  eternal  salvation"  to 
those  who  should  be  willing  to  suffer  with 
him.  Their  taunt  became  very  familiar  to 
his  discijiles,  as  it  was  repeated  wherever  they 
went,  in  the  first  ages— the  absurdity  of  pre- 
senting as  j\  Saviour,  one  who  had  died  on 
the  cross. 

3G.  And  the  soldiers  also— Romans  and 


utterances  of  Jesus  on  the  cross.  Of  these  heathen,  as  well  as  Jews — mocked  him — 
Luke  gives  three  (a<id  vcr.  43,  4r.),  all  additional  mailc  sj^ort  of  him — coming  to  him,  and 
to  what  are  preserved  in  the  other  Gospel.s.  offering  him  vinegar.  There  may  prob- 
The  other  four  are — John  19:  20;  ""Woman,  ably  have  been  three  quaternions  of  the  sol- 
behold  thy  son"  ;  Matthew '27:  40;  Mark  15:  diers,  one  for  each  cross.  To  their  hardened 
34,  "Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani?"  John  10:  1  souls,  yet  not  harder  than  the  .Jewish  priests, 
28,  "I  thirst";    and  19:    30,   "  It  is  finished.  '  no  dignity  was  sacred,  all  suffering  was  simply 


And  they  parted  his  raiment,  and  cast 
lots.  Comjiare  Revision.  The  persi^n  cruci- 
fied was  usually  stripped  naked  ;  and  the  four 
soldiers  that  carried  out  the  execution  of  each 
victim  regarded  his  clothes  as  their  perquisite. 


W 


food  for  laughter.  They,  accordingly,  had 
their  own  brutal  way  of  making  amusement 
out  of  the  most  exquisite  agony  that  was  ever 
known.  Being  aware  that  Jesus  was  suffer- 
ing as  one  called  King,  they  came  with  mock 


338 


LUKE. 


[Cii.  XXIII. 


37  And  saying,  If  thou  be  the  King  of  the  Jews,  save 
thyself. 

38  "And  a  superscription  also  was  written  over  him 
in  letters  of  Greek,  and  Latin,  and  Hebrew,  THIS  IS 
THE  KIN(;  OF  THE  JEWS. 

:W  'And  one  of  the  malefactors  which  were  hanged 
railed  on  him,  saying.  If  thou  be  Christ,  save  thyself 
and  us. 

40  But  the  other  answering  rebuked  him,  saying.  Dost 
not  thou  fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condem- 
nation ? 

41  And  we  indeed  justly;  for  we  receive  the  due 


37  vinegar,  and  saying.  If  thou  art  the  King  of  the 

38  Jews,  save  thyself.     And  there  was   also  a  super- 
scription over  him,  this  is  the  kinu  of  the  jews. 

39  .    And   one   of   the   malefactors  that   were   hanged 
railed  on  him,  saying.  Art  not  thou  the  Christ?  save 

40  thyself  and  us.     But  the  other  answered,  and  re- 
buking him  said.  Dost  thou  not  even  fear  God,  see- 

4-1  ing  thou  art  in  the  same  condemnation?    And  we 
indeed  justly ;  lor  we  receive  the  due  reward  of  our 


a  Matt.  27 :  37  ;  Mark  15 :  26 ;  John  19 :  19 6  Matt.  27 :  44 ;  Mark  15 :  32. 


reverence,  offering  him  vinegar,  i.  e.,  the 
soured  wine  of  their  own  drink,  mingled  with 
water.  At  a  hvter  hour  (Matt.  27:  48),  some  one, 
moved  with  real  compassion,  reached  to  his 
mouth  a  sponge  filled  with  vinegar,  that  he 
might  ta.ste  it,  if  he  would;  but  now  they 
brought  it  before  him,  tantalizing  him,  if  pos- 
sible, with  the  sight  of  what  he  could  not 
touch.     It  was  a  savage  jest. 

37.  They  here  took  up  the  gibe  of  the  Jews 
(rer.  .15),  and  handed  it  down  in  the  Gentile 
line — a  stumbling-block  to  Jews,  and  to  Greeks 
foolishness,  (icor.  1:23.) 

38.  And  a  superscription  also  was 
written  over  him.  .  .  .  This  is  the  King 
of  the  Jews.  This  had  probably  been  at- 
tached to  the  upper  extremity  of  the  cross, 
over  his  head,  immediately  when  Jesus  was 
raised  upon  it.  It  had  been  written  by  Pilate 
himself,  or  by  his  order  (John  i9: 19).  Mark 
(15:  je)  speaks  of  it  as  a  customary  thing;  and 
it  is  known  to  have  been  usual  to  carry  a  sign 
before  the  condemned,  stating  his  offence,  or 
(perhaps,  also)  to  have  it  proclaimed  by  a 
crier.  Luke  mentions  the  inscription  here, 
either  to  show  why  the  soldiers  addressed  Christ 
as  King  of  the  Jews,  or,  more  probably,  as  an 
additional  feature  of  the  mockery.  The  dif- 
ferent forms  of  the  "title"  in  the  Four  Evan- 
gelists, may  be  accounted  for,  largely,  by  the 
variations  of  expression  for  the  one  thought  in 
the  three  languages  (.Tohni9:20)  in  which  it  had 
been  written.  Luke  might  have  rendered  lit- 
erally into  Greek  an  Aramtean  sentence,  KrxG 
OF  THK  Jkws,  he  (the  is  is  not  expressed  in 
the  Greek).  "He,"  thus  used,  would  be  likely 
to  convey  a  shade  of  contempt  (often  given  in 
our  Gospels  as  "this  felloto").  This  was  in- 
tended by  Pilate  as  an  insult  to  the  Jews,  who, 
when  they  saw  the  aim  of  his  sentence,  would 
realize  that  in  yielding  to  them  he  had  given 
them  again  a  dagger  stab.  See  Josephus, 
Antlq.,  xviii.  3,  2.  Hence  their  vain  petition 
.to  Pilate  (John  19 :  21, 22)  that  it  might  be  changed. 


39-43.  The  Penitent  Malefactor. 

39.  And  one  of  the  malefactors  Avhich 
were  hanged  railed  on  him.  Were  hanged 

intimates  simply  the  suspended  position  of  one 
on  the  cross.  Matthew  and  Mark  speak  in  the 
plural,  of  "  the  thieves  also  which  were  cruci- 
fied with  him,"  "they  that  were  crucified 
with  him,"  as  having  reproached  him.  From 
this,  it  is  probable  that,  at  first,  both  taunted 
him.  It  was  evidently  brought  into  the  early 
and  commonly  diffused  account  as  another 
instance,  and  an  eminent  one,  of  the  obloquy 
vented  on  Jesus  by  passers  by,  by  priests  and 
scribes,  by  soldiers,  and  now  by  fellow-suf- 
ferers. With  that  aspect  of  the  case,  the  first 
two  Gospels  stop,  especially  as  these  were  both 
only  malefactors,while  Luke,  in  his  researches, 
found  the  additional  fact  here  following,  for 
which  the  world  must  ever  remain  indebted  to 
his  truly  catholic  Gospel.— If  thou  be  Christ 
(or,  in  the  true  text.  Art  not  thou  the  Christ), 
save  thyself  and  us.  This  might,  in  itself, 
be  understood  as  no  worse  than  an  impatient 
and  faithless  appeal  to  Jesus,  on  the  ground 
of  his  Messiahship,  to  save  them  from  their 
wretched  condition.  But  the  thou  has,  in  the 
Greek,  a  sarcastic  tone,  and  the  statement  of 
the  narrator,  as  well  as  the  comment  of  the 
other  felon,  shows  that  it  was  spoken  (comp. 
ver.  35,  37)  in  ridicule. 

40.  But  the  other — now,  at  least,  fully 
convinced  of  the  Messiahship  of  his  com- 
panion in  distress  —  answering,  rebuked 
him,  saying.  The  rebuke  consisted  in 
what  follows:  Dost  not  thou  —  an  echo  of 
"thou"  in  the  other's  question  to  Jesus  — 
(even)  fear  God — not  even  fear  him,  to  say 
nothing  of  repentance  and  praj'er  to  him  — 
seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condemna- 
tion— under  a  sentence  of  death,  and  there- 
fore about  to  stand  before  God. 

41.  And  we  indeed  justly — stand  in  this 
condemnation— for  we  receive  the  due  re- 
Avard  of  our  deeds.     It  has  been,  not  un- 


Ch.  XXII  L] 


LUKE. 


339 


reward  of  our  deeds:  but  this  man  bath  done  nothing 
aiuisii. 

■12  And  lie  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord,  remember  me  when 
thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom. 

43  And  Jesus  said  unto  liim,  Verily  I  say  unto  thee, 
To  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise. 

44  "And  it  was  about  the  sixth  hour, and  there  was 
a  darkness  over  all  the  earth  until  the  ninth  hour. 


42  deeds :  but  this  man  hath  done  nothing  amiss.   And 
ho  said,  Jesus,  remember  me  when  thou  comest  Un 

43  thy  kingdom.     And  be  said  unto  bim,  Verily  I  say 
unto  thee,  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  I'arudise. 

44  And  it  was  now  about  the  sixth  hour,  and  a  dark- 
ness came  over  the  whole  -laud  until  the  ninth 


a  Matt,  27  :  45  ;  Mark  15 :  33. 1  Some  aucUat  authorltiei  read,  inCa  thy  kingdom 2  Or,  earth. 


reasonably,  conjectured  that  these  "robbers" 
had  been  concerned  in  the  affair  with  Harab- 
bas,  which  involved  "  in.surrection  and  mur- 
der." But  this  man  hath  done  nothing 
amiss.  Not  only  has  committed  no  crime, 
done  no  wrong,  as  against  any  human  law, 
but  has  done  nothing  amiss,  bad,  improper. 
This  defence  of  Jesus  supposes  much  more 
knowledge  of  him  than  what  the  speaker  could 
have  gathered  on  this  scene,  as  still  more  evi- 
dently does  his  praj'er  which  follows.  From 
the  wide  publicity  of  Christ's  travels  and 
teaching,  through  the  country  as  well  as  the 
city  and  towns,  nothing  is  more  supposable 
than  that  the  man  had  heard  him  speak,  and 
got  some  idea  of  his  principles,  claims,  and 
promises. 

42.  And  he  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord, 
remember  me  when  thou  comest  into 
(in)  thy  kingdom.  Into  is  unwarranted 
by  the  text  used  by  the  translators  of  1011. 
They  should  have  written  in.  Westcott 
and  Hort  have  now  adopted  "into,"  but  on 
hardly  convincing  authority.  It  is  not  possi- 
ble to  overestimate  the  clearness  and  strength 
of  faith  which  could  lead  the  man  witli  .such 
earnestness  to  recognize  in  his  fellow-sufferer 
a  king,  who  was  afterward  to  reappear  in 
royal  majesty.  He  even  commits  his  eternal 
interests  into  that  king's  hands.  The  thought 
of  his  prayer  was,  probably,  "in  the  gathering 
together  of  thy  subjects,  when  thou  comest 
again  in  royal  power,  to  condemn  and  to  save, 
do  not  forget  to  call  me  from  the  grave,  and 
place  me  among  thy  redeemed."  It  was,  in 
his  mind,  a  distant  blessing  for  which  he  thus 
humbly  prayed.  As  given  in  the  Common 
Version,  supported  by  Westcott  and  Hort, 
the  sense  of  the  prayer  might,  in  consistency 
with  the  circDiinstances,  probably  be,  "When 
thou  comest  back  into  thy  promised  reign  as 
Messiah  on  the  earth,  forget  not  to  let  me 
share  in  its  blessings." 

43.  In  granting  his  prayer,  Jesus  assures 
him,  not  of  a  far  distant,  but  an  immediate, 
blessing.     Verily  I  say  unto  thee.  To-day 


shaft  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise. 
To-day  has  the  place  of  (.'mphasis.  The  sum 
of  the  promise  is,  "I  will  remember  thee 
then  ;  and,  as  the  earnest  of  it,  thou  shalt  at 
once  be  with  me  in  the  region  of  the  bies.sed 
dead."— Paradise— a  word  of  Persian,  or  Ar- 
menian, origin,  meant,  probably,  a  pleasure- 
garden,  or  beautiful  park.  Traii.sferrod  into 
the  later  Hebrew,  it  is  translated  "orchard" 
(Caot. 4:  13),  "garden"  (bcci.2:5),  "forest"  (stk. 
2:8),  and,  spelled  in  Greek  letters,  as  here,  it 
is  used  in  the  Septuagint  to  translate  the 
Hebrew  for  "garden,"  as  the  "Garden  of 
Eden."  Thus  it  was  freely  adopted  to  denote 
a  place  of  delight;  and  we  find  it  in  the  later 
portions  of  the  New  Testament  as  a  synonym 
for  heaven,  or  at  least  some  part  of  the  imme- 
diate honieof  God  (2Cor.i2:  4;  EeT.2:  7) — "para- 
dise of  God."  Some  think  that  to  be  the  ref- 
erence here;  but,  as  Acts  2:  31  (comp.  Aots2: 27; 
1  Pet.  3 :  18, 19)  sBems  plainly  to  teach  that 
Jesus  spent  the  interval  between  his 
death  and  resurrection  in  the  world  of  the 
dead,  or  at  least  went  directly  thither,  it  is 
generally  thought  more  likely  that  in  our 
passage  Paradise  is,  rather,  that  sphere  of 
Hades— the  general  receptacle  of  the  dead— in 
which  the  saints  are  happy  in  "Abraham's 
bosom."  See  note  on  ch.  16:  23.  Certain 
early  church  Fathers,  following  .Jewish  spec- 
ulations, supposed  the  Garden  of  Eden  .«tiil  to 
exist  as  a  scene  of  extra-mundane  felicity, 
neither  in  heaven  nor  on  earth.  (Griiym, 
Clavis,  s.  V.)  The  penitent  on  the  cross  would 
understand  it  in  the  sense  common  among  his 
countrymen  at  that  time.  Indeed,  if  Christ 
had  spoken  directly  in  Greek,  the  language 
used  here  would  naturally  have  reached  the 
allegorical  meaning,  consciously,  through  the 
literal  and  primary  :  To-day  wilt  thou  be  with 
me  in  the  pleasure-garden  (iv  tu  napaSeiiru). 

44-49.  The  Last  Scene.  Mid-day 
Darkness,  A  Silence  of  Three  Hours, 
Broken  Only  by  an  Expiring  Word. 

44.  And  it  was  (now)  about  the  sixth 
hour — 12  M,    Our  Lord  had  been  three  hours 


340 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


45  And  the  sun  was  darkened,  and  "the  veil  of  the 
temple  was  rent  in  the  midst. 

46  And  when  Jesus  had  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  he 
said,  ''father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit: 
•=  and  having  said  tlius,  he  gave  up  the  ghost. 


45  hour,  'the  sun's  light  failing:  and  the  veil  of  the 

4()  2  temple  was  rent  in  the  midst.    <*And  Jesus,  crying 

with  a  loud  voice,  said,  Father,  into  thy   hands   I 

commend  my  spirit:  and  having  said  this,  be  gave 


oMuU.  27:51;  Mark  15:  38 6  Ps.  :il :  5 ;  lPei,.2;'23 c  Matt.   27:  50;  Mark  15:  37;   Ji>lin  19:  30.— 

sanctuary 3  Or,  A7id  when  Jesus  had  cried  ivith  a  loud  voice,  he  said. 


-1  Gr.  the  sun /ailing 2  Or, 


on  the  cross  (Mark  15:25),  and  the  agony  from 
his  wounds,  and  the  distorted  posture  in 
which  he  hung,  might  have  made  further 
speech  impossible.  And  there  was  a  dark- 
ness over  all  the  earth  (better,  the  whole 
land)  until  the  ninth  hour.  How  must  all 
mockery  and  jeering  have  been  turned  into 
amazement  and  fear!  The  secondary  cause 
of  it,  if  there  was  any,  cannot  be  known. 
The  elBcient  cause  was  God's  power,  exerted 
so  as  to  veil  from  human  eyes  the  closing 
pains  of  his  own  dear  Son. 

45.  And  the  sun  was  darkened  (rather, 
the  fiun's  light  failing).  This  adds  to  the  pre- 
ceding statement  of  the  fact  of  darkness,  sim- 
ply that  it  was  due  to  a  darkening  of  the  sun, 
by  which  light  was  cut  off  everywhere.  Or,  is 
the  thought  of  the  writer  that  darkness  spread 
over  the  face  of  the  earth  so  dense  and  broad 
that  the  sun  itself  was  hidden  from  view? 
The  text  followed  by  the  Kevision  is  clear  of 
ambiguity,  and  assigns  a  true  cause  of  the  dark- 
ness. "The  sun's  light" — or,  more  directly, 
"the  sun  failing."  The  terms  used  are  those 
appropriate  in  Greek  to  signify  an  eclipse ; 
but  might  be  used  to  mark  an  effect  like  that 
of  an  eclipse,  without  asserting  that  the  moon 
then  shut  out  the  light.  That,  of  course, 
would  be  an  imposibility  at  the  Passover  sea- 
son, when  the  moon  was  full.  It  is  difficult 
to  decide  between  the  texts  ;  but  the  authority 
for  the  latter  seems  at  least  fully  equal  to 
that  against  it.  No  explanation  of  the  fact, 
however,  which  attempted  to  do  away  with 
its  miraculous  character,  would  be  consistent 
with  the  earthquake,  the  torn  veil  of  the 
temple,  the  rending  of  the  rocks,  and  burst- 
ing of  tombs  (Matt.27:5i,  ff.) — all  in  sympathy 
with  the  Divine  Sufferer  on  the  cross.  And 
the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  the 
midst.  This  veil  was  the  great  and  splendid 
curtain  which  served  in  part  as  the  partition, 
in  the  temple,  between  the  inner  shrine, 
"holy  of  holies,"  and  the  outer  sanctuary,  in 
which  some  priest  must  visit  the  altar  of  in- 
cense every  day.  Beyond  that  dividing  veil 
had  betin  the  ark,  in  the  tabernacle,  and  in  the 
first  temple,  and  the  cherubim  over  the  ark, 


the  seat  of  the  Shechinah,  whither  only  the 
high  priest  could  ever  penetrate,  and  he  only 
once  in  the  year,  to  make  atonement  for  the 
sins  of  the  people.  The  tearing  of  that  veil 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  in  connection  with 
the  death  of  Christ,  was  suited  better  than 
anything  else  imaginable  to  shadow  forth  the 
end  of  the  office  of  the  earthly  high  priest, 
and  the  opening  of  a  new  and  living  way,  by 
which  every  one,  through  Christ's  all  suffi- 
cient sacrifice,  may  approach  the  very  throne 
of  God  for  himself.  This  event  took  place 
near  the  end  of  the  three  hours  of  darkness. 
Luke  mentions  no  word  spoken  during  this 
awful  interval,  and  we  can  only  dimly 
imagine  what  thoughts  and  feelings  occupied 
the  mind  of  our  Lord.  From  the  finst  two 
Gospels  we  may  gather  something  of  the  in- 
tensity of  his  distress,  by  their  one  recorded 
utterance :  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me!"  Such  was  his  sense  of  aban- 
donment and  solitariness  in  that  dreadful 
gloom  ;  so  intolerable  and  overwhelming  were 
his  pains  of  body  and  mind ;  that  for  the  mo- 
ment, while  we  must  believe  that  his  Father 
had  never  been  more  well  pleased  in  him,  it 
was  to  him  as  if  God  had  utterly  forsaken 
him,  and  left  him  without  sympathy  or 
aid.  See  the  valuable  notes  on  that  passage 
in  Doctor  W.  N.  Clarke's  Commentai-y  on 
Mark,  in  this  series.  It  might  have  been 
about  that  time  that  there  was  extorted  from 
him  the  one  only  expression  of  natural  in- 
firmity— "I  thirst"  (Johni9:z8).  Somcwhat 
later  the  darkness  echoed  the  words  "It  is 
finished,"  and  the  scene  closes  with  a  sentence 
which  Luke  alone  records. 

46.  And  when  Jesus  had  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  he  said  —  rather.  And  crying 
with  a  land  voice,  Jesus  said.  It  was  the  last 
effort  of  dissolving  nature.  Not  as  if  he  were 
yet  in  full  strength ;  we  have  seen  reasons 
above  why,  phj'sicallj',  Jesus  could  not  be  ex- 
pected long  to  survive  that  accumulation  of 
sufferings;  but  as  is  often  seen  that,  just  be- 
fore a  lingering  death,  the  remnant  of  life 
blazes  forth  in  one  supreme  effort,  so  Jesus, 
with  a  full  and  distinct  voice,  uttered  these 


Ch.  XXIII.] 


LUKE. 


341 


47  "Now  when  the  centurion  saw  what  was  done,  he 
glorified  God,  saying,  Certaiuly  this  was  a  righteous 
uiau. 

4.H  And  all  the  people  that  came  together  to  that  sight, 
beholding  the  things  which  were  done,  smote  their 
breast ;,  and  returned. 

4!i  'Aud  all  his  acquaintance,  and  the  women  that 
followed  him  from  Oalilee,  stood  afar  off,  beholding 
these  things. 


47  up  the  ghost.  And  when  the  centurion  saw  what 
was  done,  he  glorified  (iod,  saying.  Certainly   mis 

48  was  a  righteous  man.  And  all  tlie  multitudes  that 
came  t  gether  to  this  sight,  when  they  beheld  the 
things    tliat    were    done,    returned    smiling    tlieir 

49  breasts.  And  all  his  acquaintance,  and  the  women 
that  followed  with  him  Irom  Galilee,  stood  afar  olf, 
seeing  these  things. 


a  Matt.  27:  54;  .Mark  15:  39 6  Ps.  38:  11;  Matt.  27  :  55;  Mark  15:  <0.    See  Johu  19:  38. 


last  words:  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  coni> 
mend  my  spirit.     It  is  the  language  now  of 
calm  and  filial  trust  in  a  Father  consciously 
present.     "I  intrust  to  thy  cliarge  and  dispo- 
sition that  life  which  I  received  of  thee,  and 
which  has  accomjilished  thy  appointed  work, 
borne  all  thy  holy  will."     Spirit  is,  here,  the 
principle  of  life.     Conip.  ch.  8:  55;  James  2: 
26. — And  having  said  thus  (rather,  this),  he 
gave  up  the  ghost  (or,  he  expired).    That,  of 
course,    is    what    the    verb    here,    translated 
strictly,  means;  but  the  translators  and  re- 
visers have,  perhaps,  been  moved  to  retain  it 
in  this  passage,   and  in  Mark  15:  37,  39,   in- 
stead of  giving  its  direct  sense,  to  favor  the 
idea  that  Jesus  gave  up  his  life  in  some  other 
sense  than  that  in  which  Stephen,  or  Paul,  or 
John   yielded  his.     It   is,  indeed,   noticeable 
that  both  the  expre-ssions  for  Christ's  decease 
("gave  up   the   ghost,"  Matthew  and   John) 
avoid  the  usual  word,  "died."     This,  we  sup- 
pose, is  not  so  much  because  they  thought  of 
what  he  had  said  in  John  10:  18,  but  because 
they   thought  of   him,   in  an  altogether  pe- 
culiar way,   as  alive  even  in  death  ;    he  was 
dead,  and  is  alive,  and  liveth  forevermore.    In 
the   death   of  our  Lord,  moreover,   it   is   in- 
volved, necessarily,  that  there  was  a  unique 
consent  of  his  will  to  the  will  of  his  Father, 
known  beforehand,  that  he  should  thus  die. 
But  this   must  be  so  thought    of  as  to   dis- 
tinguish   it    from    everything   like    the    vol- 
untary  shortening  of  his  stay  in  life.    How 
terrible,  even  to  our  apprehension,  was  that 
misery,  in  view  of  which,  prolonged  through 
those  hours  of  agony,  we  breathe  more  freely, 
knowing  that  the  Son  of  man  is  dead!     His 
pains  are  ended,  and  he  has  entered  into  "the 
joy  that  was  set  before  him."     By  this  one 
sacrifice  of  himself,  all  other  sacrifices  are  for- 
ever superseded,  as  a  condition  of  the  forgive- 
ness of  sin,  and  of  full  salvation. 

47-49.    Impression     Made    Upon    Be- 
holders. 
47.  On    the   centurion,     tiow  when   the 


centurion— who  had  charge  of  the  soldiers 
that  wrought  the  crucifi.xion— saw  what  was 
done— the  death  of  Christ  in  that  niaiiner, 
and  all  the  wonderful  phenomena  attending 
it— he  glorified  God— by  rendering  due 
honor,  though  late,  to  God's  Servant  and 
Messiah— saying.  Certainly  this  was  a 
righteous  man.  Both  his  own  manifesta- 
tions of  character  and  God's  remarkable  inter- 
position in  his  case  proved  it— Righteous 
man  is  only  an  interpretation  of  the  senti- 
ment which  in  the  other  Synoptics  took  the 
form,  "  a  (n(»t  the)  Son  of  God." 

48.  The  multitude.  And  all  the  people 
(literally,  multitudes)  that  came  together 
to  that  (rather,  this)  sight.  This  describes 
the  mass  of  the  people  whom  we  have  seen 
attracted  to  the  vicinity  of  the  cross,  as  to  any 
popular  spectacle  (?e<opia,  a  sight),  and  who 
"stood  beholding  "  (ver. as),  not  reviling. 
Even  the  rabble  that  mocked  maj'  also  have 
been  referred  to  now,  as  changed  in  their 
views  and  feelings,  by  beholding  the  things 
which  were  done— a  more  comprehensive 
expression  than  that  in  the  preceding  verse. 
—Smote  their  breasts,  and  returned. 
They  felt  that  groat  cruelty  and  a  horrible 
wrong  had  been  committed  on  an  innocent 
person,  and  may  have  feared  the  vengeance 
of  that  God  who  had  so  exhibited  his  die- 
pleasure  in  the  heavens  above  them  and  the 
solid  earth  beneath. 

49.  The  nearer  circle.  And  all  his  ac- 
quaintance— those  who  had  some  interest  in 
him  from  personal  knowledge,  including  even 
some  di.sciples,  probably,  that  lingered  in 
amazement — and  the  women  that  fol- 
lowed {raith)  him  from  Clialilee.  See  8:  1-3. 
They  neither  skulked,  nor  were  so  lost  in  the 
crowd  as  to  be  undistinguishable.  Their 
names  are  several  of  them  given  in  the  par- 
allel narratives.  The  word  stood  is  emphatic 
in  this  place,  as  if,  while  others  were  breaking 
up,  or  had  left  the  ground,  they  remained, 
unwilling  to  abandon   the   spot.      Thus  we 


342 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


50  "  And,  behold,  there  was  a  man  named  Joseph,  a 
counsellor;  and  he  wan  a  good  man,  and  a  just: 

51  (ihe  same  had  not  consented  to  the  counsel  and 
deed  of  them;)  he  was  of  Arimathea,acity  of  the  Jews: 
'who  also  himself  waited  tor  the  kingdom  of  God. 

52  This  man  went  unto  Pilate,  and  begged  the  body 
>of  Jesus. 


50  And  behold,  a  man  named  Joseph,  who  was  a 

51  councillor,  a  good  man  and  a  righteous  (he  had  not 
consented  to  their  counsel  and  deed),  a  man  of  Ari- 
malhaa,  a  city  of  the  Jews,  who  was  looking  for 

52  the  kingdom  of  God:  this  man  went  to  Pilate,  and 


a  Matt.  27  :  5T  ;  Mark  15:  42  ;  John  19  :  i 


.h  Mark  15  :  43  ;  ch.  2 :  25,  38. 


notice  a  three-fold  rendering  of  homage  to 
Jesus  after  his  death:  of  the  centurion; 
of  the  Jewish  multitude  ;  of  Christ's 
acquaintances  and  disciples.  And  the  at- 
tentive reader  will  have  seen,  in  these  last 
chapters,  that  there  were  three  forms  of  trial 
hefore  the  Jewish  authorities,  and  as  many 
sentences  to  death  for  blasphemy ;  three 
accusations  before  the  secular  magistrates, 
Pilate  and  Herod,  and  as  many  declarations 
of  innocence. 

50-56.  The  Burial. 

Of  course,  no  friends  of  Jesus  could  have 
previously  made  any  preparations  for  the 
burial  of  their  Master,  and  no  known  friend 
was  in  a  situation  that  he  could  do  it  now, 
when  the  necessity  appeared.  Yet  how  much 
depended  on  his  being  buried  in  some  way 
like  that  which  God  had  planned.  To  men  it 
might  indeed  seem  that  no  necessity  for  burial 
had  arisen,  since  the  bodies  of  those  crucified 
were  commonly  left  on  the  cross  until  burial 
was  no  longer  possible.  But  here  that  diffi- 
culty was  obviated  by  the  ceremonial  sanctity 
of  those  Jews  who  had  slain  Jesus,  but  could 
not  bear  that  his  unburied  corpse  should  re- 
main into  the  next  day,  which  was  a  day  of  a 
great  Sabbath.  That  would  defile  their  city, 
and  hinder  the  worthy  celebration  of  their 
feast.  This  led  them  to  ask  and  obtain  of 
Pilate  TJohn  i9:  31)  that  the  body  should  be  taken 
down  that  night.  So  it  was,  not  a  bone  having 
been  broken,  after  his  side  had  been  pierced 
with  a  spear,  so  that  there  flowed  from  it 
mingled  blood  and  water,  which  the  bursted 
arteries  had  allowed  to  collect  about  his  heart. 
And  now  the  providence  of  God  calls  forth 
out  of  the  darkness  two  men,  able  and  will- 
ing, with  the  fiiithful  women,  to  do  the  rest. 

50.  And,  behold — a  divine  interposition ! 
—(Omit  the  words  there  Avas)  a  man  named 
Joseph  (?o/ioi<7as)  a  conn  seller — a  member  of 
the  Sanhedrin,  and  so  of  eminent  respecta- 
bility— a  good  man,  and  a  jnst^Hff hteorts 
— excellent  in  general  character,  and  scrupu- 
lously upright  and  just.  He  would  neither 
RS  a  private  man  do  wrong,  nor,  as  a  coun- 


sellor, sanction  injustice.     This  is  proved  by 
the  parenthetic  sentence : 

51.  The  same  (or.  He)  had  not  consented 
to  the  counsel  and  deed  of  them — (better, 
their  counsel,  etc.),  namely,  in  condemning 
Jesus.  Matthew  adds  that  he  was  rich,  which 
made  his  intervention  here  the  more  efl^ectual. 
His  residence — Arimathea — was,  apparently, 
the  city  of  Samuel's  parents  (isam.  i:  i)^  Rama- 
thaim ;  called,  also  (iSam.i:i9)^  Ramah,  which 
is  supposed  to  have  lain  a  few  miles  north  of 
Jerusalem.— Who  also  himself  waited  (or, 
was  looking)  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  This 
is  a  proper  description  of  most  of  that  class 
who  had,  during  the  life  of  Jesus,  shown  a 
readiness  to  receive  him.  That  one  so  promi- 
nent, before  unheard  of,  should  appear  at  this 
dark  hour,  may  help  to  explain  the  instances 
of  seeming  friendliness  toward  Jesus  which 
we  have  more  than  once  had  to  notice,  on  the 
part  of  Pharisees.  Such  were  anticii)ating 
the  near  advent  of  the  Messiah,  and  were  more 
free  to  consider  his  claims.  Joseph,  indeed, 
had  before  this  become  a  disciple  of  Jesus 
(Matt.  2T :  57),  SO  far  as  to  believe  in  his  Messianic 
character  and  claims,  but  had  concealed  this 
fact  (John  19:  S8)  until  now.  Strange  revelation  ! 
to  bo  made  at  such  an  hour,  of  a  brotherhood 
with  the  band  of  scattered  and  dismayed  dis- 
ciples, in  attachment  to  the  Saviour  slain,  on 
the  part  of  one  of  the  members  of  the  great 
Council  of  the  nation. 

52.  This  man  went  unto  Pilate,  and 
begged  (simply,  asked  for)  the  body  of  Je- 
sus. The  act  was  a  strange  one,  as  seldom 
did  any  person  concern  himself  about  the 
body  of  one  who  had  been  gibbeted  on  a 
cross.  It  even  required  a  considerable  bold- 
ness, at  the  time,  to  show  an  interest  in  that 
man's  bodj'.  But  the  character  and  social 
position  of  Joseph  would  now  stand  him  in 
hand  ;  and  Pilate,  after  making  himself  sure 
that  Jesus  was  really  dead  so  soon,  freely 
granted  his  reque.st.  Cicero  states  that  the 
Roman  procurators  sometimes  exacted  money 
of  those  who  desired  the  bodies  of  their  friends. 
Meantime,  another  secret  disciple,  Nieodemus, 


Ch.  XXIII.] 


LUKE. 


343 


6.3  "  And  he  took  it  down,  and  wrapped  it  in  linen, 
and  laid  it  in  a  sepulchre  that  was  hewn  in  stone, 
wherein  never  man  before  was  laid. 

54  And  that  day  was  *the  preparation,  and  the  sab- 
bath drew  on. 

55  And  the  women  also,  "which  came  with  him  from 
Galilee,  followed  after,  and  "^  beheld  the  sepulchre,  and 
how  his  body  was  lai<i. 

56  And  they  returned,  and  '  prepared  spices  and  oint- 
ments ;  and  rested  the  sabbath  day  /according  to  the 
commandiren^. 


53  asked  for  the  body  of  Jesus.  And  he  took  it  down, 
and  wrapped  it  in  a  linen  cloth,  and  laid  him  in  a 
tomb  that  was  hewn  in  stone,  where  never  man  had 

54  yet  lain.     And  it  w.-is  the  day  of  the  Preparation, 
5o  and  the  sabbath  'drew  on.    And  the  women,  that 

had  come  with  him  out  (»f  (lalilee,  followed  alter, 
and  beheld  the  tomb,  and  how   his  body  was  laid. 
56  And  they  returned,  and  prepared  spices  and  oiuv- 
meuts. 


a  .MaW.27  :  59;  Mark  15:  «....&  Matt.  2T:  62....C  oh.  8:  .i....cj  Mark  15:  «....e  Mark  16:  l..../Kx.  20:  10. 1  Gr.  hegan  to  daan. 


of  sittiilar  standing  among  the  Jews,  altliough 
we  are  not  told  expressly  that  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Council,  came  to  take  part  in  this 
pious  care  for  the  remains  of  the  Teacher  sent 
from  God  (Joha  19 :  39. 4o).  There  ha.d,  probably, 
been  concert  between  him  and  Joseph. 

53.  And  he  took  it  down — with  the  help 
of  Nicodeinus  (John  19:  38.40) — and  wrapped  it 
in  linen — in  a  linen  cloth.  The  deceitful 
imagination  of  painters  has  depicted  this  sim- 
ple transaction  in  a  hundred  phases  of  false- 
hood, to  which  the  simple  sentence  given  to  it 
in  each  of  the  Four  Evangelists,  lends  not  a 
shadow  of  warrant.  There  is  not  a  hint  that 
any  disciple,  save  Joseph  and  Nicodemus,  had 
anything  to  do  with  it;  as,  indeed,  the  women 
could  not  properly  have.  The  linen  was  at 
once  a  covering,  and  a  temporary  winding- 
sheet. — And  laid  it  (rather,  him)  in  a  sepul- 
chre (better,  toinh)  that  was  hewn  in  stone. 
We  have  already  seen  that,  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  place  of  crucifixion,  was  a  garden,  in  the 
sense  in  which  Gethsemane  was  a  garden; 
"and  in  the  garden  a  new  sepulchre"  (John 
19:  »).  From  Matthew  (27:60),  we  learn  fur- 
ther, that  Joseph  had  caused  this  tomb  to  be 
hewn,  proving  that  the  property  was  his.  The 
tomb  having  been  carved  out  of  the  rock, 
would  make  it  a  secure  receptacle. — Wherein 
never  man  before  Avas  laid.  Entirely  un- 
defiled,  therefore,  and  more  suited,  in  the  esti- 
mation of  our  Lord's  followers,  to  be  the 
resting-place  of  one  so  holy  as  he.  Comp. 
ch.  19:  30. 

54.  And  that  day  was  the  prepara- 
tion. Although  the  Scripture  had  required 
no  such  thing,  the  tradition  of  the  elders  had 
made  Friday,  after  the  ninth  hour,  a  prepara- 
tion for  the  Sabbath,  beginning  at  sunset. 
Jos.  Ant.  xvi.,  6,  2.  This  day  was  not  only  a 
preparation  for  the  Sabbath,  but  for  the  Pass- 
over, in  some  sense  of  the  word.  (.iohni9:  u.) 
And  the  sabbath  drew  on — literally,  the 
Sabbath  was  dawning — a  curious  transfer  of  1 


ideas  appropriate  to  the  opening  light  of  the 
natural  day,  to  the  deepening  twilight  of  the 
day  beginning  with  night.  There  was  need 
of  haste,  therefore,  in  disposing  of  the  body 
before  the  sacred  time  should  begin.  This 
made  the  nearness  of  the  new  tomb  a  more 
manifest  favor  of  Providence. 

55.  And  the  women,  etc.,  followed  after, 
and  beheld  the  sepulchre.  Although 
they  could  take  no  part  in  the  lowering  or 
draping  of  the  naked  body,  they  had  noted, 
at  a  distance,  what  was  done,  and  would  not 
leave  the  precious  relic  out  of  sight,  until 
they  had  marked  the  place  where  it  was  to 
rest.  As  far  as  appears,  if  they  had  not  done 
so,  none  of  the  eleven  would  have  known 
where  to  look  for  the  Master's  body,  when  the 
question  should  arise  whether  he  had  risen. 
Two  other  Gospels  name  two  in  particular, 
"Mary  Magdalene,  and  the  other  Mary," 
"Mary  of  Joses,"  who  were  among  these 
women.  The  statement  that  they  followed — 
to  see  where  the  tomb  was  to  be — almost  of 
itself  refutes  the  tradition  that  the  cross  and 
tomb  were  in  close  proximit}',  so  as  to  be  both 
included  within  the  compass  of  the  Church  in 
Jerusalem. 

56.  And  they  returned— into  the  city — 
and  prepared  spices  and  ointments. 
These  were  the  aromatic  and  fragrant  sub- 
stances necessary  for  anointing  the  body. 
They  might  procure  them  that  evening  before 
business  was  suspended.  Mark  expressly  says 
(ch.  16:1)  that  the  two  Mar3's  bought  spices 
after  the  Sabbath  was  past — i.  e.,  after  sun- 
down Saturday,  and  although  the  tense  of  his 
verb  there  maj'  rarely  be  used  where  a  plu- 
perfect might  have  been  (asLukej*:  1),  this  ought 
never  to  be  presumed,  where  the  writing  does 
not  intrinsically  require  it.  It  would  be 
better  to  assume,  as  Luke  makes  no  mention 
of  the  hour,  that  he  had  put  that  item  of  his 
narrative  out  of  its  proper  order;  or,  better 
still,  that  the  women  of  whom  he  speaks  were 


344 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIV. 


CHAPTEK    XXIV. 


■\TOW  »upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  very  early  in 
IN  the  Diorning, they  came  unto  the  sepulchre, 'bring- 
ing the  spices  which  they  had  prepared,  and  certain 
others  with  them. 


And  on  the  sabbath  they  rested  according  to  the 
commandment.  But  on  the  nrst  day  of  the  week, 
at  early  dawn,  they  came  unto  the  tomb,  bringing 


I  Matt.  28 :  1 ;  Mark  16  :  1 ;  John  20  :  \....b  ch.  2:* :  56. 


other  than  the  two  Marys,  and  made  their 
purchases  at  a  difterent  time.  And  rested 
the  sabbath  day  according  to  the  com- 
mandment. This  really  belongs  with  the 
first  sentence  of  the  next  chapter,  as  together 
making  one  verse,  as  the  rendering  and  ar- 
rangement in  the  Eevision  shows.  They 
could  not,  according  to  the  received  views  of 
their  time,  proceed  with  even  so  sacred  a 
labor  as  the  proper  laying  out  of  the  remains 
of  their  revered  Master,  until  the  Sabbath 
was  past,  and  the  light  of  the  first  day  of  the 
week  had  come.  As  there  was  nothing  to  tell 
of  the  word  or  work  or  fortune  of  Christ 
during  the  interval,  we  hear  not  a  syllable 
out  of  those  thirty-six  hours.  Yet  how  much 
must  have  passed  in  the  experience  of  the 
disciples!  A  merely  human  narrative  v/ould 
surely  have  entertained  us  with  an  account  of 
the  individual  reflections,  and  the  mutual 
conferences,  during  that  day  of  memories  and 
anticipations  on  the  part  of  the  disciples  of 
the  Lord. 


Ch.  24.  The  chapter  is  occupied  with  a 
summary  account  of  two  great  events — the 
Kesurrection,  and  the  Ascension— in  some  of 
their  circumstances  and  effects. 

1-49.  The  Kesurrection. 

This  is  represented  to  us  by  Luke  in  the 
four  stages  following:  (1.)  The  tomb  is  dis- 
covered to  be  empty  by  certain  of  the  believ- 
ing women  (lu).  (2.)  Jesus  manifests  him- 
self alive  to  two  disciples,  on  the  way  to  Em- 
maus  (13-32).  (3.)  He  was  meantime  seen  by 
Simon  in  Jerusalem  (33-35).  (4.)  He  appears 
to  the  whole  company,  as  they  were  com- 
paring accounts,  proves  to  them  that  he  is 
really  risen,  and  that  this  is  according  to  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures  (36-46.)  (5.)  Solemnly 
commissions  them  to  bear  witness  through  the 
world  of  these  truths  (47-<9). 

The  other  Gospels  mention  a  number  of 
other  appearances  of  the  Saviour  to  his  disci- 
ples prior  to  the  ascension.  The  arranging  of 
them  all  into  a  clearly  consistent  history  is, 


confessedly,  a  perplexing  task,  as  would  be 
the  same  in  the  case  of  any  exciting  fact, 
presenting  man.y  phases  to  man.y  interested 
persons,  all  whose  accounts  might  influence 
the  various  reports  concerning  it,  that  were 
preserved  some  time  after.  Such  perplexity 
is,  notoriously,  often  experienced  in  recon- 
ciling the  various  prooi's  of  crime  committed, 
which  proofs,  nevertheless,  completely  estab- 
lish the  fiict  of  the  wrongful  deed.  All  that 
can  be  required  in  such  a  case  is,  that  on  some 
natural  supposition  all  these  reports  might  be 
true;  and  even  this  would  not,  ordinarily,  be 
indispensable  to  their  credibility.  On  such 
hypotheses,  harmonizers  of  the  Gospels  have, 
more  or  less  satisfactorily,  arranged  the  vari- 
ous incidents  connected  with  the  resurrection 
of  our  Lord. 

In  all  thinking  on  the  subject,  it  is  to  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  facts  pertaining  to  the 
great  event  of  that  day,  and  within  the 
knowledge  of  some,  were  practically  innu- 
merable ;  that  of  these,  each  writer  consciously 
limits  himself  to  a  selection,  alluding  to  some 
which  he  does  not  relate  (Matt. 28: 16;  Luke 24; 34); 
that  each  is  determined  by  his  own  character, 
and  the  specific  design  of  his  writing,  in  the 
choice  which  he  makes  ;  and  that  all  have  a 
practical,  not  a  philosophical  or  dialectic  end 
in  view,  namely  :  to  show  that  Jesus  was  alive 
after  his  death  and  burial,  so  that  we,  believ- 
ing in  him,  may  have  eternal  life.  Comp. 
John  20:  31.  More  particularly  on  this  last 
point,  it  may  be  important  to  remark  that 
none  of  the  Synoptics,  if  even  John,  writes  to 
prove  that  Jesus  rose  from  death.  This  was  a 
cardinal  foct,  not  questioned,  as  would  ap- 
pear, by  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem,  on  the  basis 
of  which  believers,  for  whom  the  Gospel  me- 
moirs were  written,  were  believers  (1  cor.  15:  i-s). 
All  that  these  memoirs  did,  was  to  narrate 
such  facts  connected  with  the  resurrection  as 
their  authorities  severally  furnished  them, 
and  as  it  comported  with  their  respective  ob- 
jects in  writing  to  mention.  Quite  diff"erent 
might  have  been  their  dealing  with  the  facts 
which  they  relate,  had  they  proposed  them  to 


Cn.  XXIV.] 


LUKE. 


345 


2  <"And  they  found  the  stone  rolled  away  from  the 
sepulclire. 

a  'And  they  entered  in,  and  found  not  the  body  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

4  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  were  much  perplexed 
thereabout,  "behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  iu  shiuiiig 
garments : 


2  the  spices  which  they  had  prepared.     And  they 

3  found  tlie  stone  rolled  away  Iroiu  the  tomb.     And 
they  entered  in,  and  found   aol  the  body  'of  ihe 

4  Lord  Jesus.    And  it  came  to  pass,  while  ihey  were 
perplexed  thereabout,  behold,  two  men  stood  by 


a  .Matt.  28 :  2  ;  Mai'k  16 :  4 b  ver.  23 ;  Mark  16 :  5 c  Jobn  20 :  12  ;  Acts  1 :  10. 1  Some  ancient  autboriiiea  oiuil,  o/tAe  Lord  Jetut. 


be  traversed  by  coldly  critical  unbelievers, 
not  to  say  that  they  might  have  added  others, 
for  the  simple  purpose  of  averting  or  si- 
lencing skepticism.  As  it  is,  there  is  no  trace 
of  any  such  purpose.  Thus,  we  have  not  a 
treatise,  an  argument,  a  polemic,  but  a  Gospel, 
an  announcement  of  glad  tidings. 

An  excellent   Essay  on   this  subject  is  that 
of  Dr.  Edward  Rt)binson,  in  the  Bibllotheca 


STONE    AT    A    JEWISH    SEI'l'I.t  UKE. 

Sacra,  February,  1835.  See  also  his  brief 
statement  in  the  Greek  Harmony  of  the 
Gospels,  p.  258,  if.  ;  Gardiner's  note,  Greek 
Harmony,  p.  253,  f.  ;  and,  on  the  principles 
of  comparison  of  the  Gospels,  especially  West- 
cott,  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  the  Gospels, 
ch.  vi.,  p.  325,  ff. 

1-12.  The  Tomb  Found  Vacant. 

1.  Now  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
etc.  This,  as  we  saw  at  the  close  of  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  is  but  the  complement  of  the 
sentence  there  begun  :  "  The  preparations  for 
anointing  the  Lord's  body  were  interrupted,, 


indeed,  by  the  rest  of  the  Sabbath,  but  were 
resumed  at  the  first  light  of  the  next  day." 
Very  early  in  the  mornin?;  literally,  at 
deep  dawn.  This  shows  their  diligtiuce  to 
complete  the  delayed  duty  of  suitably  dis- 
posing of  the  beloved  relic.  The  subject  of 
the  sentence,  they  came,  etc.,  is  "the 
women"  of  23  :  55. — Bringing  the  spices. 
Powdered  aromatic  substances  and  fluid  per- 
fumes appear  to  have  been  used  in  laying 
out  the  dead  body  for  burial.  Nothing  is 
said  of  embalming — a  practice  not  in  any 
strict  sense  employed  by  the  Hebrews;  but 
we  are  told  (Markis:  1)  that  their  design  was 
to  "anoint"  the  body. 

2.  And  they  found  the  stone  rolled 
away  from  the  sepulchre — tomb.  Tliis 
was  at  once  a  surprising  and  a  welcome 
fact ;  because  the  stone  used  to  close  the 
entrance  to  the  tomb  was  so  large  as  to  have 
given  the  women  anxiety  about  removing 
it  (Mark  16:  3).  The  rolling  it  away  somewhat 
favors  the  idea  that  the  entrance  was  from 
tlie  horizontal  surface  of  the  ground  ;  yet 
the  same  term  might  have  been  em|)loyed 
if  the  door  opened  into  the  perpendicular 
face  of  a  hill  or  rock.  The  latter  supposi- 
tion is  the  more  probable.,  .John  uses  a  more 
general  word — "taken  away."  See  cut  of 
stone  at  a  Jewi.sh  sepulchre. 

3.  And  they  entered  in.  This  could 
lianlly  have  included  Mary  Magdalene, 
who,  when  she  saw  the  stone  removed, 
"runs  and  comes  to  Sinum  Peter."     (Joim 

20: 2.)  And  found  not  the  body.  The  Lord 
had  arisen  before  their  arrival,  at  the  earliest 
dawn.  More  particularly  we  are  not  informed 
as  to  the  time. 

4.  Even  after  the  proof  of  their  obtusoness 
concerning  the  Saviour's  promise,  displayed 
in  thi'XT  plan  for  anointing  the  body,  one 
would  think  that  the  vacant  tomb  would  have 
brought  it  to  their  mind  tinit  he  was  to  rise 
the  third  day,  so  as  to  leave  no  room  for  ^^ per- 
plexity.^' They  may  have  thought  something 
about  those  predictions  in  a  blind  way,  but 
needed  an  aid  to  their  faith.     And,  behold 


346 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIV. 


5  And  as  they  were  afraid,  and  bowed  down  their 
faces  to  the  earth,  they  said  unto  them,  Why  seek  ye 
the  living  among  the  dead? 

ij  He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen:  « remember  how  he 
spake  unto  you  when  he  was  yet  in  Galilee, 

7  Saying,  The  Son  of  man  must  be  delivered  into  the 
hands  of  sinful  men,  and  be  crucified,  and  the  third  day 
rise  again. 

<S  And  ("they  remembered  his  words, 

9  <^  And  returned  from  the  sepulchre,  and  told  all  these 
things  unto  the  eleven,  and  to  all  the  rest. 

lu  It  was  Mary  Magdalene,  and  ''Joanna,  and  Mary 
the  niolher  of  James,  and  other  women  that  were  with 
them,  which  told  these  things  unto  the  apostles. 

11  'And  their  words  seemed  to  them  as  idle  tales, 
and  they  believed  them  not. 


5  them  in  dazzling  apparel :  and  as  they  were  af- 
frighted, and  bowed  down  their  faces  to  the  earth, 
they   said    unto    them.   Why   seek   ye  'the    living 

6  among  the  dead?  -He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen:  re- 
member how  he  spake  unto  you  when  he  was  yet 

7  in  Galilee,  saying  that  the  Son  of  man  must  be  de- 
livered up  into  the  hands  of  sinful    men,  and   be 

8  crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again.     And  they 

9  remembered  his  words,  and  returned  3  from  the 
tomb,  and  told  all  these  things  to  the  eleven,  and  to 

10  all  the  rest.  Now  they  were  Mary  Magdalene,  and 
Joanna,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James:  and  the 
other  women  with  them  told  these  things  unto  the 

11  apostles.    And  these  words  appeared  in  their  sight 


a  Matt.  16:  21 ;  17  :  23  ;  Mark  8:  31:  9  :  31 ;  ch.  9 :  22 6  John  2:  22....C  Matt.  28:  8;  Mark  16:   10 d  ch.  8:  3 e  Mark   16:  11  ;  ver 

•^5. 1  (Jr.  him  that  livcth....1.  Some  aucient  authorities  omit,  Be  is  not  here,  hut  is  riaen....3  Some  aucient  authorities  omit,  from 

the  tomb. 


two  men  stood  by  them  in  shining  gar- 
ments. It  was  the  form  of  men  which  they 
saw  ;  but  the  lustre  of  their  apparel  was  that 
peculiar  to  angelic  epiphanies  (John  20 :  12;  Acta 
I:  10),  although  the  appearance  of  Moses  and 
Elijah  on  tiie  Mount  of  Tranfiguration  had 
probably  been  similar,  as  the  raiment  of 
Jesus  himself  certainly  was  at  that  time 
(ch.  9: 29, 30).  It  was  the  earthly  parallel  to 
the  unspeakable  brilliance  and  glory  of 
heaven. 

5.  XirsiiiX— affrighted— anA  bowed  down 
their  faces  to  the  earth — the  posture  of 
awe  and  reverence.  Why  seek  ye  the  living 
(properly,  him  who  is  living)  among  the 
dead?— in  a  tomb,  where  the  dead  alone  are 
ordinarily  found.  There  were  no  dead  really 
in  that  tomb. 

6,  7,  He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen.  This 
simple  and  obvious  explanation  has  now  to  be 
confirmed  to  them  (it  could  not  be  more 
plainly  proved)  by  the  very  language  which 
Jesus  himself  had  repeatedly  spoken  to  them, 
not  long  before— Remember  how  he  spake 
unto  you  when   he   was  yet   in  Galilee. 

(Ch.  9:  22;  corap.  ch.  19;  32f).         The       fulfillment      SO 

exact  of  the  former  part  of  his  prediction 
might  well  have  prepared  them  to  believe  the 
whole  of  it. 

8.    And  they  remembered  his  words, 

and  understood  them  now ;  and,  doubtless, 
began  to  wonder  whether  the  word  concerning 
resurrection  might  not  have  come  true.  How 
much  trouble  would  they  have  spared  them- 
selves, had  they  sooner  taken  his  explicit  lan- 
guage to  heart!  But  then  we  should  have 
lacked  one  proof  of  the  reality  of  the  resur- 
rection, which  comes  to  us  from  the  perfect 
absence,  on  their  part,  of  all  suspicion  that 
•any  such   thing  had  taken   place,   until   the 


evidence  thrust  upon  therh  from  many  sources 
became  overwhelming. 

9.  And  returned    from   the   sepulchre, 

etc.  It  is  reasonably  supposed  that  they  may 
have  done  this  by  diflferent  routes,  and  that  the 
various  experiences  of  two  (or  more)  parties  of 
them  may  have  occasioned  differences  in  the 
several  narratives. — Unto  the  eleven.  This 
is  now  the  designation  of  the  remaining  body 
of  the  disciples,  and  might  be  employed  where 
the  number  was  not  complete. — And  all  the 
rest.  Not  only  the  eleven,  had  regained 
courage  and  faith  ;  but  other  adherents  of  Je- 
sus, of  whom  we  afterward  find  one  hundred 
and  twenty  assembled,  had  begun  to  associate 
again  with  the  apostles. 

10.  All  the  Evangelists  mention  Mary  Mag- 
dalene as  one  who  was  first  at  the  tomb,  and 
the  first  two  include  other  two  Marys;  all 
these  stating  this  fact  at  the.beginning.  Luke 
writes  as  if  it  had  now  occurred  to  him  that 
he  had  omitted  this  statement,  and  needed  to 
supply  the  lack.  He  also  adds,  what  the  other 
Gospels  presuppose,  that  there  were  others 
with  the  Marys. — Mary  Magdalene  (seech.  8: 2), 
Joanna  (ch;8:  3). — Mary  the  mother  of 
James,  viz. :  James  the  Less,  as  he  is  called, 
to  distinguish  him  from  James  the  son  of 
Zebedee.  We  thus  identify  her  with  "  Mary 
the  wife  of  Ctopas,"  John  19:  25,  Kevision, 
but  not  with  the  sister  of  our  Lord's  mother, 
there  mentioned.  The  latter  half  of  the  verse 
reads,  in  the  best  text,  as  represented  by  the 
Revision,  omitting  which. 

11.  And  their  words  seemed  to  them 
(ajjpenred  in  their  sight)  as  idle  tales.  The 
apostles,  we  might  almost  say,  were  kept  from 
believing  in  the  resurrection  of  .Jesus  until  all, 
in  succession,  had  the  evidence  of  personal 
demonstration,  that  they  might  the  more  con- 
vincingly testify  of  this  fact  to  the  world. 


Ch.  XXIV.] 


LUKE. 


347 


1>  aThen  arose  Peter,  and  ran  unto  the  sepulchre ; 
andst.K.i-i>'i!  ^»"«u.  >'«•■  '•eheia  the. linen  V'."^'"=?,>,"!,  '^ 
theiuselve.;,  and  departed,  wondering  in  himsell  at  that 
which  was  come  to  pass. 

IJ  "aikI  hehold,  two  of  them  went  that  same  dav  to 
a  village  called  Emmaus,  which  was  from  Jerusalem 
about  threescore  furlongs. 


1>  as  idle  talk;  and  they  disbelieved  them.  >  Hut  Peter 
arose,  and  ran  unto  the  tomb;  and  stooping  ana 
looking  in,  he  seelh  the  linen  cloths  hy  themselves; 
and  he  -departed  to  his  home,  wondering  at  that 
which  was  come  to  pass. 

13  And  behold,  two  of  them  were  going  that  \ery 
day  to  a  village  uamed  Emmaus,  which  was  threo- 


o  John  20:  3,6... 


.b  Mark  16 :  12. 1  Some  ancient  authorities  omit  rer.  12. . .  »  Or,  dn><«rtea.  wmdtrtng  mlh  hinuet/. 


13.  Then  (or,  But)  arose  Peter,  and  ran 

untothe sepulchre, etc.  Tliismoveiueiitseeins 
likely  to  have  been  the  same  as  that  recorded  in 
John  (20: 310) ;  and  if  it  was,  it  had  taken  pb\ce 
earlier  in  tlieday,  when  Mary  Magdalene  first 
reported   that  the    Lord  was   gone  from   the 
tomb.     Stooping  down— may  indicate  that 
the  entrance  to  the  tomb  was  of  slight  eleva- 
tion in  the  hill-side,  or  that  it  ran  sloping  into 
a  subterranean   chamber.— He    beheld  the 
linen  clothes  laid  (rather,  lying)  by  them- 
selves—literally, alone;  i.e.,  apart  from  any 
corpse.     This  was  evidence  that  the  body  had 
not  been  snatched  away,  but  that  care  had 
been  taken  in  leaving  the  place.    This  idea  is, 
however,  much  more  fully  expressed  in  the 
parallel  passage  of  John,  who  gives  the  ac- 
count which  had  possibly  served  as  a  source 
of  this  statement  in  Luke.— In  himself.    This 
is  more  jirobably  to  be  referred  to  the  verb 
dcparteil,  signifying,  departed   to   himself; 
i.  e.,  to  his  own  house=went  home.   We  seem 
rather  to  need  information  whither  he  went, 
than  as  to  the  sphere  of  his  wonder.     The  ex- 
pression "to  himself,'"  in  this  sense,  suggests 
at  once  the  French,  {chez  soi)  to  his  home;  and 
Kypke,  on  the  passage,  gives  many  examples 
of  a  similar  use  of  the  Greek  phrase.     Peter 
was  yet  in  that  state  of  wonder  which  involves 
study  and  leads  to  knowledge.      Tischendorf 
omits  this  verse;  Tregelles brackets  it ;  West- 
cott  and  Hort  enclose  it  in  double  brackets; 
but  the  Kevision  rightly  retains  it  as  proba- 
bly   aullii'iitic. 

13-32.  Jesus  manifests  himself  to  two  dis- 
ciples at  Emmaus. 

13.  Two  of  them  went  (  rather,  were 
going)  that  same  day  to  a  village  called 
Emmaus,  etc.  These  two  were,  apparently, 
of  "the  rest."  (ver.9;conip.  ver. 33.)  The  site  of 
this  village  is  still  a  matter  of  search,  as  no 
place  bearing  the  name  has  been  discovered 
at  a  distance  of  about  seven  miles  from  Jeru- 
salem. The  place  called  Culonieh,  N.  N.  W. 
of  Jerusalem,  is  by  many  thought  to  be  the 
spot.      That  seems  like  the   Latin   Colonia, 


which  might  not  unnaturally  be  applied  to 
that  Ammaus  where    Josephus  says  (Jewish 
Wars,  vii.,  G.  6)  that  Titus  Cesar  settled  eiglit 
hundred  veteran  soldiers.     The   distance  of 
this     place,    however,    from     Jerusalem,   is 
dubious,  from  the  various  texts  of  Josephus. 
[It  seems  very  probable,  if  not  perfectly  cer- 
tain, that  the  site  of  Emmaus  has  at  last  been 
ascertained,  through  the  enterprise   of  Mr.s. 
Finn,  widow  of  the  late  James  Finn,  Briti.*h 
Consul  for  Jerusalem  and  Palestine  from  1845 
till  18G3.     In  a  paper  contributed  by  her  to  the 
"Quarterly  Statement  of  the  Palestine  Ex- 
ploration   Fund,"   for    January,  188:i,   is  an 
account  of  the  steps  by  which  she  was  led  to 
the  discovery  of  this  site.     "The  etymo".()gy 
of  the  name  Emmaus  led  us  to  the  conclusion 
that,  wherever  the  Emmaus  of  St.  Luke  might 
be,  there  must  also  have   existed  hot  baths ; 
and  the  modern  Arabic  use  of  the  term  Ham- 
mam,  as  applied  to  baths  generally,  whether 
of  natural  hot  springs  or  of  water  artificially 
heated,  led  us  further  to  the  idea  that  St.  Luke's 
Emmaus  need  not  be  a  place  of  hotspring.s,  but 
that  it  might  be  a  place  where  abundance  of 
water  had  caused  the  establishment  of  artifi- 
cial baths  of  some  importance.  AVe  convinced 
ourselves,  before  long,  that  there  is  but  one 
place,  within   the  circuit    of   sixty   furlongs 
from  Jerusalem,  where  there  is  a  sufficiently 
copious  spring   of   water  for  the  sup}>ly  of 
baths.     That    place    is   the  pretty  valley  of 
Urtas,   which  is  about  seven    and    one-half 
lioinan  miles,  or  sixty  furlongs,  from  Jeru- 
salem, south  of  Bethlehem.     The  valley  de- 
scends from  the  ancient  Etham  (the  fountain 
of  which   still   bears  that  name),  and  passes 
round  the  base  of  the  Herodium  (or  Fnmk 
Mountain),  on  its  way  to  the  Dead  Sea.  These 
two  places,  Etham  and  Herodium,  are  among 
those  whose  distance  from  Jerusalem  is  speci- 
fied by  Josephus.    He  tells  us  that  Etham  was 
fifty  furlongs  off  {Antiquities,  viii.,  7,  3),  and 
that  Herodium  was  sixty  furlongs  off  (Anti- 
quities, xiv.,  13,  9).  Urtas,  village  and  spring, 
lies  between  the  two."  Seethe  article  referred 


348 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIV, 


14  And  tliey  talked  together  of  all  these  things  which 
had  happened. 

15  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  while  they  communed 
tugcthfi-  and  reasoned,  "  Jesus  himself  drew  near,  and 
went  with  them. 

10  But '  their  eyes  were  holden  that  they  should  not 
know  him. 

17  And  he  said  unto  them.  What  manner  of  commu- 
nications <tre  these  that  ye  have  one  to  another,  as  ye 
walk,  and  are  sad  .' 

18  And  the  one  of  them, 'whose  name  was  Cleopas, 
answering  said,  unto  him,  Art  thou  only  a  stranger  in 
Jerusalem,  and  hast  not  known  the  things  which  are 
come  to  pass  there  in  these  days? 

19  And  he  said  unto  them.  What  things?  And  they 
said  unto  him.  Concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  i*  which 
was  a  prophet, « mighty  in  deed  and  word  before  God 
and  all  the  people : 

20  /And  how  the  chief  priests  and  our  rulers  deliv- 
ered him  to  be  condemned  to  death,  and  have  crucified 
him. 

21  But  we  trusted  ('that  it  had  been  he  which  should 
have  redeemed  Israel :  and  beside  all  this,  to  day  is  the 
third  day  since  these  things  were  done. 

22  Yea,  and  ''  certain  women  also  of  our  company  made 
us  astonished,  which  were  early  at  the  sepulchre; 

2;i  And  when  they  found  not  his  body,  they  came, 
saying,  that  they  had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  which 
said  that  he  was  alive. 

24  And  '  certain  of  them  which  were  with  us  went  to 
the  sepulchre,  and  found  (7  even  so  as  the  women  had 
said:  but  him  they  saw  not. 


14  score  furlongs  from  Jerusalem.  And  they  com- 
muned with  each  other  of  all   these  things  which 

15  had  happened.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they 
communed  and  questioned  together,  that  Jesus  him- 

16  self  drew  near,  and  went  with  them.     But  theireyes 

17  were  holden  that  they  should  not  know  him.  And 
he  said  unto  them,  i  What  communications  are  these 
that  ye  have  one  with  another,  as  ye  walk?    And 

18  they  stood  still,  looking  sad.  And  one  of  them, 
named  Cleopas,  answering  said  unto  him,  2  Dost  thou 
alone  sojourn  in  Jerusalem  and  not  know  the  things 

19  which  are  come  to  pass  therein  these  days?  And 
he  said  unto  them.  What  things?  And  they  said 
unto  him.  The  things  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
who  was  a  prophet  mighty  in  deed  and  word  before 

20  God  and  all  the  people:  and  how  the  chief  priests 
and  our  rulers  delivered  him  up  to  be  condemned  to 

21  death,  and  crucified  him.  But  we  hoped  that  it  was 
he  that  should  redeem  Israel.  Yea  and  beside  all 
this,  it  is  now  the  third  day  since  these  things  came 

22  to  pass.    Moreover  certain  women  of  our  company 

23  amazed  us,  having  been  early  at  the  tomb;  and 
when  they  found  not  his  body,  they  came,  saying, 
that  they  had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  who  said 

24  that  he  was  alive.  And  certain  of  them  that  were 
with  us  went  to  the  tomb,  and  found  it  even  so  as 


a  Matt.  18;  20;  ver.  HR....ft  Jnlin  20  :  14  ;  21  :  4 c  John  19;  25 d  Matt.  21  :  11  ;  ch.  7;  1«;  John  3;  2;  4  :  19  ;  6  :  14  ;  Acts  2:  22 e  Acts 

7:  22.... /oh.  21:  1  :  Acts  1:J ;  27.  28 g  ch.  1 :  «8  ;  2  ;  Us  ;  Acts  1:6 A  .Matt.  28  :  S  ;  Mark  16:  10;  ver.  9,  10;  .lohii  20:18 !  ver.  12. 

1  Gr.  Wliat  words  are  these  that  ye  exchange  one  with  another 2  Or.  Vast  thou  sojourn  alone  in  Jerusalem,  and  knowest  thou  -not 

the  things. 


to  for  the  full  evidence,  which  appears  to  be 
sati.sfactory. — A.  H.]  The  men,  probably, 
started  early  in  the  forenoon. 

14.  Talked  together  (better,  communed 
one  with  another),  as  in  the  next  verse. 

15.  Communed  together  and  reasoned 
— (more  exactly,  questioned,  or  debated  to- 
gether). The  subject  engaged  their  deep- 
est interest,  and  they  were  discussing  with 
each  other  the  possible  reconciliation  of  diffi- 
culties and  clearing  up  of  their  perplexity. 
This  absorption  in  the  theme  of  their  dis- 
course might  itself  have  hindered  their 
noticing  particularlj-  the  man  who  drew  near 
and  vvent=was  journeying^with  them. 

16.  But  their  eyes  were  holden,  etc. 
This  was  an  additional,  and,  apparently,  a  di- 
vinely ordered  impediment  to  their  recog- 
niz/iiig  him.  Their  vision  was  supernaturally 
restrained.  Comp.  verse  31.  Mark  (i6: 12)  sim- 
ply represents  Jesus  as  being  manifested  "in 
another  form." 

17.  What  (omit  manner  of)  communica- 
tions are  these?  etc.  The  literal  translation 
is,  What  words  are  these  which  ye  tlirow  back 
and  forth  to  each  other?  As  though  their  dis- 
course was  of  the  nature  of  an  inconclusive 
discussion.  See  the  Revision  for  the  last  part 
of  the  verse,  though  the  text  is  doubtful. 


18.  And  the  one  of  them,  Avhose  name 
was  Cleopas,  answering  said.  Omit  the 
before  one.  The  mention  of  the  name  would 
guide  some  of  the  first  readers  of  the  Gospel 
to  a  definite  person  ;  to  us,  it  is  only  a  name. 
Art  thou  only  a  stranger,  etc.,  (or,  Dost 
thou  alone  sojourn  in  Jerusalem,  and  not 
know  ?  etc.)  The  sense  is,  "  Art  thou  the  only 
one  sojourning  in  Jerusalem  without  becom- 
ing aware  of  these  all-important  events''? 
The  men  are  themselves  so  full  of  the  fate  of 
Jesus,  that  they  see  not  how  even  a  stranger, 
as  they  judge  him  to  be,  there  only  for  the  feast, 
can  fail  to  be  thinking  of  the  same  subject  as 
themselves.  If  he  is  not,  ho  must  be  the  only 
such  man. 

19-24.  The  Saviour,  in  order  that  he  may 
the  more  precisely  adapt  himself  to  their  state 
of  mind,  chooses  to  draw  out  their  sentiment 
in  their  own  words.  Accordingly,  in  answer 
to  his  question.  What  things?  the^'  intimate 
that  they  have  viewed  Jesus  as  a  mighty 
prophet,  whom  the  rulers  have  had  unjustly 
condemned  and  crucified.  Would  Peter  and 
the  other  ten,  at  this  time,  have  fiiiled  to  speak 
of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah  ?  Even  the  confession 
of  these  two  implies  such  a  conception  of  him; 
for  they  had  trusted  (rather,  hoped)  that  it 
had  been  (or,  was)  he — he,  and  none  other — 


Ch.  XXIV.] 


LUKE. 


349 


25  Then  he  said  unto  them,  O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart 

^«.)ri:r,::«ht  ;!r /^ri!:[t^!:;^^ei;:;^"hese  things. 

^°;^'rv::\-b.i;in;.i^li:o/oses  andean  the  nrophets, 
heexpouiuhMr  uiilo  them  in  all  the  scriptures  the  things 

''"H'\n!rt'hoydrew  nigh  unto  the  village  whither  they 
went:  ami   'lie  made  as  though  he  would   have  gone 

'""''But/thev  constrained  him, saying,  Abide  with  us: 
for  it  is  toward  evening,  and  the  day  is  lar  spent.  And 
he  went  in  to  tarry  with  them. 


25  the  women  had  said :  hut  him  they  saw  not.  And 
he  said  unto  them,  (»  foolish  men,  and  slow  of  heart 
to  helieve  Mu  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken! 
20  Kehoved  it  not  the  <  h,rist  to  sutur  these  things,  and 
•.>7  to  enter  into  his  glorv  ?  And  beginning  from  Moses 
and  from  all  the  prophets,  he  interpreted  to  theni 
in  all  the  scriptures  tiie  things  conceriiing  himself. 

28  .\nd  thev  drew  nigh  unto  the  village,  whither  they 
were  going:  and  he  made  as  though  he  would  go 

29  further.     .\nd  they  constrained  him,  saying,  Abide 
with  us:  for  it  is  toward  evening,  and  the  day  is  now 


" "  T  7-        ,  no„   <»•  li-  •>2-  18-  26-  ♦•  4»:  10:  Num.  21:  9;   Deut.  IR:  \b....d  P«.  18:  9.10;  «; 

aver.  46;  Ac»  17  :  3  :  1  Pe-  1  :  1   ....»  ver   «...  v-c  Gen-.»^.^                                                        .,5.  d^„;<,,  .^4.  Micah  7  •  20;  Mai.  3  :  I ;  4  :  2. 
i:«:  11;  lHa.7:  ^*l^^j^^^^:'^:^,l;,^^,^^i^3^-i;ii^r^6:*»..../Q.n.l9:3i  Act,  16:  15— 1  Or.  .^r»«r. 


which  should  have  redeemed  (would  re- 
deem) Israel.  Yc-t  their  hope  hus  been  dis- 
appointed. Their  einpliasis  on  tlie  fact  that 
to  day  is  the  third  day,  shows  that  they  re- 
call his  prediction  about  rising  on  that  day ; 
but  tills  may,  quite  probably,  have  been 
brought  to  them  by  the  women's  report  of 
what  the  angels  had  said  on  that  subject. 
They  relate  the  mission  of  the  women  to  the 
tomb,  that  morning,  and,  probably,  that  of 
Peter  (ver.  12) ;  whetlier  of  John,  also  (Joim20::i)? 
—Certain  of  them  which  were  with  us. 
There  had  two  or  more  gone  to  the  tomb, 
within  the  knowledge  of  these  men,  and  so 
within  that  of  Luke.  As  he  had  not  related 
the  event,  it  shows  that  he  was  not  aiming  to 
tell  all  he  knew.  These  last  had  found  it 
even  so  as  the  women  had  said  — in  re- 
spect, namely,  to  tlie  absence  of  the  body,  and 
perhaps,  to  the  presence  of  the  angels.  The 
result  of  it  all  was,  that  they  find  themselves 
intellectually  perplexed;  while  their  senti- 
ment of  attachment  to  the  Great  Teacher  is 
affecrioii;itt>  and  strong. 

25.  Then  he  said  unto  them,  O  fools— 
(better,/o()/(.sA  men).  It  is  not  the  strong  term, 
"fools,"'  but,rather,"  unintelligent,"  "without 
due  understanding."— And  slow  of  heart- 
sluggish  and  backward  in  disposition— to  be- 
lievei  jrt)  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken. 
The  Saviour  recognizes  a  state  of  tlie  heart 
and  readiness  of  the  will  as  entering,  equally 
with  clearness  of  understanding,  into  thecon- 
ditions  of  faith.  .V  strong  emphasis  lies  on 
the  word  all.  They  had  overlooked  the 
l)r(ii)hecies  of  suft'cring  and  death. 

26.  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered, 
etc.  The  Revision  is  better:  Behoved  it  not 
the  Christ  to  suffer  these  </k"h<7s?— rejection 
at  the  hands  of  men,  humiliation,  pain,  and 
death.  Did  not  God's  purpose  concerning  the 
Messiah,   as  indicated  in  the  Scriptures,  in- 


volve all  this?    And  to  enter  into  his  glory. 

Was  not  this  also  a  part  of  that  jiurpose, 
which  could  be  acconii)lished  only  through 
the  Messiah's  death  ?  "Thus  St.  Luke  mainly 
dwells  on  the  resurrectitm  as  a  spiritual  ne- 
cessity;  St.  Mark  as  a  great  fact;  St.  Mat- 
thew as  a  glorious  and  majestic  manifestation  ; 
and  St.  John  in  its  etlects  on  the  minds  of  the 
members  of  the  church."  Farrar,  epitomizing 
Westcott. 

27.  And  beginning  at  (.strictly  from) 
Moses— touching  on  all  the  Messianic  intima- 
tions in  the  Pentateuch— and  (from)  all 
the  prophets— and  going  through  witli  the 
prophecies  in  them  pertaining  to  himself— he 
expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scrip- 
tures the  things  concerning  himself.  Of 
cour.se  it  was  only  a  selection  out  of  all  the 
Scriptures,  that  the  time  would  allow  him  to 
expound.  Besides  Moses=the  law,  and  the 
prophets,  there  was  that  third  section,  as  the 
Jews  classified  the  books,  the  Hagiograjdia,  or 
"holy  writings,"  including  particularly  the 
Psalms  and  other  poetical  books.  (See  ver. 44). 
If  Luke  could  have  imparted  to  us  the  in- 
struction communicated  in  that  di.scourse, 
developing  the  true  sense  of  the  prophecies, 
from  the  opening  Gospel  of  Genesis  3:  15,  to 
the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  Mai.  4:  2,  what 
volumes  of  groi)ing  discussion  in  later  ages 
might  we  well  have  spared  ! 

28.  And  he  made  as  though  he  would 
have  gone  (rather  7")  fnrther— /.  e.,  he 
carried  forward  the  part  still,  in  which  he  had 
acted,  of  one  traveling  in  the  same  direction 
with  them,  and  would  have  gone  on  if  they 
had  not  besought  him  to  tarry.  It  was  hi.s 
general  course  to  bestow  his  blessings  upon 
faith,  in  answer  to  prayer. 

29.  And  they  constrained  him — prac- 
ticed a  sort  of  gentle  violence  upon  him— 
saying,  Abide  with  us;   for  it  is  toward 


350 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIV. 


30  And  it  cauie  to  pass,  as  he  sat  at  meat  with  theiu, 
"he  took  bread,  and  blessed  il,  and  brake,  and  gave  to 
tlieni. 

SI  And  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him; 
and  he  vanished  out  of  their  sight. 

'6'J.  And  they  said  one  to  another.  Did  notour  heart 
burn  within  us,  while  he  talked  with  lis  by  the  way, 
aud  while  he  opened  to  us  the  scriptures? 


30  far  spent.  And  he  went  in  to  abide  with  them.  And 
it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  sat  down  with  them  to 
meat,  he  took  the  i  bread,  aud  blessed  ;  and  breaking 

31  (/,  he  gave  to  them.  And  their  eyes  were  opened, 
aud  they  knew  him;  and  he  vanished  out  ot  their 

32  sight.  And  they  said  one  to  another,  Was  not  our 
heart  burning  within  us,  while  he  spake  to  us  in  the 


a  Matt.  U  :  19. 1  Or,  loa/. 


evening,  and  the  day  is  (already)  far  spent. 
His  conversation  niay  have  whiled  away  some 
hours,  between  walicing  and  rest.  They 
would  have  had  him  spend  the  night  with 
them.  And  he  went  in  to  tarry — i.  e., 
abide — with  them.  It  was  apparently  their 
own  house,  or  that  of  one  of  them.  He 
simply  granted  their  prayer;  the  word 
''abide,"  in  this  sentence,  being  from  the 
same  Greek  as  that  in  the  preceding  sentence. 
It  is  applicable  to  a  longer  or  shorter  stay. 

30.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  sat  at 
(better,  when  he  had  sat  down  to)  meat — re- 
clined at  table— with  them,  he  took  (the) 
bread— Greek,  the  loaf— and  blessed  it, 
and  brake,  and  gave  to  them.  Offered 
7)?-ai.se— would  be  a  better  rendering  than 
blessed  it.  The  Saviour's  assumption  of 
the  headship  of  the  table  must  have  seemed 
strange  to  the  two  disciples,  even  if,  us  some 
suppose,  they  were  tarrying  at  an  inn ;  still 
more  so,  if  it  was  at  their  own  house.  An  old 
Jewish  rule,  reported  in  later  books,  makes  it 
obligatory  to  say  grace  where  there  are  three 
Ht  the  table.  Had  these  disciples  been  of  the 
eleven,  we  might  naturally  think  the  meal 
intended  as  the  repetition  of  the  Supper  three 
nights  before.  Still  we  should  feel  that  there 
was  much  lacking  to  the  proper  description 
of  such  a  meal.  And  as  these  two  disciples 
had  not  been  present  at  the  institution  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  they  could  not  be  reminded 
of  that.  It  was  rather  in  the  way  of  his  usual 
custom  of  praising  God  for  his  goodness,  at 
the  beginning  of  a  meal,  that  the  Saviour 
now  proceeded.  This  disposes  at  once  of  va- 
rious dogmatic  inferences  of  Roman  Catholics 
and  others. 

31.  And  their  eyes  were  opened,  and 
they  knew — recognized — him.  Here  was  a 
divine  act  performed  upon  them,  nt  the  mo- 
ment of  his  distributing  the  bread,  which  did 
away  with  the  restraining  influence  spoken  of 
(ver.iB);  their  eyes  were  no  longer  "  holden," 
and  in  the  peculiar  spirit  and  manner  of  his 
opening  their  meal,  they  perceived  that  it  wa.s 


he.     And  he  vanished  out  of  their  sight. 

As  suddenly  and  mysteriously  as  he  had 
drawn  near  (ver.  is),  he  now  disappeared.  He 
did  not  go — but  was  gone.  Already  we  dis- 
cern that  air  of  mystery,  materiality  spiritual- 
ized, which  hangs  around  the  whole  manifes- 
tation of  our  Lord,  during  the  forty  daj's  of 
his  resurrection  life.  To  some  he  was  visible 
at  certain  times,  but  not  at  all  times;  and  to 
others  not  at  any  time.  Now  his  organic 
frame  appears  in  the  solidity  of  a  human 
body,  and  subject  to  ordinary  human  condi- 
tions; and  again,  it  moves  as  unrestrictedly  as 
if  it  were  a  bodiless  soul. 

32.  Now  they  realized  what  they  had  lost. 
Did  not  our  heart  burn  within  us,  while 
he  talked  with  us  by  the  way,  and  while 
he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures?  Better, 
as  in  the  Revision.  The  omission  of  and  by 
the  best  texts,  makes  the  opening  the  Scrip- 
tures more  manifestly  the  same  thing  as  the 
talking  to  them  in  the  way.  The  heart  burn- 
ing Avithin  them  denotes  that  indescribable 
fervor  of  religious  interest  awakened  in  their 
hearts  by  the  clear  apprehension  of  truth  con- 
cerning God,  and  his  plan  of  redemption 
through  Christ.  Opening  the  Scriptures  to 
one  is,  plainly,  causing  one  rightly  to  appre- 
ciate the  truth  there  written,  in  its  appropri- 
ateness to  the  seeking  soul.  It  was  an  un- 
speakable privilege  to  have  Christ  humanly 
near,  to  aid  in  this;  and,  thanks  to  his  name! 
he  is  equally  present  to  the  prayerful,  trusting 
heart,  through  the  Comforter  whom  he  sends 
at  all  times.  Very  appropriately',  Farrar,  on 
the  passage,  cites,  upon  this  account  of  Christ's 
interview  with  the  brethren  at  Emmaus,  Cow- 
per's  beautiful  application  of  the  narrative,  in 
his  poem  Conversation,  at  the  passage  begin- 
ning; 

It  happened  on  a  solemn  eventide, 
Soon  after  he  that  was  our  surety  died. 

Cowper  piously  moralizes  upon  the  incident; 

Now  theirs  was  converse  such  as  it  behooves 
Man  to  {oaintaio,  and  such  as  God  approves. 


Ch.  XXIV.] 


LUKE. 


351 


33  And  they  rose  up  the  same  hour,  and  returned  to 
Jerusalem,  and  luuiid  t  lie  eleven  gathered  together,  and 
theiu  that  were  widi  tlieiu, 

3t  Sayinjj,  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and  »  hath  ap- 
peared 10  .>>iiuoii. 

;!.">  And  they  told  what  things  u-ere  done  in  the  way, 
and  how  he  was  kuowu  of  them  in  breaking  of  bread. 

:H>  'And  as  they  thus  spake,.lesus  himselfstood  iu  the 
midst  of  them,  and  saith  unto  tlieui.  Peace  hf  iiuto  you. 

37  Hut  they  were  terrilied  and  atl'riglited,  and  sup- 
posed that  they  had  seen  "a  spirit. 

:j8  And  he  said  unto  them.  Why  are  ye  troubled?  and 
why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts? 

.iij  Behold  my  liands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself: 
■'handle  me,  aiid  see;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  fiesh  and 
bones,  as  ye  see  me  have. 

40  .\nd  whtn  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  shewed  them 
his  hands  and  A/.v  feet. 

41  .And  while  they  yet  believed  not  «for  joy,and  won- 
dered, he  said  unto  tluMu,/lIave  ye  here  any  meat? 

41  .And   they  gave  him  a  piece  of  a  broiled  tish,  and 
of  an  honeycomb. 
4a  ff  And  he  look  il,  and  did  eat  before  them. 


33  way,  while  he  opened  to  us  the  scriptures?  And 
they  rose  up  that  very  hour,  and  returned  lo  .leru- 
sulcm,  and  I'ound  the  eleven  gailieied  logelber,  nod 

34  them    that  were  with  iheiu,  saying,  Tlie  Lord  h^nh 

35  ri.^en  indeed,  and  bath  appealed  lo  .Simon.  And 
they  rehearsed  the  things  i/ml  /i<ii,i,iii<-il  iu  the  wav, 
and  how  he  was  known  of  them  in  tlie  breaking  of 
the  bread. 

36  And  as  they  spake  these  things,  he  himself  stood 
in  the  midst  of  them,  'and  saith  unto  them,    I'eaee 

37  bf  unto  you.     But  they  were  terrified  and  allrighted, 

38  and  supposed  that  they  beheld  a  spirit.  And  he 
said  unto  them,  Why  are'ye  trouliled  ?  and  wherefore 

39  do  questionings  arise  in  your  heart?  See  mv  handi» 
and  my  feet,  that  it  is  1  myself:  handle  me,  and  see; 
foraspirit  hath  not  Hesh  and  bones, as  ye  lieholdme 

40  having.     -.And   wlien   he  had  said  tliis,  he   shewed 

41  them  his  hands  and  his  feet.  And  while  they  still 
disbelieved    for   joy,   and    wondered,  be  said   unto 

42  them.  Have   ye   here   anything  to  eat?     And  they 

43  gave  him  a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish.a  And  he  took  it, 
and  did  eat  before  them. 


a  1  Cor.  15:  5 h  Murk  16:  14:  .loliu  M  :  19;  1  Cor.  15:  5 c  Mark  S  :  49 d  John  20:  20.27 eGeu.43:  26.... /John  21 :  5....;  Acta 

10:  41. 1  Some  aDcleut  auiborttiea  omit,  and  saith  unto  them.  Peace  be  unto  you...  .2  Some  auoleni  ttUlhoriiies  omit  ver.  40.... :i  Uan^ 

ancient  auiliorltte.i  adti,  and  a  honeycomb. 


33-35.  Return  of  the  two  disciples  to  Je- 
rusalem. E.xchiinge  of  reports  with  the  eleven 
and  others. 

33.  And  they  rose  up  the  same  hour, 

etc.  Joy  would  lend  speed  to  their  steps,  and 
whether  a  return  that  night  had  been  in  their 
plan  or  not,  they  were  back  in  Jerusalem  be- 
fore the  evening  had  passed.  With  haste,  we 
may  suppose  that  less  than  two  hours  would 
suffice. 

34.  The  eleven  anticipate  them  in  an- 
nouncing an  appearance  of  the  Lord  to  Peter. 
It  was  the  eleven  who  said.  The  Lord  is 
risen,  etc.  The  fact  that  Luke  has  not  men- 
tioned that  in  his  narrative,  shows  that  he 
selects  his  facts  out  of  an  ample  store.  Comp. 
on  verse  34. 

35.  And  they  told,  etc. — namely,  Cleopas 
and  his  companion.  They  is  emphatic; 
"they,  on  their  part."  The  disbelief  ascribed 
to  the  eleven,  in  Mark  16:  13,  14,  had  refer- 
ence to  this  particular  appearance,  and  might 
rest  on  the  supposed  improbability  that  Christ 
should  be  in  widely  separated  places  at  or  near 
the  same  time. 

36-49.  Chri.«t  surprises  the  companj',  con- 
vinces them,  gives  them  their  commission. 

36.  And  as  they  thus  spake  (lit.,  spoke 
these  things) — in  the  very  warmth  of  their 
agitated  conference  concerning  him — Jesus 
(rather,  he.)  himself  stood  in  the  midst  of 
them.  Here,  again,  no  coming  on  his  part  is 
reported;  but  while  their  discourse  went  on, 
there  he  stood  1  The  effect  of  such  an  appari- 
tion might  well  be  to  excite  timidity  and  fear, 
in  spite  of  what  they  had  heard  of  his  being 


alive — nay,  indeed,  specially  on  that  account. 
He  therefore  adds,  Peace  be  unto  you.  It 
was  the  familiar  salutation  which  they  had  a 
hundred  times  received  at  his  lips.  Even  tiius, 
it  is  not  surprising  that  liis  presence,  in  that 
manner,  as  of  one  from  the  invisible  world, 
filled  them  with  a  joyful  but  wondering  awe. 

37.  But  they  were  terrified  and  af- 
frighted, and  supposed  that  they  had 
seen  (better,  saw)  a  spirit.  Tlie  perturba- 
tion of  mind  is  mentioned  as  a  reason  for  their 
mistake;  literally,  becoming  terrified  and  af- 
frighted, they  supposed,  etc.  The  same  pop- 
ular delusion,  that  the  disembodied  spirits 
appear  in  the  semblance  of  a  body,  led  the 
apostles  once  before  to  imagine  that  Christ, 
walking  on  the  water  in  the  night,  was  a  gho.st. 
(Matt.  14: 26;  Mark8:  49.)  The  word  they  uscd  then 
was  "phantasm,"  or  "spectre,"  butmeaning, 
as  here,  "  a  ghost."  Luke  makes  no  mention 
of  reproach  to  them  (comp.  Mark  i6 :  u),  which  was 
even  more  called  for  here,  when  they  notonly 
disbelieved  the  testimony  of  those  who  had 
seen  him  risen,  but  that  of  their  own  eyes; 
but  he  shows  us  the  forbearance  of  the  Lord 
in  reasoning  with  them,  and  giving  them  de- 
mon-strative  proof. 

38.  Why  are  ye  troubled  ?  and  AVhy  do 
thoughts  (wherefore  do  reasonings)  arise  in 
your  hearts?  Their  feelings  were  abnor- 
mally disturbed,  and  there  were  intellectual 
struggles  against  the  legitimate  conclusion, 
from  the  sight  of  him,  that  he  was  really' 
alive. 

39-43.  He  gave  them  three  "infallible 
proofs  "  that  it  was  indeed  he,  the  Jesus  whom 


352 


LUKE, 


[Ch.  XXIV. 


44  And  he  said  unto  them,  "These  are  the  words  which 
I  spake  uuto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all 
things  must  be  fultilled,  which  were  written  iu  the  law 
ot  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  tlie  psalms,  cou- 
ceriiiug  lue. 

4o  Tlien  'opened  lie  their  understanding,  that  they 
might  understand  the  scriptures, 

4o  And  said  unto  them,  "Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus 


44  And  he  said  unto  them.  These  are  my  words 
which  I  spalve  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  w'ith  you, 
how  that  all  things  must  needs  be  fulfilled,  which 
are  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  prophets, 

45  and  the  psalms,  concerning  me.  Then  opened  he 
their  mind,  that  they  might  understand  the  scrip- 

46  tures;  and  he  said  unto  them.  Thus  it  is  written, 
that  the  Christ  should  suffer,  and  rise  again  from  the 


a  Matt.  I6:'ll\  17:  2a;  20:  18;  Mark  8  :  31 ;  ch.  9  :  22;  18  :  31 ;  ver.  6 6  Acts  16  :  14.. ..ever.  26;  Ps.  22;  Isa.  50:  6;  53:  2,  etc.;  Acts  17:  3. 


they  had  known,  in  his  proper  person,  and 
no  spectre ;  first,  by  causing  them  to  see  his 
scarred  hands  and  feet  (ver.  39,  w),  from  which 
we  learn  that  the  feet  of  Jesus  had  been 
nailed  to  the  cross;  secondly,  by  letting  them 
feel  him  that  he  was  not  a  mere  semblance 
of  Jesus,  but  himself  bodily.  In  regard  to 
this,  as  bearing  on  the  relation  of  his  person 
to  the  glorified,  spiritual  body  (comp.  1  cor.  15 :  50), 
we  can  onlj'  speculate,  and  that  to  little  use. 
We  are,  perhaps,  warranted,  from  what  the 
chapter  tells  us,  in  concluding  that  our  Saviour 
was  in  an  absolutely  unique  condition,  belong- 
ing of  right  to  the  future  life,  but  called  by 
hisoiBceto  maintain  a  recognizable  relation 
to  his  disciples  here  a  little  longer.  Thirdly,  he 
did  eat  before  them  a  piece  of  a  broiled 
fish,  which  they  gave  him.  The  clause  and 
of  a  honeycomb  is  a  late  addition,  being 
absent  from  all  the  four  earliest  manuscripts 
which  contain  the  passage.  Nothing  further, 
surely,  could  be  needed  to  scatter  all  their 
doubts. 

44-47.  Harmony  of  all  that  has  occurred 
in  his  case  with  the  Scriptures. 

44.  And  he  said  unto  them,  These  are 
the  (correct  reading,  my)  words  which  I 
spake  unto  you,  etc.  Some  harmonists  make 
the  following  discourse  parallel  to  what  is  re- 
lated in  Acts  1 :  4  ff.,  as  if  an  interval  of  near 
forty  days  had  passed.  But  there  is  no  hint 
of  any  such  separation  in  the  record;  on  the 
contrary,  Luke  connects  this  to  the  preceding 
precisely  as  if  Christ  went  on  naturally  from 
verse  43.  The  section  is  to  be  regarded  as  a 
provisional  and  private  instruction,  followed 
by  a  commission,  different  from  the  public 
and  more  formal  declarations  in  Matt.  28: 
18-20;  Mark  16:  15-18;  and  Acts  1:  4-8. 
These  are  my  words.  These  events,  per- 
taining to  my  death  and  resurrection,  are  the 
fulfillment  of  my  words,  which  I  spake 
unto  you.  See  the  references  at  verse  6. 
While  I  was  yet  with  you.  He  looks  back 
on  the  relations  existing  before  his  death,  as 
now  ended  ;  he  is  no  longer  with  them,  except 


transiently  and  at  intervals,  and  not  at  all  to 
continue  work  like  that  in  which  he  was  then 
engaged.  That  all  things  must  be  ful- 
filled. This,  namely,  was  the  purport  of  the 
words  which  I  spake  unto  you.  Jesus  often 
referred  his  disciples  to  prophecies  in  their 
Scriptures  which  must  be  fulfilled  by  action 
or  suflfering  on  his  part;  and  John  represents 
him  (ch.  1:28)  as  declaring  his  thirst  on  the 
cross,  in  order  that  a  typical  prophecy  in  Ps. 
69:  21  might  be  fulfilled  by  his  drinking  of 
the  vinegar.  Then  all  had  been  fulfilled. 
Which  Avere  (are)  written  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  etc.  This  is  the  fullest  description 
that  we  have  of  the  contents  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, as  arranged  in  his  dtiy  (see  above  on  ver.  27). 
There  were,  and  are  now,  in  the  Hebrew 
Bibles,  three  Divisions:  (1)  the  Law  (five 
books  of  Moses);  (2)  the  Prophets,  including 
the  historical  books  from  Joshua  to  II.  Kings, 
except  Kuth  (called  the  Former  Prophets), 
and  what  we  call  the  Prophets,  except  Daniel 
(the  Later  Prophets);  (3)  the  Writings  in 
Latin,  named  Hagiographa  (including  all 
the  other  books  of  the  Old  Testament). 
As  the  Psalms  are  the  first,  and,  in  a  pro- 
phetic aspect,  the  most  important  portion 
of  this  Division,  the  Saviour  here  calls  the 
whole,  by  synechdoche,  the  Psalms.  Gen- 
erally he  is  content  to  speak  of  the  whole  as 
the  Law  and  the  Prophets;  but  here  would 
indicate  the  necessity  of  fulfilling  everything 
in  the  whole  Bible. 

45.  Then  opened  he  their  understand- 
ing that  they  might  understand  the  Scrip- 
tures. This  seems  to  describe  an  effect  pro- 
duced in  them  such  that  they  were  thencefor- 
ward to  be  capable  of  discerning  the  true 
sense  of  any  prophecy  of  the  Old  Testament. 
Blessed  power!  What  could  it  be  but  a  larger 
measure  of  the  Spirit  by  which  the  prophets 
were  borne  on,  when  they  uttered  their  mes- 
sages from  God?  (Comp.  ver.  32;  Ps.119:  18;  1  Cor.  2  :  lOff.; 
Matt.  U:  27;  16:  17;  John  16:  13.).        The     lack    of    this 

power  was  shown  in  ch.  18:  34. 

46.  And   said  unto   them.  Thus   it   is 


Ch.  XXIV.] 


LUKE. 


353 


it  ticliooved  Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  I  47  dead  the  third  day  ;  and  that  repentance  'and  ra- 
the  third  day:  I        mission  of  sins  should  he  preached  in  his  name  unto 

47  And  that  repentance  and  "remission  of  sins  should  j  48  all  the -nations,  heginniug  from  Jerusalem.     Ye  are 


l)c  preached  in  his  name 'among  all  nations,  beginning 
at  .ierusalem. 

4S  And  "ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things. 

4'.t  •'And,  hehold,  I  send  the  promi.se  of  my  Father 
uiionyou:  hut  tarry  ye  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  until 
ye  he  endued  with  power  from  on  high. 

■  >n  And  he  led  them  out '  as  far  as  to  Bethany,  and  he 
lifted  up  his  hands,  and  blessed  them. 


41)  witnesses  of  these  things.  And  behold,  1  semi  forth 
the  |)romiseof  my  Kather  iijion  you:  but  tarry  ye  in 
the  citv,  until  ye  be  clothed  with  power  from  on 
high. 

•W  .\iul  he  led  them  out  until  thei/  t/rrr  over  against 
Uethauy:   and  he  lifted  up  his  hands,  and  blessed 


<t  Dan.  9:  '.14;  Acts  13:  38,  46;  1  John  2 :  12 b  Gen.  12:  3;  Ps.  22:  27;  Isa.  49:  6.22;  Jer.  31  :  34;  Boura  2:  23;  Micah  4:2;  Mai.  1  :  U' 

c  John  15:  27;  Acts  1:  8,  22;  2:  32;  3:  15 d  Ua.  44:  3;  Joel  2:  28;  JobD  14:   16.  26:  15  :  26;  16:  7;  Acta  1:4:2:   1.  etc «  AcM 

1 :  12. 1  Some  ancient  auihoiilies  read,  vn(o...  .2  Or,  na(ion«.    Beginning  from  Jenualem,  ye  are  witnettea. 


written,  and  thus  it  behooved  Christ  to 
suffer.  Better,  a.s  in  tlie  Kevision.  See  Psa. 
•22;  Isa.  50:  5-9;  53;  com  p.  Acts  17 :  3.  The 
word.s,  and  thus  it  behooved,  are  wanting  in 
all  the  more  iiii|»ortaiit  MSS. — And  to  rise 
from  the  dead  the  third  day.  See  Psa.  IG: 
10,  11  ;  conip.  Acts  2:  25-82;  13:  33-35.  The 
absence  of  passages  in  the  Old  Testament 
clearly  applicable  to  the  clause  on  the  third 
day  (our  Saviour  found  this  t^'jjicaliy  fore- 
shadowed in  the  restoration  of  Jonah,  after 
three  days),  may  have  caused  the  words  and 
thus  it  behooved  to  be  added  as  an  explana- 
tory gloss.  But  our  Saviour  passes  freely  from 
the  things  expressly  spoken  beforehand  about 
him,  to  those  which  were  logically  or  histori- 
cally involved  in  them.  This  remark  applies 
especially  to  the  next  verse,  which  also  comes 
in  here  as  a  part  of  the  things  which  were 
written,  because,  to  the  Saviour's  mind,  they 
are  a  mere  extension  of  that. 

47.  And  that  repentance  and  (or,  for) 
remission  of  sins  should  be  preached, 
etc.  The  Greek  order  of  the  words  implies 
some  emphasis  on  preached;  "and  that  ]iroc- 
lamation  should  be  made  in  his  name  of  re- 
l)entance  and  remission  of  sins  unto  all  the 
iiiitions,"  etc.  This  indicates  prominently  the 
next  step  that  was  to  be  taken,  now  that  the 
provision  for  universal  pardon  has  been  made 
through  his  death  and  resurrection.  It  leads, 
al-so,  to  the  announcement  of  tlieir  function  in 
the  matter,  in  the  next  verse. — Beginning 
at  Jerusalem.  "To  the  Jew  first,  and  also 
to  the  Greek"  (Rom.  i:i«).  Although  the  nation 
had  sold  its  birthright  to  primacy  in  the  king- 
dom of  God,  as  proposed  to  them  by  the  iles- 
siah  personally,  the  offer  should  be  still 
extended  to  them,  under  the  Dispensation  of 
the  Spirit,  through  the  witness  to  his  resur- 
rection.    Comp.  Acts  3:  19-26. 

48.  And  ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things. 
And   is  no  part  of  the  text,  and  should  be 


omitted.  This  verse  describes  the  primary 
function  of  the  apostles,  and  eye-witne.«ses 
generally,  of  the  risen  Jesus.  These  things 
are  the  same  that  he  has  been  so  designating  in 
verses  2(3,  44;  namely,  those  pertaining  to  his 
resurrection  from  the  grave,  implying  the  fact 
of  his  death  and  burial,  as  it  occurred.  Of 
course,  these  naturally  drew  after  them  the 
account  of  liis  whole  ]>ublic  life.  Comp.  Acts 
1 :  y,  21  ff.  Here  is  no  formtil  consecration  to 
an  office;  that  had  already  been  done,  so  far 
as  was  necessary ;  but  it  was  a  statement  of 
the  first  and  most  important  duty  involved  in 
the  office  of  the  apostles,  and  which  every  dis- 
ciple could  discharge,  in  his  measure,  who  had 
.seen  Christ  alive  from  the  desid.  How  clearly 
the  apostles  recognized  this  as  their  duty;  see 
the  last  reference  above,  and  .\cts  2:  32;  3: 
15;  as  well  as  the  tenor  of  their  whole  procla- 
mation throughout  the  Ads. 

49.  And,  behold,  I  send  the  promise  of 
my  Father  upon  you.  Tlu-  compound  verb 
u.sed  means  send  forth.  The  promise  means 
the  special  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
promised  .Joel  2:  28.  Comp.  Isa.  44:  3;  John 
14  :  10,  17,  2(3 ;  15 :  26 ;  16 :  7 ;  Acts  1 :  5,  8.  This 
would  be  the  indispen.sable  prerequisite  to  the 
discharge  of  their  office.  Comp.  1  Cor.  2: 12-1(5. 
Not  3'et  fully  understanding  this,  they  might 
be  inclined  to  go  forth  on  their  mission  prema- 
turely.—But  tarry  ye— sit  ye  down— in  the 
city  of  Jerusalem,  until  ye  be  endued 
a.  e.,  clothed)  with  jiower  from  on  high — 
that  power  which  only  the  reception  of  the 
Si)irit  could  imj)art.     See,  again,  Acts  1 :  8. 

50-53.  TiiK  AscKNsioN-. 

.50.  Aud  he  led  them  out  as  far  as  to 
Bethany.  This  also  (comp.  on  ver  44)  is 
jidded  as  though  no  sjiace  of  time  came  be- 
tween it  !»nd  the  preceding  discourse  ;  ])ut  all 
followed  on  the  evening  of  the  resurrection 
day.  Yet  we  find,  in  Acts  1  :  3-10.  that  Luke 
was  distinctly  aware  that  Jesus  had  continued 


X 


354 


LUKE. 


[Ch.  XXIV. 


51  n  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  lie  blessed  them,  he  was 
parted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven. 

52  'And  they  worsliipped  him, and  returned  to  Jeru- 
salem with  great  joy  : 

o.S  And  were  continually  ''in  the  temple,  praising  and 
blessing  God.    Amen. 


51  them.    And  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  blessed  them, 
he   jiarted   from   them,   'and  was  carried    up  into 

52  heaven.     And  they  ^worshipped  him,  and  returned 

53  to  Jerusalem  with  great  joy:  and  were  continually 
in  the  temple,  blessing  God. 


a  -1  Kiugs  2:11;  Mark  16:19;  John  20  :  17  ;  Acts  1:9;  Ephes.  4  : 
ties  oiuU,  and  was  carried  up  into  heaven. .,6 


.*  Matt.  28:  9,  n c  Acts  2  :  46  :  5:  42. 1  Some  ancient  authori- 

e  ancient  authorities  omit,  worshipped  him,  and. 


Oil  the  earth  forty  days  longer.  During  that 
time  took  place  the  meeting  with  the  eleven 
(joiin  20: 26-29),  when  Thomas  was  present,  and 
the  last  disbeliever  was  convinced ;  his  ap- 
pearance to  seven  of  the  apostles,  in  the 
familiar  scene  by  the  Sea  of  Tiberias  (Joim 
21 ;  1-24) ;  and  again  to  the  eleven,  in  the  moun- 
tain in  Galilee  (Matt.  28:  ic-20;  Mark  i6:  i5-i8),  where 
he  formally  renewed  and  expanded  their 
apostolic  commission.  Some  have  supposed 
that  at  the  time  of  writing  his  Gospel,  Luke 
had  not  learned  clearly  this  succes.sion  of 
events,  but  was  informed  of  it  before  he  com- 
posed the  Acts.  As  Paul,  however,  with 
whom  Luke  was  so  intimately  associated,  had 
shown  before  this  (lOor.  15:4-7)  that  he  knew 
well  of  a  considerable  interval  between  the 
resurrection  and  the  ascension,  it  is  hard  to 
believe  that  Luke  did  not  understand  it  before 
he  wrote  first.  It  is  more  probable  that  Luke, 
knowing  well  that  some  time  elapsed  before 
the  ascension,  but  expecting  to  speak  of  that 
more  fully  in  his  later  treatise,  now  threw 
into  one  view,  "a  perspective  view,"  as  it 
has  been  called,  all  which  he  thought  it  neces- 
sary to  communicate  now  concerning  the  in- 
terval before  the  ascension,  and  the  ascension 
itself.  Some  think  that  an  intimation  of  suc- 
cessive stages  of  the  history  is  given,  in  the 
repetition  of  "and  he  said  unto  them,"  in 
ver.  38,44,  46,  as  well  as  in  our  verse.  There 
is  nothing,  certainl}',  in  this  passage,  like 
a  night  experience,  and  it  must  have  been 
conceived  of  as  running  deep  into  the  night, 
if  it  followed  upon  the  events  of  that  first 
Lord's  Day.  The  spot  on  Olivet  whence  the 
ascension  took  place,  is  not  precisely  indicated. 
Tradition  fixed  the  scene  as  at  the  highe.st 
summit  of  the  ridge.  It  is  as  likely  to  have 
been  in  some  retired  nook  near  his  beloved 
Bethany.  The  phrase  as  far  as  to  Bethany 
marks  the  terminus  nd  quern  of  his  movement 
without  obliging  us  to  think  that  he  entered 
the  village. — And  he  lifted  up  his  hands — 
the  attitude  of  invocation  —  and  blessed 
them — besought,    with     thanksgiving    and 


praise,  God's  blessing  on  them.  "We  may  im- 
agine what  intensity  and  fullness  of  desire 
breathed  through  his  prayer. 

51.  The  verse  paints  his  departure.  While 
be  was  in  the  act  and  Jittitude  of  blessing 
them,  he  was  (omit  was)  parted  from  them. 
This  is  expressed  in  the  Greek,  naturally,  as 
an  instantaneous  act;  while  the  next  verb 
causes  the  mind  to  dwell  on  the  movement — 
and  carried  up  into  heaven — borne  on  a 
cloud,  as  we  see  in  the  Acts,  slowly  and 
visibly,  before  their  eyes.  The  upward  direc- 
tion accorded  with  the  popular  conception  of 
the  celestial  locality,  as  above  the  firmament 
— a  conception  almost  inevitable  for  everyone, 
since  the  traditions  of  language  have  identi- 
fied the  blessed  abodes  with  the  sky.  This 
sentence  is  omitted  from  the  text  by  Tischen- 
dorf,  and  is  admitted  by  other  high  authorities 
to  be  doubtful;  but  three;  of  the  five  chief 
ancient  manuscripts  have  it,  and  it  is  rightly 
retained  in  the  Revision. 

53.  The  same  remark  a])plies  to  the  text  of 
the  first  clause  here.  And  they  worshipped 
him — not  as  if  now  first  seen  to  be  worthy  of 
divine  honor  (comp.  Matt.  28:  9, 19),  but  now,  doubt- 
less, with  a  special  reverence  and  adoration. 
And  returned  to  Jerusalem  with  great 
joy.  Their  Saviour  had  entered  into  his 
glory,  and  they  were  sure  of  sharing  the 
same  when  he  should  return  to  take  them  to 
himself  What  strength  and  zeal,  to  do  and 
bear,  would  this  manifest  demonstration  of 
the  triuinjih  of  their  Leader  and  Head  impart 
to  the.se  favored  witnesses,  and,  through  their 
testimony,  to  the  first  generations  of  those 
who  believed  on  him  through  their  word! 

53.  And  Were  continually  in  the  tem- 
ple, praising  and  blessing  God.  The  best 
MSS.  omit  praising.  The  temple,  which 
has  been  the  scene  for  sf)  many  ages  of  all 
authorized  public  worship  of  the  true  God, 
and  which  Jesus  has  consecrated  to  their 
hearts  by  his  participation  with  them  there, 
will  not  readily  be  forsaken  by  the  disciples. 
The  Master  has  taught  them  to  tarry  about  it 


I 


Ch.  XXIV.]  LUKE.  355 

for  the  present,  and  great  changes  in  their  assembling  to  themselves.  (acisI:  13.).  Blcss- 
views  of  what  is  involved  in  the  gospel  will  ing  God.  All  their  view  of  him  would  mow 
be  required,  before  they  can  willingly  desert  be  brightened  by  the  light  from  the  Sun  of 
it.  The  Acts  will  sliow  the  history  of  that :  Righteousness;  the  types  and  shadows  of  tlieir 
change.  Coiitiiiiially — that  is,  whejiever  the  ceremonies  would  gradually  become  clear  and 
appointed  services  called  them  thither;  but  j  significant,  through  their  ac(iuaintaiice  witli 
not  so  as  to  prevent  their  having  a  place  of  1  the  antitype  and  substance  of  them  all. 


NOTE. 

See  verses  615-71,  piijiv  :!i7. 

"Was  our  Saviour  suVjjected  to  one,  two,  or  three  exaniiiuitions  before  .Jewish  authorities 
at  this  time?  The  prima  facie  impression  made  as  we  read  severally  and  compare  the  four 
records  is,  unquestionably,  that  there  were  three.  On  that  view,  the  interpretation  given 
above  proceeds.  In  .John  xviii.  1:5-24,  as  the  llevision  correctly  reads  and  renders  ver.  24, 
we  have  a  simple,  interesting,  and  thoroughly'  self-consistent  scene,  in  the  house  of  Annas. 
He  is  called  "high  priest,"  as  in  Luke  iii.  2;  Acts  iv.  G,  although  Caiaphas  is  stated  to  be 
formally  such  that  year,  and  is  particularly  so  named,  as  if  to  make  the  proper  distinction, 
when  .Jesus  is  fiiuiUy  sent  over  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas.  For  when  the  cruel  and  haughty 
Annas  makes  nothing  by  liis  impertinent  questions  to  his  prisoner;  but  brings  on  liimself 
implied  rebuke  for  his  permission  of  illegal  violence  toward  him — "Annas  therefore  sent 
him  [not  to  be  transinted  'had  sent,'  even  if  there  were  much  probability  that  it  should  be 
so  interpreted]  bound  unto  Caiaphas,  the  high-priest."   (.John  18:  24.) 

Matthew  xxvi.  57,  •'')'.)-68 ;  JNIark  xiv.  53,  55-05,  give  an  account  oi  another  ])retence  of 
inquest  in  the  house  of  Caiaphas,  before  a  considerable  body  of  chief  priests  and  other  coun- 
cillors, for  the  assembling  of  whom  time  may  have  bticn  given  by  the  delay  with  Annas.  In 
the  court  of  this  house  goes  forward  the  same  testing  of  Peter  which  liad  begun  in  the  court 
of  Annas'  house.  Nothing  is  rejjorted  by  these  writers  of  such  questions  as  had  been  put 
to  .Jesus  by  Annas;  but  the  result  is  a  mock  judgment  that  he  is  worth3'  of  death.  All  this 
took  place  deep  in  the  night.  The  first  two  Evangelist?  uUude  also  to  a  session  of  the  formal 
and  complete  council  after  daybreak. 

Of  this  session,  Luke,  in  the  pa.ssage  above  considered,  furni.sbes  the  only  detailed  r(>- 
port.  Of  this  alone  does  he  give  any  report,  indeed;  perhaps,  because  it  alone  could  pretend 
to  a  legal,  or  even  reasonable  formality,  or  give  a  shape  to  their  indictment  of  Jesus  which 
they  would  dare  to  lay  before  the  Governor. 

Here  are  thus  three  distinct,  important,  complementary  accounts  of  the  so-called  trial, 
with  quite  intelligible  reasons  why  they  should  all  be  given.  Probablj'  thousands,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  written  Gospel,  having  each  only  one  of  the  four  records,  lived  and  died  in 
the  belief  that  each  had  a  veritable  narrative  of  the  transaction.  Were  they  misled?  We, 
having  all  the  four,  and  minutely  comparing  them,  maj-  desiderate  fuller  information  to 
harmonize  them  perfectly.  But  surely  they  present  no  extraordinary  perjjlexitics.  "\Ve 
have  noticed  all  that  occur  in  the  exi)osition  of  Luke.  The  sim))le  and  long-familiar 
hyj)othesis  of  a  domicile  for  Annas,  such  that  its  large  inner  court  was  the  court  also  of  that 
of  Caiaphas,  clears  away  the  chief  difficulty. 

A  word  further  on  this  topic  seemed  called  for  since  Ederslieim  just  now,  in  his  very 
valuable  Ij'ife  and  Times  of  Jesus,  also  supposes  .John  to  bring  .Jesus  before  Annas  for 
nothing;  and  that  what  seems  to  be  an  interview  with  the  latter,  was  really  with  Caiaj)ha.>. 
Not  so  Weiss,  nor  Westcott,  in  his  (hmmentary  on  John.  But  Mr.  H.  C  Vedder,  in  a 
learned  and  able  monograph  on  the  Trial  of  .Jesus,  in  the  Bihliotliecn  Sacra  for  October. 
1882,  maintains  the  identity  of  the  examination  of  Annas  with  that  before  the  assembly  of 
notables  with  (^aiajihas.  C^mfining  attention  to  his  ingeniou*  and  suggestive  diatessaron,  one 
will  hardly  escape  his  conclusion.  But,  as  we  have  stated,  the  impression  made  by  the  re- 
spective narratives  seems  to  us  different.  The  important  thing  is,  that  we  should  not,  for 
the  sake  of  a  form  of  harmony,  introduce  into  the  testimony  of  .John,  an  inconsistency  more 
serious  than  any  seeming  di.screpancy  between  him  and  the  other  Gospels. 


I 


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B52^''ntuv'on'-ihe  Gospel  o'-^-'' 


